Shock Exits and Big Stacks Close the First Day of the SKYCITY Festival of Poker, Day 1 Flight 2 Starts Today
15 Oct 2009
Day 1, Flight 2 begins today at the SKYCITY Festival of Poker with 128 players competing for a chance to move through to Day 2 of this prestigious event.
Day 1, Flight 1 yesterday was eventful right from the start, with a hair raising Maori haka opening the tournament and an early exit from New Zealand’s best poker player, Lee ‘Final Table’ Nelson.
Professional players; Celina Lin from Macau, Emad Tahtouh and Grant Levy from Australia took to the tables with 135 hopefuls, trying to get through to Day 2.
By the end of the day Emad Tahtouh from Australia came out as chip stack leader with $162,900 in chips. Another notable mention is 2008 SKYCITY Festival of Poker winner Daniel Cracker still in the running sitting on an average stack of $37,000 in chips.
67 players from Day 1, Flight 1 have qualified to go through to Day 2 which will be held on Friday from midday.
Some of the big international players competing today are Tony Hachem and Eric Assadourian from Australia. Also competing today are the first and second place winners of the SKYCITY Celebrity Invitational poker tournament. Taking first place is Dawn Raid Entertainment Producer and recording artist Brotha D, and taking second is Joe Lonie from New Zealand band, Supergroove.
International professional Tony Hachem who has cashed in every New Zealand poker tournament he has played in is excited about play in today’s Flight at the SKYCITY Festival of Poker.
“New Zealand is my second home and I have been looked after well in the tournaments that I have played in. The SKYCITY Festival of Poker is one of my favourite stops on the world poker circuit. Im hoping that the cards treat me right and I get dealt a good hand today.
From both Wednesday’s round and today’s players from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, France, New Caledonia, Russia, USA, Brazil, Philippines, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, Taiwan, China, French Polynesia and Spain having competed in this event so far proves this is a truly international event.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Brodie Stewart
Media Relations Coordinator
SKYCITY Entertainment Group
Phone: +64 9 363 7126
Mobile: +64 21 389 150
E-mail: brodie.stewart@skycity.co.nz
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SKYCITYAkl
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