Ultimate Poker Challenge

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The Ultimate Poker Challenge (UPC) was a series of weekly poker tournaments acting as super-satellites into the series semi-finals.

Contents

The first and second seasons are available on NTSC DVD. In the United States, it was a syndicated program.

Format

Players are entitled to enter multiple super-satellite tournaments (entry into the semi-finals is transferable.)

Players can also qualify for the semi-finals based on the points leaderboard for their finishing position in each event. In the first season, "Silent" Steve Simmons placed highest on the points leaderboard and received $40,000. The second place finisher received $20,000.

Beginning with season 4, the show was renamed Ultimate Poker Challenge Presents Cash Poker: The Ultimate Gamble. The format changed from weekly tournaments to following the action at cash games.

Crew

Each tournament was commentated by Chad Brown, with Brandi Williams performing interviews along with intros and outros to commercial breaks. Daniel Negreanu provided cover for Chad Brown in episodes 19 and 20. Each tournament featured a professional poker player as a guest commentator, who would offer poker tips for the home viewer along with their commentary.

Beginning with season 4, Brian Mollica took over commentating duties with Williams continuing in her role as interviewer. Brown is frequently featured in the game.

The on-camera Poker Tournament Director starting in Season 2 was Brad Thomte.

Executive producer Dan Pugliese played in several tournaments throughout the series.

Results

Season 1

WeekGuest PresenterWinnerPrizeRunner-UpOther Finalists
1 Chris Ferguson Nick Bouyea$10,000Phillip Matthews
2Chris Hinchcliffe Erik Seidel $8,000"Silent" Steve Simmons
  • Michael Ross
  • Brian Nadell
  • Renee Wexler
  • Ken James
  • Mike Turner
3Rob Huxley Andy Bloch $13,500Cong Tran
  • Dan Pugliese
  • Erik Seidel
  • Nick Bouyea
  • Mel Judah
4 Jennifer Harman James Van Alstyne $12,600 Todd Brunson
5Kyle MorrisKen James$12,640Dan Alspach
  • Chris Ferguson
  • Robert Tolliver
  • Mel Judah
  • Thor Hansen
  • Chris Hinchcliffe
6 Mike Matusow Kathy Liebert $11,500Don Barton
  • Eric Nickelson
  • Chad Layne
  • Rick Russell
  • Jimmy Ngoc Tran
  • Gary Beck
7 Robert Williamson III David Luttbeg$8,000Matt Dean
  • Daniel McGrew
  • Tim Waterhouse
  • Renee Wexler
  • Cong Tran
  • Dan Pugliese
8 Clonie Gowen Steve Simmons$13,400 Kristy Gazes
  • Max Pescatori
  • Andy Bloch
  • Nick Bouyea
  • Eli Balas
  • Evelyn Ng
9Renee Wexler Kenna James $8,400Tony Toscano
  • David "C-4" Plastik
  • Gerry Drehobl
  • Todd Brunson
  • Amir Vahedi
  • No seventh place finisher
10 Daniel Negreanu Joe Toth$6,800Tony Kassab
  • Chad Layne
  • Max Pescatori
  • Paul V Carroll
  • Howard "Tahoe" Andrew
  • Kal Stiles
11Brandi WilliamsRecap ShowN/AN/AN/A
12Mark TennerChris Hinchcliffe$8,000Max Pescatori
  • Matt Russell
  • Ned Shabou
  • Rick Russell
  • Evelyn Ng
  • Larry "Sig" Sigety
13 Antonio Esfandiari Vandy Krouch$8,200Dr Andy Robins
  • Kenna James
  • Kenny Wagner
  • Clarence Moore
  • Eric Nickelson
  • Ken James
14 Phil Laak Champie Douglas$8,000Ned Shabou
  • Jason Buckley
  • Max Pescatori
  • Pete Ostrowski
  • Nikki Harris
  • Michael Abdoulah
15Kenna JamesPete Lawson$8,000David Plastik
  • Rich Lister
  • Howard Andrew
  • Connie Kim
  • Renee Wexler
  • Rick Russell
16 Russ Hamilton Robert Keith Young$4,400Nick Bouyea
  • Max Pescatori
  • Kenna James
  • Tom "John" Ralis
  • Howard Andrew
  • Chris Hinchcliffe
17 Phil Hellmuth Kris Crudup$6,000Avi Freedman
  • Renee Wexler
  • Tom Robinson
  • Dan Pugliese
  • Terry Nachtergaele
  • Steve Simmons
18Amir Vahedi John Cernuto $6,800Scott Epstein
  • Dan Pugliese
  • Nick Bouyea
  • Howard Andrew
  • Rich Lister
  • Kenny Robins
19Matt SavageKenna James$9,000 Karina Jett
  • Paul Magriel
  • Greg Moran
  • Larry Sigety
  • Chris Ferguson
  • Julie Liebel
20Evelyn NgRobert Bright$7,400Shawn Rice
  • Larry Sigety
  • Steve Simmons
  • Warren Briscoe
  • Kenny Robbins
  • Max Pescatori
21Daniel Negreanu Jeff Shulman $8,400 Jim Meehan
  • Max Pescatori
  • Howard Andrew
  • Dan Hart
  • Andy Bloch
  • Eon Marshall
22 Paul Phillips Dennis "Mickey" Seagle$8,000Steve Simmons
23Robert Williamson III Joe Awada $7,400John Phan
Semi-Final Pt. 1Daniel Negreanu(leads to Semi-Final 2)N/AN/AN/A
Semi-Final Pt. 2Daniel Negreanu(leads to Grand Final)N/AN/AN/A
Grand FinalJames Van Alstyne$100,000Jeff Stoff
  • Jim Meehan
  • Jeff Shulman
  • David Plastik
  • Chip Lightman
  • Scotty Nguyen

Season 2

WeekWinnerPrizeNumber of

players

Buy InPrize PoolRunner-UpOther Finalists
1 Vince Burgio $41,02061$2,000$118,340George Bartlett
  • Luis Santori
  • Dwayne Vetter
  • David Levi
  • Stephen Huang
  • Petar Ivancevic
2 Rafe Furst $35,65070$1,500$101,850Santiago Terrazas
  • Richard Brodie
  • Mike Cordell
  • Keith Cordell
  • John Murphy
  • Darren Brandes
3Ronnie Ebanks$51,41053$2,500$128,525Dan Pugliese
4 Bill Edler $61,11060$3,000$174,600 Todd Brunson
5 & 6Roy Obriecht$21,140146$500$70,810Ben Hutton
  • John Pesch
  • Brad Varnell
  • Kyle Tupp
  • Michael Souza
  • Phil Humphries
7Rukhsana Guevarra$28,235194$500$94,090Ali Lari
  • Irving Overman
  • Kenny Robbins
  • Dan Johnson
  • Dan Kaufman
  • Chung Ng
8Tom Cope$45,740139$1,000$134,830Sandy Blecker
9Vince Burgio$24,05531$2,000$60,140V S Senthil Kumar
  • Hymie Dahar
  • Jane Gamble
  • Edward "Bolivia" Moncada
  • Kenny Robbins
  • Clonie Gowen
10 & 11 Bon Phan $21,680149$500$72,265Howard Andrew
  • Erika Obst
  • Rick Fuller
  • Jeff Blenkarn
  • Andre De Montesquiou
  • Dan Johnson
12Gary Do$24,44542$1,500$61,110Matt Sterling
  • Anders Berg
  • Renee Wexler
  • David Singer
  • Kevin Ratliff
  • Allen Kessler
13 & 14Ryan Larsen$32,980100$1,000$97,000Derek Harrington
15 Bill Edler $32,01033$2,500$80,025Richard Brodie
  • Jesse Martin
  • Cliff Pappas
  • Gavin Smith
  • Sean McCabe
  • Kevin Chan
16Joe Bartholdi Jr$27,16035$2,000$67,900Don Mullis
  • Kristy Gazes
  • Dan Pugliese
  • Al Ciaglia
  • James English
  • James Hofheinz
17 & 18 Michael Mizrachi $41,90536$3,000$104,765 Kathy Liebert
19 & 20 Allen Cunningham $34,92030$3,000$87,300Gavin Smith
  • John Roveto
  • Kevin Chan
  • Sean McCabe
  • David Singer
  • Tony Malcein
21, 22 & 23

Grand Final

Andy Bloch $167,50055$10,000$541,750 Blair Rodman
24 Bon Phan $47,00024$5,000$117,600Herbert Montalbano
  • Allen Kessler
  • Phillipe Rouas
  • "Pistol" Pete Lawson
  • Joseph Saunders
  • Chris Gilvone

Season 3

WeekWinnerPrizeRunner-UpOther Finalists
1John K Robertson$9,470Max Grottschneider
  • Chris Par
  • Gus Ruelas
  • Ted Melikian
  • Stan Schrier
  • Brian Faires
2Brian Riley$7,385Brian Faires
  • Dan Reitberg
  • Johnny Scott
  • Steven Ellwood
  • Pete Kaufman
  • Edward Teems
3David Brooks$7,855Rami Owera
  • Bruce Gallion
  • Don Lambertus
  • Isaac Do
  • Tex Bronson
  • Jae Chun
4Michael Gambony$12,050Cal Dykes
  • Jim Olsen
  • Todd Peterson
  • Carl White
  • Warren Karp
  • Timothy Belstner
5Paul Buntin$10,365 Roxci Rhodes
  • Dale Tarbet
  • Dan Pugliese
  • Chris Williamson
  • Marikiyo Adachi
  • Rory McHugh
6Ed Tonai$6,015Rick Troendly
  • Mark Casipong
  • Rory McHugh
  • Scott Coffee
  • Chris Truppi
  • Marty Wong
7Rick Fuller$10,670Ken Wa
  • Craig Gray
  • Jim Lea
  • Jenny Kang
  • Michael "Shoes" Gambony
  • David Levi
8Stacey Guenther$6,180Mike Giordano
  • Tam Ho
  • Douglas Carli
  • Ric Tuholsky
  • Chris Mankameyer
  • Jenny Kang
9Ted McNeely$12,950James Carroll
  • Ut Nguyen
  • Men Nguyen
  • Becky Makar
  • Douglas Carli
  • Michael Miner
10Craig Gray$29,255Kris Crudup
  • Nathaniel Parks
  • Neil Wright
  • Mike Laing
  • Kevin Jessie
  • Al Ethier
11Patrick Fee$21,040Matthew Lesage
12Christy Combs$5,790Ted McNeely
  • Eric Crain
  • Steffen Kurz
Grand Final Amir Vahedi $181,390 Chip Jett
Additional EventDan Pugliese$5,780Becky Makar
  • Jack Jobe
  • Allen Kessler

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