Queenstown Poker Tournament
- In addition to our tournaments, cash games are also available on demand in the Poker Room at SkyCity Auckland (subject to table availability and the number of participants). For tournament or registration enquiries, please phone (09) 363 6190 to speak to a Table Games Operations Manager or email poker@skycity.co.nz.
- Royal Jackpot; Tournaments. Fixtures; Results; Major Tournament Results. 2019 Festival of Poker; 2019 WPT NZ; 2019 Summer of Poker; 2018 WPT NZ; 2017 SkyCity Festival of Poker; 2017 Waitangi Deep Stack Championships Results; 2017 Auckland Poker Championships; 2016 SkyCity Festival of Poker; 2016 Waitangi Deep Stack Championships.
- Tournaments
- NZPT Queenstown
PLAYERS
Texas Hold'em Poker, $20 ENTRY POKER TOURNAMENT. Rebuy options available, up to $500 cash., Lone Star, Queenstown, Otago, 30 June 2015 - 19 August 2015.
Here is a list of players to reach the final table of NZPT Queenstown. For a list of total players click here.Seat 1: Will Mauga (Australia) PokerStars Qualifier (106,500 in chips): Born in New Zealand but a resident of Brisbane since he was two-years-old, this 25-year-old painting contractor who runs his own business is married with three children. He enters this final table in seventh chip position.
Seat 2: Glenn Maiden (New Zealand, 321,500 in chips): The manager of the Wharf Casino, this Queenstown local has been playing poker for five years. The 37-year-old earned a seat for the NZPT Queenstown Main Event via Card Sharks, a locally-run and based free-to-play poker competition. He has played in a number of major events around New Zealand and is second in chips heading into this final table.
Seat 3: Steve Smith (New Zealand, 186,000 in chips): He's one of several tradesmen who've put their hands to good use during this tournament. The father of two has been playing poker for about three years and is a regular at SKYCITY Casino in Auckland where he enjoys playing cash games and tournaments. The 42-year-old builder has thoroughly enjoyed his time in Queenstown: 'What an awesome place,' he said.
Seat 4: Andrew Hinrichsen (Australia) PokerStars Qualifier (69,000 in chips): The youngest player at the final table and one of only two Australians to make it to the final nine, this 21-year-old travelled to Queenstown with friends and has made the most of the trip, including his first attempt at snowboarding. The 21-year-old has been playing poker for one year, mostly online cash games, and is highly regarded by his peers.
Seat 5: John Pye (New Zealand, 211,000 in chips): This 39-year-old painter/decorator from Auckland placed third in the 2008 New Zealand Poker Championships Main Event. The father of two has been playing poker for about five years and especially enjoys playing sit 'n' goes online. He led this tournament at numerous points over the past two days and is fourth in chips coming into the final nine.
Queenstown Poker Tournament 2019
Seat 6: David Bradford (New Zealand, 53,500 in chips): One of Queenstown's best known former residents, this 65-year-old lived here for 17 years and was Town Mayor for six years. Now living in Wellington, he's been a constant on the poker scene here for many years and has played in Las Vegas on several occasions with his good friend and fellow final table participant John Guthrie.
Seat 7: Danny Chevalier (Australia, 481,000 in chips): Arguably the most accomplished player at the final table, this 46-year-old lived in New Zealand for many years where he ran day spas in Queenstown and Rotorua before recently returning to Australia. He won a won a seat into this event in a live satellite here at SKYCITY Queenstown. He credits his love of poker to his grandmother Regine, who passed away last year aged 99.
Queenstown Poker Tournament Golf
Seat 8: Mark Walker (New Zealand, 150,000 in chips): A 28-year-old machine operator from Cambridge in the Waikato region of the North Island, this is his first live tournament despite having 18 months of poker experience under his belt. His deep run in this event is timely after he and his girlfriend recently found out they're expecting a baby. He is in sixth chip position overall heading into the final table.
Seat 9: John Guthrie (New Zealand, 888,500 in chips): A dominant chip leader coming into today's play, this wily veteran has a heap of poker experience, much of it coming along side his good mate and fellow final table participant David Bradford. The property developer celebrated his 60th birthday last week, and is hoping to carry his massive chip advantage all the way to the first NZPT Queenstown.
Over the past three years, the Queenstown Snowfest event has snowballed from humble beginnings into one of the premier events on the Australasian poker calendar.
The inaugural Queenstown event was part of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) in 2009. A field of 134 players descended upon the snow-capped town with snowboards in hand as Queenstown played host to a major poker tournament for the very first time.
Danny Chevalier was victorious over young gun Andy Hinrichsen to pocket NZ$87,435 in prize money.
In 2010 it was Julian Cohen who continued the Aussie dominance with victory over a field of 119 players. Cohen pocketed NZ$73,630 for the win as Australians took the top five finishing spots. Andrew Watson, Vesko Zmukic, Mike Spilkin, Jason Gray, John Maklouf and Team PokerStars Pro Bryan Huang were also part of a stacked final table lineup.
Last year it was Marcel Schreiner who flew in to town to take the title back to Germany. It was the first time the Queenstown event was classed as part of the APPT, and it attracted an international field as Schreiner defeated a healthy turnout of 127 entries, and Kiwi Matty Yates heads up, to collect NZ$94,300 in prize money. Daniel Laidlaw, Tom Grigg, Hugh Cohen and Jonathan Karamalikis were also part of the final table.
Whoever takes down the title this year will probably lock up a six-figure pay day as we are on track to set a new record for this event. APPT head honcho Danny McDonagh has confirmed that we're already sitting at 130 confirmed entrants, which is more than last year's total, with several additional direct buy-ins expected over the next two days. It's a great show of support for the popularity of this stop on the tour, that it will show a growth in numbers where most events around the world have either hit a plateau or dropped in numbers in recent times.
This year's event is also unique as it fills several important voids. The event forms part of the New Zealand Poker Tour (NZPT), the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) and is the first event of Season 6 of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT). So that means the winner of this tournament will instantly become a triple crown winner! (credit Didier Guerin)
To save the confusion, we'll just refer to this event as the Queenstown Snowfest, although this week, that name is also a little misleading. In the past, we've arrived to see snow covering all corners of the town, but due to a recent run of unseasonably mild weather, most of the snow has actually melted from the city and surrounding mountains. Skiers shouldn't be concerned though, as the major ski resorts are still bustling with activity, with plenty of runs open and ample opportunity for players to break a few limbs or fall off the edge of a mountain.
Queenstown Poker Tournament Games
