Bodog Beat

Bodog poker pro David Williams is at the 2008 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship today. (Bodog Beat Image)

Some of the biggest names in the poker world descended on PURE Nightclub in Las Vegas for the kickoff of the 2008 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship.

The party served a dual purpose as a chance for poker's best to mingle in a non-competitive environment and to draw the match-ups for the first round of play. Obviously, partying is great, but everyone really wanted to know who was gonna be playing who.

The bracket of 64 players is divided into four quadrants, each named for a suit in a deck of cards. Some of the most interesting heads-up matches that will be taking place later today areTom "durrrr" Dwan vs. Phil Hellmuth (the young online poker phenom vs. the veteran 11-time WSOP bracelet winner), Don Cheadle vs.Gus Hansen, David Williams vs. Johnny Chan,Clonie Gowen vs. Jennifer Tilly(a little girl on girl action) and Chris Fergusonvs. John Juanda (two very cerebral players).

The Hearts bracket is already underway at Caesar's Palace in Vegas, they started at 10:15am local time, and the others will follow later today, Diamonds at 1:15 pm, Clubs at 4:15 pm and Spades 6:45 pm.

Check out the full first round matches after the jump and a video of Williams on the red carpet at PURE last night.

Clubs
Jonathan Little vs. Erik SeidelPatrik Antonius vs. Gabe KaplanGreg Raymer vs. Hooman NikzadKenny Tran vs. Scott ClementsMike Matusow vs. Joseph HachemTom Dwan vs. Phil HellmuthTom Schneider vs. Gavin SmithChris Ferguson vs. John Juanda

Hearts
Vanessa Rousso vs. Antonio EsfandiariShannon Elizabeth vs. Andy BlochTodd Brunson vs. Scott FischmanJamie Gold vs. Tom KellyTed Forrest vs. Orel HershiserAllen Cunningham vs. Chad BrownJean-Robert Bellande vs. Sam GrizzleFreddy Deeb vs. Paul Wasicka

Spades
Don Cheadle vs. Gus HansenScotty Nguyen vs. Bill EdlerJerry Yang vs. Chris MoneymakerDavid Singer vs. Phil LaakPhil Ivey vs. Alisha KunzeDavid Williams vs. Johnny ChanDaniel Schreiber vs. T.J. CloutierAnnie Duke vs. J.C. Tran

Diamonds
Jason Alexander vs. Huck SeedDavid Pham vs. Brian TownsendClonie Gowen vs. Jennifer TillyDaniel Negreanu vs. Michael MizrachiBarry Greenstein vs. Howard LedererDavid Benyamine vs. Jennifer HarmanSam Farha vs. Doyle BrunsonErick Lindgren vs. Eli Elezra