The National Heads-Up Poker Championship began with 64 players, and now there are only 4 remaining.  Both of the semifinal matches, as well as the best-of-three finals, will air on NBC this Sunday, May 18, at 12:00 p.m. EDT in an action packed 3-hour finale which will culminate with a new champion being crowned.

Hearts bracket winner Andy Bloch, who derailed Orel Hershiser’s impressive bid to reach the semifinals by defeating him in the quarterfinal round, will take on 1996 World Champion Huck Seed, the winner of the Diamonds bracket.  Seed defeated David Benyamine last week to reach the semis, and has an overall record of 12-3 going into this match over the 4 years he has played in this event.

But as impressive as Seed’s record has been, it still ranks second to that of Chris Ferguson, the winner of the Clubs bracket, who is now 14-3 lifetime going into his semifinal match against Phil Ivey, winner of the Spades bracket.  Ferguson, runner-up in this event in 2005 and 2006, defeated Jonathan Little to reach the semifinals once again, while Ivey continued to ride the momentum from his victory in the 2008 L.A. Poker Classic when he defeated Gus Hansen last week, setting up a match between these two poker superstars that is sure to arouse the interest of even the most casual of fans.

The winners of the semifinal matches will advance to play in the finals, while the losers will receive $125,000 for their efforts.  The runner-up in this event will earn $250,000, while the winner will take home $500,000 and the title of 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Champion.  The first hour of Sunday’s telecast will feature action from the semifinal rounds, while the last two hours will be devoted exclusively to the best-of-three finals.  Viewers can expect to see a lot of hands played between these 4 great remaining players, and gain valuable insight on how to improve their own heads-up games in the process.

Fans won’t want to miss the exciting conclusion to this year’s Championship, so be sure to tune in.  Check your local listings for the exact time in your area.

Dennis Oehring serves as the Public Relations Coordinator for the firm POKER PROductions.