Continuing our look back at the short history of the National Heads Up Poker Championship we arrive at 2007.  In the first two years, number one seeds Phil Hellmuth and Ted Forrest took down the titles each beating Chris Ferguson in heads up action.  The first year it seemed like it was a prestigious event but by 2007 celebrities started getting more invitations as NBC tried to broaden their viewership.  One such celebrity was number one seed Shannon Elizabeth (seedings randomly assigned) who had to be happy with the history of that seed.

Elizabeth rode the seed all the way to the semis and NBC executives had to be happy.  Her opponents Rene Angelil (Celine Deon’s husband and another pseudo-celebrity player), Jeff Madsen, Barry Greenstein, and Humberto Brenes weren’t quite so happy.  Elizabeth’s deep run co-incided with an increase in female players.  In 2007, Annie Duke, Elizabeth, Vanessa Rousso, Cyndy Violette, Jennifer Harman, Jennifer Tilly, Kristy Gazes, Isabelle Mercier and Clonie Gowen all got invited to play.  Kristy Gazes went second furtherest of the ladies losing to Chad Brown in the quarters.

Elizabeth also fell to a finalist when she ran into Paul Wasicka in the semi-finals and the Main Event runner-up (lost to Jaime Gold) bested her on his way to a title.  Wasicka beat Eli Elezra, Joe Hachem and Tj Cloutier, Nam Le before he got to Shannon Elizabeth.  Wasicka pocketed 500k after beating Chad Brown 2-0 in heads up action.

In 2008, there was one online poker qualifier, Alisha Kunze, as well as the celebrities who had grown in number.  Don Cheadle, Jennifer Tilly, Shannon Elizabeth, Jason Alexander, Orel Hershiser, and Gabe Kaplan all entered the field.  The lucky number one seed was online poker star Jonathan Little.  Little battled Erik Seidel in the first round who was seeded 64th just like he was in 2006 when Ted Forrest beat him on the way to his title. 

Little won, the beat Gabe Kaplan, and Greg Raymer before meeting Chris Ferguson in the quarter finals.  The two time finalist had lost in the first round the previous year to Scott Fischman but this year he would not be denied.  After dispatching Little Ferguson ran into Phil Ivey, who was enjoying his deepest run ever in the event. 

It seemed like everyone Ferguson faced was a sponsored pro of his company.  Round one was John Juanda, round two likable Gavin Smith, round three love him or hate him Mike Matusow.  The capper?  Ferguson played Andy Bloch in the finals.  Maybe Ferguson gleaned some of their tendencies watching them play on his online poker site every day.

While Ferguson was always a bridesmaid at the Heads Up Championship he faced a guy whose always been a bridesmaid period.  Andy Bloch once again fell in heads up action and give his track record of coming in second the most surprising thing might have been Bloch winning any heads up clashes.  Bloch fought hard and made it interesting by splitting the first two matches, but Ferguson would not be denied in the third and finally won his title.  He also made three out of the four final tables in the event’s history. 

In 2009, the lucky number 1 seed only got actor Don Cheadle one win.  He fell to 2007 Champion Paul Wasicka in the second round.  Wasicka lost in the next round to Vanessa Rousso.   He was in good company Rousso had to beat Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey to get to him.  Afterward it didn’t get any easier as Ruosso squared off with Daniel Negreanu.  With kid poker in her rear-view mirror she awaited the winner of Betrand “Elky” Grospellier and Phil Hellmuth.  The way her draw had gone you’d assume it’d be Hellmuth, instead Elky advanced.  Rousso won again.

Waiting for her in the finals was Huck Seed.  Seed had one of the best records of all participants in the event seemingly always able to cash.  Seed beat Rousso 2-0 and joined Hellmuth and Ferguson as Main Event Champions and NBC Heads Up Champions.  Jonathan Little, Gus Hansen, Glen Chorny, late fill in David Oppoenheim, and Sam Farha were the stepping stones to Seed’s title.