Level: 22
Blinds: 10,000/200,000
Ante: 3,000
PokerStars.net APPT Season 8 Auckland
Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
PokerStars.net APPT Season 8 Auckland
Buy-in
2,250 NZD
Prize Pool
506,250 NZD
Entries
225
Level
22
Blinds
10,000 / 200,000
Ante
3,000
Heads Up Play Resumes
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
The two players have returned from their 10-minute break and will continue with blinds at 10,000 / 20,000 / 3,000.
Ward Back To A Million
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Thomas Ward is back down to a million in chips.
He recently lost a pot against Minh Nguyen on a 
board.
Ward was on the button and had raised it up preflop, while both players checked the flop, Nguyen led for 45,000 on the turn, which Ward flat-called and then Ward flat-called a bet of 115,000 on the river.
At showdown, Nguyen tabled 
for the rivered flush, which was enough to send Ward's cards into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
3,550,000
195,000
|
195,000 |
|
1,000,000
-195,000
|
-195,000 |
More For Nguyen
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Thomas Ward took down a few small pots before losing a more significant one against Minh Nguyen.
The hand in question began with Nguyen opening the button, which Ward called.
On the 
flop, Ward check-called a bet of 55,000 and then check-called a bet of 115,000 on the 
turn.
The river was a 
and Ward checked for a third time and ultimately decided to fold to Nguyen's bet of 190,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,670,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
880,000
-120,000
|
-120,000 |
Big Pot For Ward
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Minh Nguyen opened to 45,000 from the button and was called by Thomas Ward.
The flop came down 
and Ward check called and continuation bet of 55,000.
On the turn, Ward checked then quickly called another bet worth 115,000 from Nguyen.
Ward checked one last time as the 
completed the board. Nguyen bet out 125,000 and was instantly called. Ward tabled his 
for the straight as Nguyen mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,190,000
-480,000
|
-480,000 |
|
|
1,360,000
480,000
|
480,000 |
Ward Continues Comeback
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Thomas Ward’s comeback has continued.
He recently scooped a couple of handy pots off Minh Nguyen.
The first played out on a 
with Ward the aggressor on the button. Nguyen check-called bets of 50,000 on the flop, 125,000 on the turn and folded to a river bet of 230,000 to send the pot to Ward.
The next hand to go Ward’s way saw Nguyen open the button, which Ward called. On the 
flop, Ward check-called a bet of 45,000 while on the turn, both players checked. The river was a and Ward led out for a large 200,000. Nguyen got out of the way and more chips went to Ward.
Nguyen’s chip stack was at one point four stories high, now it’s back down to two.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,750,000
-440,000
|
-440,000 |
|
|
1,800,000
440,000
|
440,000 |
Ward Over Two Million
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Thomas Ward completed the call from the button before Minh Nguyen raised it up to 60,000. The bet was called and both players watched the flop come down 
.
Nguyen threw out a continuation bet of 70,000 which was called before both players checked their options when the fell on the turn.
When the 
completed the board, Nguyen slid out another 140,000 which was instantly called.
Nguyen tabled his 
for the straight but it was no good after Ward rolled over his 
for the higher end of the straight and the winning hand.
Ward Takes Lead as Deal Discussions Begin
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Thomas Ward is the chip leader for the first time and there are deal talks.
The hand that put him over the line began when Ward had the button and raised it up to 40,000. Minh Nguyen called and the dealer spread out a 
flop. Nguyen check-called a bet of 50,000 and a 
was dealt on the turn. This time both players checked and a completed the board on the river.
On the river, Nguyen check-folded to a bet of 90,000.
With this, Ward was up to 2.36 million in chips against Nguyen’s 2 million.
The players are now taking a break to discuss that deal.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,360,000 | |
|
|
2,000,000 |
Deal Done and Blindly Flipping For Five Figures
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Minh Nguyen and Thomas Ward have agreed to a private deal.
Ward, with a slight chip lead, will take home NZ$104,000 while Nguyen will pocket NZ$101,600.
That leaves NZ$10,000 for the eventual champion.
Interestingly, the players have also agreed to flip for the five-figures!
They are going to go all in every hand, without looking at their cards, until there is a winner.
Stay tuned to find out who wins. There is about to be carnage!
Thomas Ward Eliminated in 2nd Place (NZ$104,000), Minh Nguyen Wins!
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
It's all over!
It took four hands of going all in blind for Minh Nguyen to be crowned the champion.
The first hand of the flip fest was the most exciting of all.
Thomas Ward had and was dominating Minh Nguyen’s 
, with Nguyen the at risk player.
The flop came down 
keeping Ward in front. The gave Nguyen outs to a straight and that’s exactly what the dealer delivered when the 
spiked on the river. With that, Nguyen's rail went wild as he now had Ward extremely short stacked.
The second hand saw Ward’s dominating Nguyen’s and he was able to hold as the 
board ran out.
The third hand saw Ward’s 
hold against Nguyen’s 
when the board ran out 
.
In the final flip Ward moved in with the best hand for the fourth straight time, this time having just a little less in chips than Nguyen. Ward's 
was in front of Nguyen’s until the flop came down . Then Nguyen secured the victory and the title when the dropped on the turn giving him an unbeatable two pair. The meaningless 
was just a tease for Ward as it completed the board and with that, the tournament was over!
A great run from Ward whose luck ran out right at the end of the tournament.
Ward pockets NZ$104,000 as per the private deal, while Nguyen takes NZ$111,600 total after winning the extra NZ$10,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,350,000
2,350,000
|
2,350,000 |
|
|
Busted |