$3,250 Championship Main Event | 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland

$3,250 Championship Main Event

Day 4 Completed

10-17-2009 17:22 UTC-12

Simon Watt Wins 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event (NZ$209,085)

[user67765]

Once again the trophy and the cash will remain on home soil as New Zealand's Simon Watt has captured the win and $209,085 in prize money.

The 26-year old first came to our attention on Day 2 as he stormed through the field to claim the chip lead and from there he never looked back. Watt was quoted as saying, "I’m very confident going into the final table," and it showed as he used a beautiful mix of patience and controlled aggression to accumulate chips before lady luck got him over the line.

Thanks to PokerStars and the wonderful team at the SKYCITY Casino here in Auckland who have been our hosts this week. They've run a wonderful week of tournaments in world-class venue, and the Kiwi people are some of the friendliest you'll find anywhere in the world.

For those who couldn't make it this time, make sure you plan ahead to make it out to Auckland next year, but in the meantime the PokerStars.net APPT train continues with the next stop the tropical paradise of Cebu in the Philippines from November 11th-15th.

Thanks for your company and see you next time! So long from New Zealand!

Tags: Simon Watt

10-17-2009 17:12 UTC-12

Gerome Guitteau Eliminated in 2nd Place (NZ$142,020)

[user67765]

The 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event has come to a close and our champion is once again a local in Simon Watt.

Gerome Guitteau was first to act and he declared himself all in for around 500,000 with Watt making the call.

Guitteau: {K-Clubs}

Watt:

The board was spread {Q-Hearts}

and the pair of Watt holds up to take the pot and the trophy!

Frenchman Gerome Guitteau put in a tremendous performance to be amongst the chip leaders all tournament, and it was only a stroke a bad luck heads-up that saw him miss out on the title. He will however take

Tags: Gerome Guitteau Simon Watt

10-17-2009 17:08 UTC-12

Watt Sucks Out To Claim Commanding Position

[user92162]

Simon Watt opened the button to 75,000 and Gerome Guitteau made his standard three-bet to 200,000. Watt retaliated by four-betting to 525,000 and Guitteau made the call.

They took a {8-Spades}

flop and Guitteau checked. Watt went into the tank before moving all in and Guitteau made a quick call.

Watt: {A-Diamonds}

Guitteau:

Guitteau was in front and would just have to dodge the ace or running cards to win the tournament.

Unfortunately for Guitteau, the {A-Spades}

spiked the turn and put Watt in front, much to the delight of the home New Zealand fans.

The river was the {Q-Spades}

shipping the pot to a delighted Watt. Guitteau has a mountain to climb now with just 540,000 chips.

Tags: Gerome Guitteau Simon Watt

10-17-2009 17:03 UTC-12

Gerome Guitteau Three-Betting Crazy

[user92162]

Each time Simon Watt is on the button he is opening to 75,000 and Gerome Guitteau is automatically popping him to 200,000. So far Watt has not been able to find an answer.

Tags: Jason Brown Simon Watt

10-17-2009 16:53 UTC-12

Heads-Up Chip Counts

[user67765]

The approximate chip counts as we enter heads-up play are as follows:

Gerome Guitteau: 2.6 million
Simon Watt: 2.25 million

10-17-2009 16:52 UTC-12

Jason Brown Eliminated in 3rd Place (NZ$82,845)

[user67765]

Gerome Guitteau raised to 75,000 before Jason Brown moved all in from the small blind for a little under 200,000. Simon Watt folded his big blind and Guitteau made the call.

Guitteau: {J-Hearts}

Brown:

The flop brought a sweat when it landed {7-Hearts}

but Guitteau had snatched the lead with his pair of nines. It stayed that way through the {6-Spades}

turn and

river to send the pot to Guitteau and eliminate Brown in 3rd place.

Tags: Gerome Guitteau Jason Brown

10-17-2009 16:40 UTC-12

Watt Doubles Into Chiplead

[user92162]

Simon Watt is seeing the dividends of his aggresive play

Simon Watt's aggression has paid off with him doubling through Jason Brown.

Watt opened the button 80,000 and Brown three-bet shoved his stack, as he had already done a couple of times before.

Only this time Watt had {K-Clubs}

. Brown rolled over his {5-Hearts}

and would need to get lucky to eliminate Watt.

It didn't happen Watt flopped a set and the board ran out {4-Diamonds}

.

Brown drops to just 200,000 and Watt is up to 2,300,000.

Tags: Jason Brown Simon Watt

10-17-2009 16:34 UTC-12

Chip Counts

[user67765]

After a brief pause for the players to have a quick chat, play has recommenced with the following chip counts:

Gerome Guitteau: 2.24 million
Jason Brown: 1.46 million
Simon Watt: 1.197 million

10-17-2009 16:32 UTC-12

Ke Sijia Eliminated in 4th Place (NZ$55,230)

[user67765]

In the first limped pot of this final table, Ke Sijia decided to mix it up by limping in from under the gun. Gerome Guitteau completed in the small blind and Jason Brown checked his option in the big blind.

The flop landed {J-Hearts}

and play checked to Sijia who fired 70,000. Guitteau then put in the check-raise to 200,000 as Brown stepped aside. Sijia made the call as a big pot was developing.

The turn was the {3-Hearts}