Main Event
Day 1A Started
2013 ANZPT Auckland
Main Event
Day: 1A
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2013 ANZPT Auckland
Entries
213
Level
23
Blinds
12,000 / 24,000
Ante
4,000
Season Six of the ANZPT Begins in Auckland
![[user162117]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
For five seasons the PokerStars.net Australia New Zealand Poker Tour has been thrilling poker fans from all around the region and now it’s time for the sixth season to begin!
We are here at SKYCITY Auckland Casino in beautiful New Zealand for ANZPT Auckland – the first stop on the new season of the popular tour.
The event costs NZ$2,200 to enter and today we will see an eclectic mix of local satellite qualifiers and some of the best players from around Australia, Asia and of course, New Zealand.
Last year this event was won by Geoff Smith in what was an extremely quick final table of just over three hours. We have long way to go before we are there again this year, but the excitement is steadily building. There were 207 players in last year's tournament and this year we expect a few more to hit the tables.
Today is the first of three Day 1 flights and we will be here all day long bringing you the live updates, so make sure to keep refreshing PokerNews. All the action begins at 12.30pm local time.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Cards Flying on Day 1a
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Day 1a of the Season 6 ANZPT Auckland Main Event has begun!
Each player starts with 20,000 in chips and the first level of the day is 50/100. At this point in time it is unknown how many levels we will be playing today, but it will likely be somewhere around six or seven.
Players in the Room
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
There are currently six tables open on Day 1a. That means just around 50 players have entered so far. Today is the day that local SKYCITY Casino qualifiers are at the tables, so we are a little short on notable players, but still managed to spot the likes of Jack Efaraimo, Ryan Otto, Jesse McKenzie, Dean Blatt, Raj Ramakrishnan and Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Leo Boxell.
Registration is still open!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 |
Do Not Be Alarmed
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
A quiet announcement was recently made over the speaker system early here on Day 1a of the ANZPT Auckland Main Event. Everyone in the casino was told they would be testing the fire alarms... and test them they did.
Players probably forgot about the announcement immediately and went back to ruffling chips and mucking hands. Then everyone got the fright of a lifetime as a booming squeal echoed through the room.
That's about as exciting as it gets on a Day 1 flight of a poker tournament.
Exciting Partnership for the APPT and Aussie Millions
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
One of the big talking points of this morning, certainly among the staff of the ANZPT team, is the recent announcement that the Aussie Millions has partnered with the APPT.
ANZPT Commissioner Danny McDonagh happens to also be the APPT President and couldn't be happier to sink his teeth into the Aussie Millions - an event McDonagh was involved from it's early days as a former Crown Casino Tournament Director.
It's certainly an exciting announcement for poker in this region and we can't wait to see how big the event will be this coming January. Until then though, we fix our attention back on ANZPT Auckland!
APPT Macau High Roller Champ Sits Down
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Back in June, Xiao Yu Jia overcame a tough field to win the HK$100,000 High Roller event at APPT Macau. Jia picked up HK$1,129,000 for that effort (Approx. US$145,454). Jia recently sat down here on Day 1a of the ANZPT Auckland Main Event and we saw him win an early hand. We arrived at the action with a 
board on the felt, with around 2,000 in the pot and with Jia and his one opponent both checking. The river was a #7c and Jia led for 950 when his opponent checked. The player opted to let his cards go and Jia scooped up the small pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,000
22,000
|
22,000 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 0
No iPads at SKYCITY
Level 2
: 100/200, 0 ante
We didn't notice tennis and poker enthusiast Mike Stecker at the tables until he came up to the media desk and asked ANZPT Commissioner Danny McDonagh a question. Stecker wanted to know what the situation with iPads and electronics at the table was. Apparently here at SKYCITY they are a no-no, so Stecker will have to resort to chatting with his table mates to kill the time today.
Interestingly, Stecker was part of the first-ever ANZPT final table. It was back in 2009 and it was the ANZPT Season 1 Adelaide Main Event. Stecker finished 4th in the event, picking up $52,825. Since then Stecker has been seen at a few stops on the ANZPT, but has yet to make a real impact like he did in 2009. Maybe this will be his year!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |