NBC plans poker game show

NBC will premiere its new poker game show Face The Ace in August, it has been reported.

Hosted by Steve Schirripa from The Sopranos, the show will give amateurs a chance to play professional poker players.

The contestants will pick one of four pro players with their identities hidden behind smoked-glass doors to play in a heads-up poker match. Should the amateur win, they can either keep their winnings or play a second pro for a bigger pot.

Another victory earns the contestant the chance to face a third player for $1 million, Variety reports.

"There's nothing like it on the air right now," network executive vice president Jerry Petry said.

"This will attract the core poker fans who watch it on our network but will also open it up to a new audience of people who like game shows and aren't necessarily poker fans going in."

NBC currently has two other poker shows, Poker After Dark and The National Heads Up Poker Championship.

Face The Ace premieres on August 1 at 9pm.