Chris Ferguson wins 2008 National Heads-Up Championship

Chris Jesus Ferguson defeated Andy Block last night to win the 2008 National Heads up Poker Championship.

This event was held in Ceasar’s Palace in Las Vegas which featured 64 of the top names in poker, and several high profiled celebrities, battling it out in a $20,000 invite only heads up poker tournament that used the same bracket style as the famous annual NCAA Basketball tournament.

This years event was filled with surprises including last years champion Paul Wasicka going out early at the hands of Freddy Deeb, Hellmuth pushing in and busting with Pocket Aces on the third hand courtesy of online sensation Tom Dawn (Durrr) and last years Cinderella story Shannon Elizabeth getting knocked out early by Andy Block. Other first round exits included last year’s runner up Chad Brown and fan favorites Daniel Negreanu and Howard Lederer.

This years Cinderalla story was baseball legend Orel Hershiser who out played his opponents in a true ‘Bulldog’ fashion and advanced to the quarterfinals. Along the way he defeated five-time WSOP bracelet winner Ted Forrest, five-time WSOP winner Allen Cunningham and two-time WSOP bracelet winner Freddy Deeb. His run came to an end when he was beat by Andy Block, however he did receive $75,000 for his impressive 5th place finish.

Other’s eliminated in the semi finals included Gus Hansen, Jonathan little, and David Benyamine.

The big winner heading into the semi finals was the online poker room, Full Tilt Poker, as all four finalists happened to be players which their site sponsored, three of them full time members of “Team Full Tilt” and one, Huck Seed, a “Friend of Full Tilt”.

The semi finals played out as Andy Bloch topping Huck Seed, and Chris Ferguson topping Phil Ivey. The two players eliminated in the semi’s each received $125,000 in prize money.

In the end Andy Bloch was paid $250,000 for his second place finish and Chris Ferguson was paid $500,000 and awarded the tournament title.

Interesting to note that this was the fourth annual National Heads Up Poker Championship and the third time of the four events in which Chris Ferguson reached the finals. He was previously the runner up in both 2005 and 2006.