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 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 their 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 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 player's 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 player's 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
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
Pre-season friendly match Date Winner Runner-up Remaining Finishing Order6 April 2006 Alan Ball Tomas Brolin Tony Cascarino Uli Stein Norman Whiteside Ray Stewart
Regular season Date Match Winner Runner-up Remaining Finishing Order13 April 2006Heat 1: England vs Germany Uli Stein Alan Ball Dave Ulliott (1) Ian Frazer Lothar Landauer Toni Vardjavand20 April 2006Heat 2: Scotland vs Sweden Erik Sagström (2) Rory Matthews Tony Chessa Tomas Brolin Ken Lennaárd Ray Stewart27 April 2006Heat 3: Northern Ireland vs Italy Conor Tate Marty Smyth Norman Whiteside Wesley Garcia Alan Vinson Michael Greco4 May 2006Heat 4: The Netherlands vs Norway Noah Boeken Henning Granstad Espen Baardsen Torstein Iversen Glenn Helder Marcel Lüske11 May 2006Heat 5: Republic of Ireland vs Russia Andrew Black Tony Cascarino Olesya Kabbaj Alex Kuzmin Peter Roche Sergei Baltacha18 May 2006Heat 6: France vs Denmark Theo Jørgensen Anthony Lellouche Kim Christofte Claude Cohen Lauren Charvet Gus Hansen25 May 2006Heat 7: Wales vs U.S.A. Carlos Bocanegra Neville Southall Kenna James Mike Sexton Iwan Jones Dave Colclough1 June 2006Heat 8: Canada vs Australia Mark Bosnich Damon Rasheed Tony G Daniel Negreanu Evelyn Ng Jason deVos8 June 2006Quarter-final 1: Germany vs Sweden Lothar Landauer Toni Vardjavand Tomas Brolin Ken Lennaárd Erik Sagström Uli Stein22 June 2006Quarter-final 2: Northern Ireland vs The Netherlands Noah Boeken Marcel Lüske Marty Smyth Glenn Helder Conor Tate Norman Whiteside29 June 2006Quarter-final 3: Republic of Ireland vs Denmark Gus Hansen Theo Jørgensen Tony Cascarino Andrew Black Kim Christofte Peter Roche6 July 2006Quarter-final 4: U.S.A. vs Australia Mike Sexton Tony G Mark Bosnich Carlos Bocanegra Kenna James Damon Rasheed13 July 2006Semi-final 1: Germany vs The Netherlands Lothar Landauer Noah Boeken Glenn Helder Uli Stein Toni Vardjavand Marcel Lüske20 July 2006Semi-final 2: Denmark vs U.S.A. Theo Jørgensen Kenna James Mike Sexton Kim Christofte Carlos Bocanegra Gus Hansen27 July 2006Grand Final: Germany vs Denmark Theo Jørgensen Gus Hansen Uli Stein Toni Vardjavand Lothar Landauer Kim Christofte
(1) received yellow card (2) won match in extra time
External links Poker at five.tv I Made a Mistake (article by Daniel Negreanu) Wales vs U.S.A. (article by Dave Colclough) World Cup Australia vs Canada (article by Tony G) World Cup of Poker – London (2nd article by Tony G)