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 Finalists1Chris Ferguson Nick Bouyea$10,000 Phillip Matthews Eli Balas Jeff Stoff Jess Kaufman Gavin Smith James Van Alstyne2 Chris HinchcliffeErik Seidel$8,000 "Silent" Steve Simmons Michael Ross Brian Nadell Renee Wexler Ken James Mike Turner3 Rob Huxley Andy Bloch$13,500 Cong Tran Dan Pugliese Erik Seidel Nick Bouyea Mel Judah4 Jennifer Harman James Van Alstyne$12,600 Todd Brunson Allyn Jaffrey Shulman Jimmy Ngoc Tran Ron Blenski Maureen Feduniak Max Pescatori5 Kyle Morris Ken James$12,640 Dan Alspach Chris Ferguson Robert Tolliver Mel Judah Thor Hansen Chris Hinchcliffe6 Mike Matusow Kathy Liebert$11,500 Don Barton Eric Nickelson Chad Layne Rick Russell Jimmy Ngoc Tran Gary Beck7 Robert Williamson III David Luttbeg$8,000 Matt Dean Daniel McGrew Tim Waterhouse Renee Wexler Cong Tran Dan Pugliese8 Clonie Gowen Steve Simmons$13,400 Kristy Gazes Max Pescatori Andy Bloch Nick Bouyea Eli Balas Evelyn Ng9 Renee Wexler Kenna James$8,400 Tony Toscano David "C-4" Plastik Gerry Drehobl Todd Brunson Amir Vahedi No seventh place finisher10 Daniel Negreanu Joe Toth$6,800 Tony Kassab Chad Layne Max Pescatori Paul V Carroll Howard "Tahoe" Andrew Kal Stiles11 Brandi WilliamsRecap ShowN/AN/AN/A12 Mark Tenner Chris Hinchcliffe$8,000 Max Pescatori Matt Russell Ned Shabou Rick Russell Evelyn Ng Larry "Sig" Sigety13 Antonio Esfandiari Vandy Krouch$8,200 Dr Andy Robins Kenna James Kenny Wagner Clarence Moore Eric Nickelson Ken James14Phil Laak Champie Douglas$8,000 Ned Shabou Jason Buckley Max Pescatori Pete Ostrowski Nikki Harris Michael Abdoulah15 Kenna James Pete Lawson$8,000 David Plastik Rich Lister Howard Andrew Connie Kim Renee Wexler Rick Russell16Russ Hamilton Robert Keith Young$4,400 Nick Bouyea Max Pescatori Kenna James Tom "John" Ralis Howard Andrew Chris Hinchcliffe17 Phil Hellmuth Kris Crudup$6,000 Avi Freedman Renee Wexler Tom Robinson Dan Pugliese Terry Nachtergaele Steve Simmons18 Amir Vahedi John Cernuto$6,800 Scott Epstein Dan Pugliese Nick Bouyea Howard Andrew Rich Lister Kenny Robins19 Matt Savage Kenna James$9,000Karina Jett Paul Magriel Greg Moran Larry Sigety Chris Ferguson Julie Liebel20 Evelyn Ng Robert Bright$7,400 Shawn Rice Larry Sigety Steve Simmons Warren Briscoe Kenny Robbins Max Pescatori21 Daniel Negreanu Jeff Shulman$8,400Jim Meehan Max Pescatori Howard Andrew Dan Hart Andy Bloch Eon Marshall22Paul Phillips Dennis "Mickey" Seagle$8,000 Steve Simmons Bob Stupak Shawn Rice Dan Pugliese Bon Phan Jeff Rine23 Robert Williamson III Joe Awada$7,400 John Phan Nick Bouyea Barry Greenstein Scotty Nguyen Daniel Thomas James MatthewsSemi-Final Pt. 1 Daniel Negreanu(leads to Semi-Final 2)N/AN/AN/ASemi-Final Pt. 2 Daniel Negreanu(leads to Grand Final)N/AN/AN/AGrand Final Doyle Brunson Todd Brunson James Van Alstyne$100,000 Jeff Stoff Jim Meehan Jeff Shulman David Plastik Chip Lightman Scotty Nguyen

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 Luis Santori Dwayne Vetter David Levi Stephen Huang Petar Ivancevic 2 Rafe Furst $35,650 70 $1,500 $101,850 Santiago Terrazas Richard Brodie Mike Cordell Keith Cordell John Murphy Darren Brandes 3 Ronnie Ebanks $51,410 53 $2,500 $128,525 Dan Pugliese Kevin Chan Jae Yun Ken Jacobs Joe Bartholdi Jr Andy Bloch 4 Bill Edler $61,110 60 $3,000 $174,600 Todd Brunson David Daseke Don Mullis V S Senthil Kumar Kassem "Freddy" Deeb Al Krux 5 & 6 Roy Obriecht $21,140 146 $500 $70,810 Ben Hutton John Pesch Brad Varnell Kyle Tupp Michael Souza Phil Humphries 7 Rukhsana Guevarra $28,235 194 $500 $94,090 Ali Lari Irving Overman Kenny Robbins Dan Johnson Dan Kaufman Chung Ng 8 Tom Cope $45,740 139 $1,000 $134,830 Sandy Blecker Ronnie Bardah Bob Kirkeby Raul Paez Ryan Welty David Brooks 9 Vince Burgio $24,055 31 $2,000 $60,140 V S Senthil Kumar Hymie Dahar Jane Gamble Edward "Bolivia" Moncada Kenny Robbins Clonie Gowen 10 & 11 Bon Phan $21,680 149 $500 $72,265 Howard Andrew Erika Obst Rick Fuller Jeff Blenkarn Andre De Montesquiou Dan Johnson 12 Gary Do $24,445 42 $1,500 $61,110 Matt Sterling Anders Berg Renee Wexler David Singer Kevin Ratliff Allen Kessler 13 & 14 Ryan Larsen $32,980 100 $1,000 $97,000 Derek Harrington Simon Hennessey David Rheem Chris Tsiprailidis Richard Brodie Phillip Penn 15 Bill Edler $32,010 33 $2,500 $80,025 Richard Brodie Jesse Martin Cliff Pappas Gavin Smith Sean McCabe Kevin Chan 16 Joe Bartholdi Jr $27,160 35 $2,000 $67,900 Don Mullis Kristy Gazes Dan Pugliese Al Ciaglia James English James Hofheinz 17 & 18 Michael Mizrachi $41,905 36 $3,000 $104,765 Kathy Liebert Rick Fuller Mike Wood T. J. Cloutier Scott Fischman David Singer 19 & 20 Allen Cunningham $34,920 30 $3,000 $87,300 Gavin Smith John Roveto Kevin Chan Sean McCabe David Singer Tony Malcein 21, 22 & 23 Grand Final Andy Bloch $167,500 55 $10,000 $541,750 Blair Rodman Chau Giang Mike Wattel V S Senthil Kumar Scott Fischman Ted Forrest 24 Bon Phan $47,000 24 $5,000 $117,600 Herbert Montalbano Allen Kessler Phillipe Rouas "Pistol" Pete Lawson Joseph Saunders Chris Gilvone

Season 3 Week Winner Prize Runner-Up Other Finalists1 John K Robertson$9,470 Max Grottschneider Chris Par Gus Ruelas Ted Melikian Stan Schrier Brian Faires2 Brian Riley$7,385 Brian Faires Dan Reitberg Johnny Scott Steven Ellwood Pete Kaufman Edward Teems3 David Brooks$7,855 Rami Owera Bruce Gallion Don Lambertus Isaac Do Tex Bronson Jae Chun4 Michael Gambony$12,050 Cal Dykes Jim Olsen Todd Peterson Carl White Warren Karp Timothy Belstner5 Paul Buntin$10,365 Roxci Rhodes Dale Tarbet Dan Pugliese Chris Williamson Marikiyo Adachi Rory McHugh6 Ed Tonai$6,015 Rick Troendly Mark Casipong Rory McHugh Scott Coffee Chris Truppi Marty Wong7 Rick Fuller$10,670 Ken Wa Craig Gray Jim Lea Jenny Kang Michael "Shoes" Gambony David Levi8 Stacey Guenther$6,180 Mike Giordano Tam Ho Douglas Carli Ric Tuholsky Chris Mankameyer Jenny Kang9 Ted McNeely$12,950 James Carroll Ut Nguyen Men Nguyen Becky Makar Douglas Carli Michael Miner10 Craig Gray$29,255 Kris Crudup Nathaniel Parks Neil Wright Mike Laing Kevin Jessie Al Ethier11 Patrick Fee$21,040 Matthew Lesage Rory Monahan Mike Bond Stan Jablonski Tristam Coffin Max Pescatori12 Christy Combs$5,790 Ted McNeely Eric Crain Steffen KurzGrand Final Amir Vahedi$181,390 Chip Jett William Edler Douglas Carli Luke Neely Blair Rodman Tom KoralAdditional Event Dan Pugliese$5,780 Becky Makar Jack Jobe Allen Kessler

References