Poker after Dark aires 'Rivals' episode

But these two combatants are not the only rivals in this match. Good friends Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari will also be at the table, with Esfandiari looking to even the score against Laak for beating him heads-up in an entertaining match during PAD's first season. Nothing brings either greater satisfaction than to bust the other out of a tournament or a cash game.

And if the above rivalries aren't enough for you, then let's add Mike Matusow and Daniel Negreanu to the mix. In addition to playing against one another frequently on "High Stakes Poker," these two friendly rivals met in the first round of the 2007 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and are always in each other's face with table talk. Combined with the banter between the other players, this match is one that viewers will not want to activate the mute button on their remote controls for while watching.

Matusow, of course, is one of the game's premier trash talkers, as is Sheikhan, and the two have had some memorable exchanges during other events in the past, particularly during the 2005 World Series Championship. And Hellmuth is no stranger to Matusow's taunting either, as these two needle each other incessantly while playing against one another in an attempt to put the other on tilt.

Brief profiles of all six players follow. The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 AM, September 24, and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the "Director's Cut" will air late night Saturday, September 29, at 1:00 AM, right after Saturday Night Live. This show will feature a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews.