ESPN Classic is set to welcome in the New Year with a new poker series that covers all the action from the brand new Pokerheaven European Cash Game. Episode One premieres on the channel at 11.20pm on Thursday 8th January 2009 and is the first of seven hourly slots that will be shown every Thursday until mid February. The Pokerheaven European Cash Game is an invitation only event, featuring some of the most established and up-and-coming cash game players in the world including the 2008 World Series of Poker winner, Peter Eastgate, and you can catch all the action on ESPN Classic, Sky Channel 442.

In a thrilling battle of skill and smart decisions, the big winner this year was Eric Liu, a respected CardRunners instructor originally from Rockville in the United States. Liu finished 4th in the prestigious European Poker Tour in London this year and chalked up a profit of over €70,000 for the session. The €10,000 minimum buy-in and straddles by players, on almost every hand, resulted in some very large pots.

Among the host of top professional players involved in the event was Peter Eastgate, World Series of Poker 2008 Champion and the youngest champion in history winning $9m at the age of just 22; Englishman Neil Channing who was the 2008 Irish Open Winner; and Andy Black, who has potted over $4m in career tournament winnings. Liu joined Iversen, Riku Vihreasarri and Chris Haller as winning players on the day whilst Neil Channing, Andy Black and 2008 WSOP winner Peter Eastgate posted losses.

Catch all of the action every Thursday from 11.20pm throughout January and February on ESPN Classic (Sky Channel 442).