Poker After Dark Set to Air Season 5

December 9th, 2008 | 2:01 pm

Poker After Dark TV series on NBC is set to air its fifth season beginning on December 29th with some of the biggest names in online and live poker. The new season will consist of 4 episodes that have not been aired from the previous season as well as episodes that are already scheduled to be filmed.

The season is scheduled to be split into two categories; Tournament Matchups and Cash Game Matchups. The Tournament Matchups format includes at $20,000 buy in, six handed tables and winner takes all events. The Cash Game Matchups have blinds set at $200/$400 and the buy in goes from $100,000 to $250,000. Stakes can be raised at any time as long as all players are in agreement.

Below is the detailed line up for the Tournament Matchups:

The Magnificent Six - Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth
National Pride (USA vs ITA) - Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Erick Lindgren vs. Marco Traniello, Max Pescatori, Dario Minieri
Celebrities and Mentors - Orel Hershiser/Gavin Smith, Jason Alexander/Barry Greenstein, Don Cheadle/Phil Gordon
International Week - Brad Booth, David Benyamine, Alan Cunningham, John Juanda, John Phan, Ivan Demidov
Dream Match III - Arnold Thimons, Phil Laak, Jennifer Tilly, Mike Matusow, Johnny Chan, Daniel Negreanu

Cash Game Matchups:

Nets vs Vets - Taylor Caby, Cole South, David Benefield vs. Doyle Brunson, Gabe Kaplan and Eli Elezra
The Hellmuth Bash - Phil Hellmuth, Tom Dwan, Antonio Esfandiari, Phil Laak, Kenny Tran, Bob Safai
Railbird Heaven - Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, Gus Hansen, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, David Peat

And the final two weeks of the cash games is played with probably the most anticipated and talked about line-up so far; the players are Eli Elezra, Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan, Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey and Ilari Sahamies.