Larger field sits down for Day 1b at the 2010 SKYCITY Festival of Poker
Thursday 16 September 2010, 6:11PM
By SKYCITY Entertainment Group
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The remaining 129 entries into the 2010 SKYCITY Festival of Poker took to their seats just after midday today to kick off the starts of Day 1b.
Players were welcomed to the tournament with a traditional Maori song and haka and speeches from SKYCITY Auckland’s General Manager of Casino Operations Ejaaz Dean and Tournament Director Danny McDonagh. PokerStars.net professional player Tony Hachem was asked to announce the shuffle up and deal and play was underway for Day 1b in one of New Zealand’s largest poker tournaments.
The Day 1b field was notably larger thank Day 1a field with notable players including PokerStars.net Team Pro and SKYCITY Poker Ambassador Lee ‘Final Table’ Nelson, PokerStars.net Team Pro Tony Hachem, New Zealand Comedian Mike King and 2009 SKYCITY Festival of Poker winner and World Series of Poker bracelet winner Simon Watt competed today.
The total number of entrants into the 2010 SKYCITY Festival of Poker was finalised at 218 confirming the total prize pool to be NZD $654,000.00. Players in the 2010 SKYCITY Festival of Poker were represented by 20 countries including New Zealand, Australia, The United Kingdom, United States, New Caledonia, Hungary and Russia. Players will play seven levels today and those who survive will join the 41 who made it through Day 1a in Fridays Day 2.
For more information, including structures, schedules, terms and conditions and how to buy into the remaining events during the SKYCITY Festival of Poker, see www.festivalofpoker.co.nz.
SKYCITY Poker is located at SKYCITY Auckland and boasts 18 world-class tables and plays host to four tournaments throughout the poker year, including the SKYCITY Auckland Anniversary Poker Champs, Lee Nelson Deep Stack Series, SKYCITY New Zealand Poker Open and the SKYCITY Festival of Poker. SKYCITY Poker also hosts the annual SKYCITY Blue September Challenge of the Codes charity poker tournament which raises money and awareness for the New Zealand Prostate Cancer Foundation of NZ.