The PartyPoker.com Football & Poker Legends Cup is a televised poker tournament, airing in the United Kingdom on Five from April 2006 onwards, in the lead-up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Format edit
Each team consists of three players: two poker professionals, and one former or current professional football (soccer) player. Elimination matches take place between two countries, with the table winner progressing along with the rest of his team to the next round of the tournament.
Three hours are allowed for each match. If a result does not occur within that time limit, a one-hour period of extra time takes place. If there is still no result, a penalty shootout then takes place.
If the tournament director, "Mad" Marty Wilson notices any attempts at collusion, he administers a yellow card to that player, with the result of half of that players' chips being distributed evenly to the opposition team. If a second infraction is noticed, a red card is shown to the player, eliminating the player from the tournament immediately, with all of that players' chips being distributed evenly to the opposition team.
The idea that collusion could be used as a tactic to gain an advantage meant that the format of the competition was widely criticised.
Commentary was provided by Jesse May and Padraig Parkinson.
Teams edit
| England | USA | Canada | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
 Dave Ulliott
|
 Mike Sexton
|
 Daniel Negreanu
|
 Tony G
|
| Ian Frazer
|
Kenna James
|
Evelyn Ng
|
Damon Rasheed
|
| Alan Ball
|
Carlos Bocanegra
|
Jason deVos
|
Mark Bosnich
|
| Ireland | Russia | Germany | France |
|---|---|---|---|
 Andrew Black
|
 Alex Kuzmin
|
 Toni Vardjavand
|
 Claude Cohen
|
| Peter Roche
|
Olesya Kabbaj
|
Lothar Landauer
|
Anthony Lellouche
|
| Tony Cascarino
|
Sergei Baltacha
|
Uli Stein
|
Laurent Charvet
|
| Italy | Netherlands | Sweden | Denmark |
|---|---|---|---|
 Michael Greco
|
 Marcel Lüske
|
 Ken Lennaárd
|
 Gus Hansen
|
| Alan Vinson
|
Noah Boeken
|
Erik Sagström
|
Theo Jørgensen
|
| Wesley Garcia
|
Glenn Helder
|
Tomas Brolin
|
Kim Christofte
|
| Norway | Northern Ireland | Wales | Scotland |
|---|---|---|---|
 Henning Granstad
|
 Conor Tate
|
 Dave Colclough
|
 Tony Chessa
|
| Torstein Iversen
|
Marty Smyth
|
Iwan Jones
|
Rory Matthews
|
| Espen Baardsen
|
Norman Whiteside
|
Neville Southall
|
Ray Stewart
|
Results edit
Pre-season friendly match edit
| Date | Winner | Runner-up | Remaining Finishing Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 April 2006 | Alan Ball
|
Tomas Brolin
|
|
Regular season edit
| Date | Match | Winner | Runner-up | Remaining Finishing Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 April 2006 | Heat 1: England vs Germany | Uli Stein
|
Alan Ball
|
|
| 20 April 2006 | Heat 2: Scotland vs Sweden | Erik Sagström (2)
|
Rory Matthews
|
|
| 27 April 2006 | Heat 3: Northern Ireland vs Italy | Conor Tate
|
Marty Smyth
|
|
| 4 May 2006 | Heat 4: The Netherlands vs Norway | Noah Boeken
|
Henning Granstad
|
|
| 11 May 2006 | Heat 5: Republic of Ireland vs Russia | Andrew Black
|
Tony Cascarino
|
|
| 18 May 2006 | Heat 6: France vs Denmark | Theo Jørgensen
|
Anthony Lellouche
|
|
| 25 May 2006 | Heat 7: Wales vs U.S.A. | Carlos Bocanegra
|
Neville Southall
|
|
| 1 June 2006 | Heat 8: Canada vs Australia | Mark Bosnich
|
Damon Rasheed
|
|
| 8 June 2006 | Quarter-final 1: Germany vs Sweden | Lothar Landauer
|
Toni Vardjavand
|
|
| 22 June 2006 | Quarter-final 2: Northern Ireland vs The Netherlands | Noah Boeken
|
Marcel Lüske
|
|
| 29 June 2006 | Quarter-final 3: Republic of Ireland vs Denmark | Gus Hansen
|
Theo Jørgensen
|
|
| 6 July 2006 | Quarter-final 4: U.S.A. vs Australia | Mike Sexton
|
Tony G
|
|
| 13 July 2006 | Semi-final 1: Germany vs The Netherlands | Lothar Landauer
|
Noah Boeken
|
|
| 20 July 2006 | Semi-final 2: Denmark vs U.S.A. | Theo Jørgensen
|
Kenna James
|
|
| 27 July 2006 | Grand Final: Germany vs Denmark | Theo Jørgensen
|
Gus Hansen
|
|
(1) received yellow card
(2) won match in extra time