A new year, and a new season for NBC's "poker after dark". Granted this show is probably only for the rabid fans of poker but does give you some from content if World Poker Tour and the 1,289th showing of the 2007 World Series of Poker main event tapings on ESPN have left you little doubt that God will always help you fill that inside straight draw.

Sadly Shana Hiatt will not be returning as the host this season as newcomer Marianela Pereyra will be taking over the role of soothing the egos of the top flight poker pros after their bust outs. Not a bad replacement, but as far as poker hostesses go, Hiatt tops them all, unless Phil Gordon decided to dress in drag again.

According to the NBC website author Dennis Oehring new pros will complete in the six person $20,000 SnG with the winner taking the entire prize pool to the craps table of their choice or bankroll if they're a little more responsible about it. Here's a short list of some prosscheduled to appear in the new Poker After Dark season:

Hoyt Corkins
Sam Grizzle (oh my)
JJ Liu
Scotty Nguyen (you gonna fold baby?)
Erica Schoenberg
Beth Shak (upping the hot ladies factor, well done NBC)
Gavin Smith (make sure your bar is stocked)