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.
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
| Week | Guest Presenter | Winner | Prize | Runner-Up | Other Finalists |
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| 1 | Chris Ferguson | Nick Bouyea | $10,000 | Phillip Matthews |
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| 2 | Chris Hinchcliffe | Erik Seidel | $8,000 | "Silent" Steve Simmons |
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| 3 | Rob Huxley | Andy Bloch | $13,500 | Cong Tran |
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| 4 | Jennifer Harman | James Van Alstyne | $12,600 | Todd Brunson |
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| 5 | Kyle Morris | Ken James | $12,640 | Dan Alspach |
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| 6 | Mike Matusow | Kathy Liebert | $11,500 | Don Barton |
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| 7 | Robert Williamson III | David Luttbeg | $8,000 | Matt Dean |
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| 8 | Clonie Gowen | Steve Simmons | $13,400 | Kristy Gazes |
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| 9 | Renee Wexler | Kenna James | $8,400 | Tony Toscano |
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| 10 | Daniel Negreanu | Joe Toth | $6,800 | Tony Kassab |
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| 11 | Brandi Williams | Recap Show | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 12 | Mark Tenner | Chris Hinchcliffe | $8,000 | Max Pescatori |
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| 13 | Antonio Esfandiari | Vandy Krouch | $8,200 | Dr Andy Robins |
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| 14 | Phil Laak | Champie Douglas | $8,000 | Ned Shabou |
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| 15 | Kenna James | Pete Lawson | $8,000 | David Plastik |
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| 16 | Russ Hamilton | Robert Keith Young | $4,400 | Nick Bouyea |
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| 17 | Phil Hellmuth | Kris Crudup | $6,000 | Avi Freedman |
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| 18 | Amir Vahedi | John Cernuto | $6,800 | Scott Epstein |
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| 19 | Matt Savage | Kenna James | $9,000 | Karina Jett |
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| 20 | Evelyn Ng | Robert Bright | $7,400 | Shawn Rice |
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| 21 | Daniel Negreanu | Jeff Shulman | $8,400 | Jim Meehan |
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| 22 | Paul Phillips | Dennis "Mickey" Seagle | $8,000 | Steve Simmons |
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| 23 | Robert Williamson III | Joe Awada | $7,400 | John Phan |
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| Semi-Final Pt. 1 | Daniel Negreanu | (leads to Semi-Final 2) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Semi-Final Pt. 2 | Daniel Negreanu | (leads to Grand Final) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Grand Final |
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James Van Alstyne | $100,000 | Jeff Stoff |
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Season 2
| Week | Winner | Prize | Number of
players |
Buy In | Prize Pool | Runner-Up | Other Finalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vince Burgio | $41,020 | 61 | $2,000 | $118,340 | George Bartlett |
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| 2 | Rafe Furst | $35,650 | 70 | $1,500 | $101,850 | Santiago Terrazas |
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| 3 | Ronnie Ebanks | $51,410 | 53 | $2,500 | $128,525 | Dan Pugliese |
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| 4 | Bill Edler | $61,110 | 60 | $3,000 | $174,600 | Todd Brunson |
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| 5 & 6 | Roy Obriecht | $21,140 | 146 | $500 | $70,810 | Ben Hutton |
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| 7 | Rukhsana Guevarra | $28,235 | 194 | $500 | $94,090 | Ali Lari |
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| 8 | Tom Cope | $45,740 | 139 | $1,000 | $134,830 | Sandy Blecker |
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| 9 | Vince Burgio | $24,055 | 31 | $2,000 | $60,140 | V S Senthil Kumar |
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| 10 & 11 | Bon Phan | $21,680 | 149 | $500 | $72,265 | Howard Andrew |
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| 12 | Gary Do | $24,445 | 42 | $1,500 | $61,110 | Matt Sterling |
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| 13 & 14 | Ryan Larsen | $32,980 | 100 | $1,000 | $97,000 | Derek Harrington |
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| 15 | Bill Edler | $32,010 | 33 | $2,500 | $80,025 | Richard Brodie |
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| 16 | Joe Bartholdi Jr | $27,160 | 35 | $2,000 | $67,900 | Don Mullis |
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| 17 & 18 | Michael Mizrachi | $41,905 | 36 | $3,000 | $104,765 | Kathy Liebert |
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| 19 & 20 | Allen Cunningham | $34,920 | 30 | $3,000 | $87,300 | Gavin Smith |
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| 21, 22 & 23
Grand Final |
Andy Bloch | $167,500 | 55 | $10,000 | $541,750 | Blair Rodman |
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| 24 | Bon Phan | $47,000 | 24 | $5,000 | $117,600 | Herbert Montalbano |
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Season 3
| Week | Winner | Prize | Runner-Up | Other Finalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John K Robertson | $9,470 | Max Grottschneider |
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| 2 | Brian Riley | $7,385 | Brian Faires |
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| 3 | David Brooks | $7,855 | Rami Owera |
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| 4 | Michael Gambony | $12,050 | Cal Dykes |
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| 5 | Paul Buntin | $10,365 | Roxci Rhodes |
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| 6 | Ed Tonai | $6,015 | Rick Troendly |
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| 7 | Rick Fuller | $10,670 | Ken Wa |
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| 8 | Stacey Guenther | $6,180 | Mike Giordano |
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| 9 | Ted McNeely | $12,950 | James Carroll |
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| 10 | Craig Gray | $29,255 | Kris Crudup |
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| 11 | Patrick Fee | $21,040 | Matthew Lesage |
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| 12 | Christy Combs | $5,790 | Ted McNeely |
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| Grand Final | Amir Vahedi | $181,390 | Chip Jett |
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| Additional Event | Dan Pugliese | $5,780 | Becky Makar |
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