Aussie Battler Takes Down Cunning Kiwi
Media release for immediate use 22 April 2007
Aussie Battler Takes Down Cunning Kiwi
In a tournament that
went well into the early hours of Sunday morning, one man
stood above the rest to take out the New Zealand Poker
Championships at Christchurch Casino.
Eric
Assadourian outplayed, outfoxed and outthought Wellingtonian
Richard Grace and a field of more than 100 participants to
take out the New Zealand Poker Championship Trophy and claim
prize money of $100,000 along with a seat at the World
Series of Poker in Las Vegas, valued at
US$10,000.
“At one stage today, I was down to
just $7500 worth of chips. My experience shone through, and
I was able to double up. I eventually managed to get to the
final table with $54,000,” says Eric
Assadourian.
“When I made it to the final table I
only had one thing on my mind and that was to win the
tournament. People kept folding around me and I was able to
build up a decent amount of chips.
“I used all my
experience to win the tournament, but I was made to really
work for it.”
Marquis players to fall by the
wayside during the tournament included, among others, 2006
Aussie Millions’ winner Lee Nelson and 2006 New Zealand
Poker champion Alan Goodrum.
Richard Grace, a
househusband, picked up $60,000 for his second placing and
already has plans on how to spend his
money.
“Well, my student loan will disappear and
as my wife and I are planning to travel to the UK soon, this
will help out a lot,” he says.
Christchurch
Casino Poker Operations Manager Mick Ryan says there were
some very aggressive moves at the final
table.
“There were people trying to knock each
other out right from the start, it was great to see a kiwi
there at the end, but Eric “The Voice” Assadourian has
shown throughout the tournament he is a very shrewd player
and knows when to take a risk.
“It was a
brilliant tournament and a fitting end to perfect week of
poker,” says Mick Ryan.
Eric Assadourian says you
can expect to see him again in New Zealand next year to
defend not only his New Zealand title, but also his New
Zealand Pot Limit Omaha title, which he won on Wednesday 18
April.
“The hospitality at Christchurch Casino
has been exceptional, and without doubt I’ll be back to
defend my titles next year. As well, I’ll be recommending
that all my poker friends, and there are a lot, come to New
Zealand next year.”
2007 New Zealand Poker
Championships Results
Eric Assadourian
$100,000
Richard Grace $60,000
Jan Suchanek
$40,000
Constantine Harach $32,000
David
Bradford $27,000
Nick Wright $21,000
Jovo Scekik
$16,000
Mark Erickson $13,100
Dean McIver
$10,000
Matt Davidow $10,000
Helen Jordens
$10,000
Choon Won $10,000
Peter Field
$8,000
Ivar Rivernaes $8,000
Denis Huntly
$8,000
Michael Balthazar
$8,000
ENDS