(PRESS RELEASE) -- On Sunday, April 8th, NBC aired the first episode of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and the overnight ratings once again helped prove that the poker phenomenon is not going anywhere. The episode earned an overall 1.7 rating with a 5 share, which shows a 15% increase from the 2006 numbers. In certain markets, the local numbers were even higher. In Seattle, the episode earned a 4.9 rating with a 15 share. In San Diego, it earned a 4.6 with a 13 share. Other markets that surpassed a 2.0 rating include: Boston, Washington DC, Phoenix, Denver, St. Louis, Baltimore, Las Vegas and Portland.

The episode featured two first round matches: Mike Matusow vs. Daniel Negreanu and Jennifer Tilly vs. Jamie Gold. Gold and Matusow advanced to the next round. The program will continue to air on the next six consecutive Sundays in April and May.

For the third straight year, a field of 64 of the world's elite poker players went go head-to-head in some of the most aggressive poker playing around. Filmed in Caesars Palace Poker Room March 2-4, the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship is a 'who's who' from the poker world. The Championship features 64 of the world's best poker players competing in a series of heads-up (one-on-one games of Texas Hold'em) matches to determine who is the best face-to-face poker player in the world. The tournament has a unique, single-elimination, bracket-style format modeled after college basketball tournaments.

Players include: defending champion Ted Forrest and 2005 and 2006 runner-up Chris Ferguson. Also completing will be Johnny Chan, Annie Duke, Antonio Esfandiari, Sam Farha, Mike Matusow, Jamie Gold, Joe Hachem, Gus Hansen, Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu, and Greg Raymer, among many others.

***Celebrity participants include Don Cheadle, Jennifer Tilly, Gabe Kaplan and Shannon Elizabeth.

The first matches and air dates/times include:

APRIL 8

NOON-1ET (3PM PT)

1 HOUR - FIRST ROUND (ROUND OF 64 - Hearts)

Mike Matusow vs. Daniel Negreanu

Jennifer Tilly vs. Jamie Gold

APRIL 15

NOON-1ET (3PM PT)

1 HOUR - FIRST ROUND (ROUND OF 64 - Diamonds)

Don Cheadle vs. Phil Ivey

Gabe Kaplan vs. Todd Brunson

APRIL 22 NOON-1ET (3PM PT)

1 HOUR - FIRST ROUND (ROUND OF 64 - Clubs & Spades)

Chris Moneymaker vs. Joe Hachem

Shannon Elizabeth vs. Rene Angelil