New Year Poker After Dark

The fifth season of Poker After Dark gets under way in the US late Monday night on NBC, continuing until the end of the week.

The first episode, entitled "Close but no Cigar", involves six contestants, all of whom have made it to the final table of past World Series of Poker Main Events but have yet to win a title.

Each of the six players will put $20,000 into the pot to compete, with the winner walking away with all $120,000.

Player profiles
Irishman Andy Black, who placed fifth in the 2005 WSOP Main Event behind Joe Hachem, will be competing in the first episode.

Lee Watkinson, the eighth-place getter from the 2007 Main Event, will also be there.

Former kindergarten teacher Dewey Tomko has finished runner-up twice at Main Events - in 1982 and again in 2001. Tomko's length career, in which he has won three WSOP bracelets, saw him inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2008.

David Williams came second at the 2004 Main Event and won a bracelet in 2006 in a $1,500 buy-in Seven Card Stud tournament.

Allen Cunningham is arguably the most successful of the competitors on the program, with five WSOP bracelets to his name as well as a fourth-place finish at the 2006 Main Event He has won over $10 million over the course of his career.

Mike Matusow finished ninth at the 2005 Main Event and sixth at the 2001 Main Event. He has three WSOP bracelets to his name.

Going to air
Poker After Dark goes to air at 2:05 AM US Eastern Time each night this week, ending with a special feature on Saturday night in which host Leeann Tweeden will go through highlights of the tournament.