2006 HeadUp Match.
Three and half hours of intense competition

Ted Forrest and Sam Farha would battle it out to represent the Diamonds bracket. Farha came out firing and picked up a big pot early in the match, but Forrest slow-played a set of kings to bring him back to even by the end of the first level.

With the blinds at $1,500-$3,000, the pace slowed, with very few hands played to the river. By the end of the second level, Forrest and Farha were close to even.

In the third level, Farha had taken a 2-1 chip lead. Five minutes later, he increased it to a 3-1 advantage.

Ted Forrest and Sam Farha would battle it out to represent the Diamonds bracket. Farha came out firing and picked up a big pot early in the match, but Forrest slow-played a set of kings to bring him back to even by the end of the first level.

With the blinds at $1,500-$3,000, the pace slowed, with very few hands played to the river. By the end of the second level, Forrest and Farha were close to even.

In the third level, Farha had taken a 2-1 chip lead. Five minutes later, he increased it to a 3-1 advantage.

Forrest was severely short-stacked and had a mere six big blinds before him when he went all in preflop. Farha called another $32,000 with the K 9. Forrest had the A 4. When the flop came A 8 8, Forrest had aces up and Farha a flush draw. Forrest's hand held up, and he doubled through.

Forrest was behind 3-1, but with $80,000, he was still in the running.

Throughout the fourth level, Forrest won a series of moderate-sized pots to gain the advantage. Going into the fifth level, he had secured a 3-1 lead over Farha. But, Farha proved to be slippery, and after winning a series of small pots, he'd crept back to even.

With new vigor, Farha and Forrest fired at each other, taking turns going all in before the flop. This worked in Forrest's favor, as Farha forfeited several blinds, which they'd maxed out at $8,000-$16,000.

Forrest had Farha down 3-1. Then, something went terribly right for Farha when he called Forrest's all-in bet with his remaining $80,000. Forrest had the A 10 and Farha turned over the A J.

With a board of K 9 8 K 7, Farha doubled up, evening their stacks at about $160,000 apiece.

And so it went with the lead changing back and forth, and after three and a half hours of intense competition, the two were back to even.

By 5 p.m., Farha and Forrest were the only two players left in the field of quarterfinalists. What should have been a fast-track heads-up match became the longest competition in the two-year history of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, with 122 matches in the books.

Finally, after three hours and 10 minutes, Farha went all in with K-J suited and Forrest called with pocket fives. The river gave Forrest a set, and it appeared the match was over.

Farha left the stage and Forrest was preparing for a celebratory interview, when the dealer dutifully tallied the pot. It seemed that Farha had more chips than Forrest going into the hand. With $25,000 remaining, Farha had just enough to cover the blinds. Ali Nejad made it official and announced, "Game on." Farha returned to his seat, shaken and famished, commenting, "It's 5 o'clock and all I can think of is dinner." Nejad went backstage and brought Farha a complimentary bag of Cheetos to help curb his hunger.

Farha moved all in on the next few hands to collect the blinds, but Forrest caught him off guard when he pushed all in with pocket nines. Farha threw in his chips, Cheetos and all, oblivious of his hand. It was A-3 offsuit.

Forrest's medium pair held up to officially win the grueling four-hour match.

Final Day, Semifinals

Forrest was severely short-stacked and had a mere six big blinds before him when he went all in preflop. Farha called another $32,000 with the K 9. Forrest had the A 4. When the flop came A 8 8, Forrest had aces up and Farha a flush draw. Forrest's hand held up, and he doubled through.

Forrest was behind 3-1, but with $80,000, he was still in the running.

Throughout the fourth level, Forrest won a series of moderate-sized pots to gain the advantage. Going into the fifth level, he had secured a 3-1 lead over Farha. But, Farha proved to be slippery, and after winning a series of small pots, he'd crept back to even.

With new vigor, Farha and Forrest fired at each other, taking turns going all in before the flop. This worked in Forrest's favor, as Farha forfeited several blinds, which they'd maxed out at $8,000-$16,000.

Forrest had Farha down 3-1. Then, something went terribly right for Farha when he called Forrest's all-in bet with his remaining $80,000. Forrest had the A 10 and Farha turned over the A J.

With a board of K 9 8 K 7, Farha doubled up, evening their stacks at about $160,000 apiece.

And so it went with the lead changing back and forth, and after three and a half hours of intense competition, the two were back to even.

By 5 p.m., Farha and Forrest were the only two players left in the field of quarterfinalists. What should have been a fast-track heads-up match became the longest competition in the two-year history of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, with 122 matches in the books.

Finally, after three hours and 10 minutes, Farha went all in with K-J suited and Forrest called with pocket fives. The river gave Forrest a set, and it appeared the match was over.

Farha left the stage and Forrest was preparing for a celebratory interview, when the dealer dutifully tallied the pot. It seemed that Farha had more chips than Forrest going into the hand. With $25,000 remaining, Farha had just enough to cover the blinds. Ali Nejad made it official and announced, "Game on." Farha returned to his seat, shaken and famished, commenting, "It's 5 o'clock and all I can think of is dinner." Nejad went backstage and brought Farha a complimentary bag of Cheetos to help curb his hunger.

Farha moved all in on the next few hands to collect the blinds, but Forrest caught him off guard when he pushed all in with pocket nines. Farha threw in his chips, Cheetos and all, oblivious of his hand. It was A-3 offsuit.

Forrest's medium pair held up to officially win the grueling four-hour match.