NBC National Heads-Up Championship Qualifying Criteria Announced
Twenty-seven seats guaranteed to pros under new qualification criteria for the NBC Heads-Up Poker Championships
Thursday 1st May 2008
One of the most illustrious tournaments on the poker calendar, the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship committee has set some standards by which several pros will earn their spot at the event. Successes in recent WSOP and WPT events, as well as previous Heads-Up Championships, will have a strong bearing on the criteria.
Players who meet the following guidelines automatically earn a seat in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship:
* Previous five (5) National Heads-Up Poker Champions;
* Previous two (2) National Heads-Up runners-up;
* Previous year's National Heads-Up semifinalists;
* Any player who cashes in the past four consecutive years of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship;
* Previous three (3) World Series of Poker Main Event champions;
* Reigning World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up;
* Beginning with the 2008 WSOP, multiple bracelet winners in the same year will receive an automatic invitation;
* Defending World Series of Poker Player of the Year;
* Defending World Series of Poker Heads-Up Champion;
* Defending World Series of Poker Europe Main Event Champion (must be 21 or older);
* Reigning World Poker Tour Player of the Year;
* Reigning Monte Carlo European Poker Tour Grand Final Champion (must be 21 or older);
* Reigning Card Player Magazine Player of the Year;
* Reigning BLUFF Magazine Player of the Year;
* Reigning All In Magazine Player of the Year;
* Online and NBC qualifiers;
* Host venue qualifiers (two).
A total of 27 seats are guaranteed using the new criteria, although it may increase or decrease depending on whether any player qualifies in more than one category.
