Sports Stars Challenge

One of the most popular televised poker tournaments watched by sports fans is back for a second time around.

The second annual PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge takes place at the Poker Den in London, from the 6-9 February 2007.

Sports stars, both past and present, will take their seats in the hope of being crowned the ultimate sporting poker champion.

Last year’s winner was the outspoken former England rugby union star Austin Healey and he is back to defend his title, hoping that his aggressive style of play will give him his own grand slam.

However, in a field that also includes ex-boxers, as well as his fellow rugby union players, Healey may find that his bully-boy tactics will not work against everyone.

The real drama however could be in the darts heat, where eleven-time PDC World Champion, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor lines up against Raymond Van Barneveld.

“Barney” beat Taylor 7-6 in the latest PDC world championship final and with that being only the second time Taylor has failed to win the that title in his career; he is looking for some revenge. Add Peter ‘One Dart’ Manley to this mix and there is sure to be fireworks.

Other famous sportsmen on the felt are former soccer internationals Kenny Samson, Tony Cascarino and Norman Whiteside, along with ex- England cricketers Phil Tufnell and Robert Key.

The snooker heat will see a highly fancied Steve Davis, fresh from success at the WSOP, go up against last year’s finalist Matthew Stevens. There is also a special sports presenter table on which UK Sky Sports’ Chris Kamara and colleagues lock horns.

The winner of each heat will take their seat at the final table, where six players will battle it out until one of them walks away with the title.

A PartyPoker.com spokesman said, “All the sports stars are born competitors and it makes for an exciting game of poker. The way the tables are structured by sporting category means that a few old rivalries are bound to be re-ignited, before what we hope will be an even more intense final.”

“It was Austin’s victory last year but this time every player is determined to prove that they are a Rolls Royce of the poker world.”

The tournament will be exclusively produced by Matchroom Sport and will be aired in the UK later this year. ‘The voice of poker’ Jesse May will commentate alongside Steve Davis.