Fossilman not afraid of poker after dark

Fossilman seeps into After Dark action

Back by popular demand, with a ton of momentum and strong ratings from Season 1, Season 2 of NBC's Poker After Dark debuted last night with a new edition of "Champions Week."

A surprise hit last season given the late 2 a.m. time slot, the Poker After Dark format will remain the same this year, with six of the best poker players in the world squaring off in $120,000 winner-take-all freezeouts.

Each of the matches are pre-taped and air in segments Monday-Friday at 2:05 a.m., with a "Director's Cut," featuring host Shana Hiatt and a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and player interviews, airing Saturdays after Saturday Night Live.

One of the more popular shows from last season: Champions Week, featuring six players who have each won the World Series of Poker Main Event.

So kicking off Season 2, they've gone back to the champs to get things started, but with some new blood thrown in the mix.

Last year's champ of champs was Johnny Chan, who bested Doyle Brunson, Jamie Gold, Chris Ferguson, Chris Moneymaker and Carlos Mortensen for the $120,000.

Chan, Brunson, and Gold all return, but now have to contend with Huck Seed, Greg Raymer and Joe Hachem.

Word is it turned out to be an extraordinary battle, with more than 175 hands played and an epic heads-up showdown for the title.

The first segment of the never-seen-before match hit the air last night, and the rest will air every night this week until the wrap-up Saturday.

Each of the match's segments can also be viewed daily at www.nbcsports.com/poker.

Related Articles:

Poker After Dark Worth Staying Up For
Early Returns Illuminating for Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark Shows Classic Poker Brat Antics
Poker After Dark to Feature Pros, Paper, Pin-Up