S Island Champ Leads. Defending Champ Exits Early

Media Release for immediate use 20 April 2007

South Island Champ Leads After Defending Champ Suffers Early Exit

2007 South Island Poker Champion Jovan Scekic has again showed his class to be chip leader at the end of day one at the New Zealand Poker Championships at Christchurch Casino.

51 poker players started the day and the in the early hours of the morning 15 remained to fight another day on Saturday - the final day of the New Zealand Poker Championships.

Jovan Scekic says he has high hopes of doing well on finals day.

“I am confident of making the final table on Saturday after a pleasing performance today. It is good to finish the day as chip leader as it is a very tough field. I stuck to my strategy of playing each hand on its merits and managed to take down a key pot early on which enabled me to play more aggressively,” says Jovan Scekic.

Earlier in the night 2006 New Zealand Poker champion Alan Goodrum exited the tournament from what he called a very tough table.

“It was disappointing to exit early but that’s poker. I was running hot all night and unfortunately got taken down by four nines when I had a straight. My table was very tough. Eric Assadourian and Jovan Scekic were at it and have both won tournaments this week. They will be big threats in the main event,” says Alan Goodrum.

Christchurch Casino Poker Manager Mick Ryan says some very tight poker was played on the first day of the New Zealand Poker Championships.

“A lot of good players went out early and we only have one Kiwi (Geoff Smith) left at the end of the first day, showing the true international quality of this field. Jovan Scekic was again able to rise to the top with some aggressive moves. He, along with Lee Nelson who plays today, are definitely players to watch,” says Mick Ryan.

The poker action continues this afternoon at Christchurch Casino with the second heat of the New Zealand Poker Championships. The 2007 New Zealand Poker Champion will be found on 21 April. Play begins at 1pm at Christchurch Casino.

Day One Results
JOVAN SCEKIC $80,400 GERALD JURIE $20,300
RICHARD GRACE $68,200 DEAN McIVER $19,000
ERIC ASSADOURIAN $61,900 GRAHAM PUTT $14,200
JAN SUCHANEK $58,400 DENNIS HUNTLY $14,200
JOHN WYLLIE $43,200 GEOFF SMITH $12,700
ALISON LIGHTMAN $40,000 DOMINIC BILLINGHAM $12,600
CONSTANTINE HARACH $33,500 FRANK AGOSTINO $11,300
MA ZHI HONG $20,500

ENDS

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