Online Heads-Up Tournament with Ultimate Bet

There is tournament poker, and then there is heads up tournament poker, but Ultimate Bet is taking things one step further by offering a five week long Ultimate heads up tournament showdown.

Inspired by such competition as the NBC National Heads Up Championship, the UltimateBet Heads-Up Smackdown will pit 64 players against one another to see who is the ultimate online heads up champ. The bracket style elimination format pits players together in 32 matches, with half that number moving on. Each bracket will compete in the same fashion until there are only two players left, dueling each other for a first place prize of $11,200. The winner will also get a limited edition Heads-Up Smackdown championship ring, and a spot in the end-of-year Heads-up Bracket of Champions.

Ultimate Bet plans on expanding the heads up format with extra emphasis, even bringing Ultimate Bet's most popular pro into the game. The winner of the Heads-up Bracket of Champions will face non other than 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth.

Not only are all those bracelets intimidating, Hellmuth was the winner of the second season of the NBC National Heads Up Championship, proving that he has the chops to take on a player face to face. The $30k first place prize might be enough to help his opponent get over his nerves, however. Saturday, August 4th is the first round of competition for the 64-player tournament, which has a buy in of $500+30.

Registration began on July 16th, and daily satellites give players a shot to earn their way in to the event.