Aucklander Cleans Up At Poker Championship

MEDIA RELEASE

28 Janaury 2008

Aucklander Cleans Up At Skycity Anniversary Weekend Poker Championship

SKYCITY's Auckland Anniversary Weekend Poker Championship concluded fittingly on Sunday with an Aucklander, Matt Cheer, fending off 119 other poker champion hopefuls to take home the big prize.

The tournament went for 36 gruelling hours, with Mr Cheer cleaning up just after 1am on Tuesday, winning a total of $35,540 out of a total prize pool of $119,000.

Players came from all over New Zealand, with one player travelling all the way from the Cook Islands.

Ejaaz Dean, SKYCITY Auckland's Executive Manager Table Games says with a starting field of 119 players, the inaugural tournament was a huge success.

"The hugely successful Auckland Anniversary Weekend Poker Championship is testimony to the rising popularity of poker in New Zealand. Players travelled from all around New Zealand to be here, including large groups from Rotorua and Wellington.

"We are committed to making SKYCITY Auckland the home of New Zealand poker and to provide an exciting and entertaining poker platform for all lovers of the game.

"We hope to make the tournament an annual event, attracting top poker players from throughout New Zealand."

For more information on upcoming poker events at SKYCITY see www.skycity.co.nz/poker

This year's placings were as follows:

1st Matt Cheer AUCKLAND

2nd Rajko AUCKLAND

3rd Darren "Dazz" Ying AUCKLAND

4th Emerson Wirimu ROTORUA

5th Amuant AUCKLAND

6th Craig Lowe WELLINGTON

7th Kevin Peters ROTORUA

8th Kent Tan AUCKLAND

9th Sherwin Naidoo AUCKLAND

10th Tim Grey WELLINGTON

11th Grant Harris AUCKLAND

12th Adrian Kitto AUCKLAND

13th Jimmy Henare NAPIER

ENDS

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