And then there were eight. If this statement was attached to an Agatha Christie novel it would mean that some really bad things had happened to everyone but the remaining eight people; and even their future was looking a little on the bleak side. When we are talking about this statement in reference to television poker, it describes where we are in the NBC National Heads-Up Championship.
Satellite tournaments are so named because they orbit around the planet called the World Series of Poker. In the real world, satellites send down everything from cell phone signals to television shows to Earth.
The difference between the ring game and tournament play closely resembles the differences between dating and marriage. Much like casual dating, playing the ring game allows you to come to the table with very few limitations or rules, and lets you walk away when you feel uncomfy, or have simply had enough.