Eric Siedel wins 2011National Heads Up Poker Championship

Posted 3/7/11 : Poker veteran wins 2011National Heads Up Poker Championship

Veteran poker pro Erik Seidel (51) was the centre of attraction over the weekend at Caesars Palace, where he took down the 2011 National Heads-Up Poker Championship and added an impressive $750 000 to his career winnings.

The event saw 62 invited poker mavens facing off in a series of heads up matches. It was the fifth time that Seidel competed – previously with little success.

In the final heads up clash Seidel battled it out with Chris Moneymaker – regarded by many as the man who put internet poker on the map back in 2003 – in a best-out-of-three competition.

Seidel, who was runner up in the tournament last year, when Annie Duke took the honours, has had a successful year so far. Ranked 11th at the start of 2011, he has triumphed in the $250,000 buy-in Super High Roller tournament at the Aussie Millions and the $25,000 buy-in High Roller tournament at the Los Angeles Poker Classic, bringing his career total to $14.6 million.

Moneymaker, whose runner-up prize was worth $300 000, was generous in his tribute to Seidel “I tried everything,” he said. “I tried to check-raise, I tried to bluff him, I tried to trap him. He’s just a true champion.”

In order to face Seidel in the final, Moneymaker had to get past the 2010 World Series of Poker champion Jonathan Duhamel, whilst Seidel reached the final by defeating Internet whizz Andrew Robl.

The often enthralling championship will be screened by NBC starting mid-April.

NBC starts airing round-by-round coverage of the event on Sunday, April 17. For once, Seidel will look forward to watching it.