It is a shame the seedings for the Heads up championship and the pairings are done at random because they are a lot of enticing match ups for us to make.  Sometimes the escalating blinds means poker strategy has to be thrown out the window but there are a variety of styles and players that could make this a special year.

For review the rosters includes: Patrik Antonius, Eric Baldwin, Andy Bloch, Doyle Brunson, Joe Cada, Johnny Chan, Don Cheadle, Allen Cunningham, Pieter de Korver, Annie Duke, Tom Dwan, Peter Eastgate, Eli Elezra, Antonio Esfandiari, Sam Farha, Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Jamie Gold, Phil Gordon, Barry Greenstein.

And to continue: Bertrand Grospellier, Joe Hachem, Gus Hansen, Jennifer Harman, Phil Hellmuth, Orel Hershiser, Jesper Hougaard, Phil Ivey, John Juanda, Gabe Kaplan, J.P. Kelly, Phil Laak, Howard Lederer, Erick Lindgren, Mike Matusow, Jason Mercier, Dario Minieri, Chris Moneymaker, Darvin Moon, Greg Mueller, Daniel Negreanu, Scotty Nguyen, Annette Obrestad, Brock Parker, Dennis Phillips, Greg Raymer, Vanessa Rousso, Kara Scott, Huck Seed, Erik Seidel, Mike Sexton, Gavin Smith, Jennifer Tilly, Paul Wasicka, David Williams, Leo Wolpert, Jerry Yang.

Match-Up number one: Poker Couplings. Let’s start with first round matchups between Jennifer Tilly and Phil Laak. The Unabomber vs. the movie star. Once upon a time at the World Series Laak lost a bracelet to Johnny Chan while his girlfriend Tilly was busy winning the ladies event. Laak was running back and forth coaching his lady yet couldn’t get it done on his own. Laak still doesn’t own a bracelet but his girlfriend does. It would be fun to see her best him again.

In a field short on female players these are pseudo-couples. Kara Scottand Gabe Kaplan. While it would be more fun to see Scott vs. deposed High Stakes Poker host AJ Benza this match up would still have a lot of appeal. Kaplan and Scott could square off to settle who is the better player host/host player on the show. Given Scotts two Main Event runs many might wrongly think it’s her and ignore Kaplan’s bracelet history.

The next “couple” would be Howard Lederer vs. Annie Duke. Again, many of her Apprentice foes, Joan Rivers and Donald Trump might have more sizzle, but everybody loves to see siblings squabble. In what would be a rematch of all their board game battles growing up Annie and Howard could settle an old score. Duke, like any sister, obvious adores Howard but that’s never stopped her from getting the best of him in poker before.

There are several Main Event Champions and runner ups. Rematches are always fun. Paul Wasicka who has a great record in the Heads Up Event could get another shot at Jaime Gold, and you just know David Williams would love to go after Greg Raymer again. Both pairings in the rematches would pit players with divergent histories since their Main Event clashes.

Raymer and Wasicka have gone on to win other tournaments and go deep in big events, while Gold and Williams have really struggled. Williams less so, having won a bracelet and having a decent career but not quite the career of Raymer. What’s interesting is the Gold-Wasicka had the inverse result at their main event. Wasicka finished second but has been first ever since.

Joe Cada vs. Darvin Moon is one of the most current feuds. The kid knocked off the logger for the Main Event title but Moon acquited himself well in the battle and his wide open play would likely confuse Cada again. Plus, with the quick moving blinds these two might start the fireworks on hand one.

Course Cada may not be too keen to play Moon again, whereas a guy like Phil Ivey is probably praying for the chance to get another shot at the Maryland native. Wonder if he could have him as badly dominated as he did in the Main Event when he held AK to AQ. More match-ups to come…