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This past weekend one of the most highly anticipated events of the year for the pros took place at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas- The NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. 64 of the best poker pros and celebrities including Phil Ivey, Jamie Gold, Joe Hachem, Jennifer Tilly, Mike Matusow and last year’s champion Ted Forrest battled it out for the $500,000 first prize.

First round action featured one of the biggest upsets of the tournament as actor Don Cheadle, of Ocean’s 11 and Traffic fame, defeated Phil Ivey, who is widely considered as the best poker player in the world. The biggest surprise, though, was the play of actress Shannon Elizabeth. She made it all the way to the final four defeating Rene Angelil, 2006 WSOP Player of the Year Jeff Madsen, Barry Greenstein, and Humberto Brenes before losing to the eventual winner of the tournament, Paul Wasicka.

Wasicka has really started the year off strong. The 2006 WSOP Main Event Runner-Up came in 12th in the Aussie Millions main event in January. Then remarkably in the past week came in 4th in the WPT LA Poker Classic winning $455,615 and then won the NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship defeating Eli Elezra, Joe Hachem, TJ Cloutier, Nam Le, Shannon Elizabeth and Chad Brown in the finals to win the $500,000 prize. Wasicka is proving that he is not a one time fluke and is proving to the world that he is one of the best young players in the game.