Main Event
Day 3 Completed
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
![[user162117]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 22
: 10,000/200,000, 3,000 ante
Minh Nguyen was always going to be very hard to beat today.
He began the APPT Auckland final table with a giant chip lead and as expected, the highly-regarded Australian poker pro used those chips to try and steam roll over his eight opponents.
It was working too, as he played a part in several of the eliminations before beginning heads-up play against Thomas Ward with a big chip lead.
Then the tides turned and Ward chipped away until he was in front.
And that's when things got interesting as the two player's agreed to a deal and then to blindly flip for the title and an extra NZ$10,000.
It was at this point that it looked like Ward was going to win.
As agreed upon, the two players had gone all in without looking at their cards and Ward had Nguyen at risk with the worst hand. But Nguyen won the flip and despite Ward clawing back with double ups over the next two hands, Nguyen ended up claiming the final all-in and that was enough to win the title and the NZ$111,600 top prize.
Nguyen was clearly elated with the win, celebrating with several friends on the rail including his brother Edison Nguyen. That name might sound familiar and that's because Edison is a champion of poker in this region too. He won ANZPT Melbourne just a few months ago.
At no point in Asia-Pacific Poker Tour / Australia New Zealand Poker Tour history has there been brothers who have both won title. That changed today.
Long before Nguyen was crowned the champion, eight players had to hit the rail and this is how it played out:
Considering he came into the final table with under five big blinds, it perhaps wasn’t too surprising that Stephen Thompson was the first player eliminated. Thompson collected NZ$12,500 for the ninth-place finish.
It wouldn’t take too long to lose another player and this time it wasn’t a short stack who hit the rail, it was the third largest stack in Ben Rendall. The eighth place was worth NZ$16,500 to Rendall.
With the elimination of Rendall, Nguyen had around 2.5 million in chips, which was more than half the chips in play and almost 2 million more than any other player during seven-handed action.
It was looking it was Nguyen’s mission to run over the table single-handedly, but then Thomas Ward sent Dean Blatt home in seventh place to see a different player win some chips.
Just a short while later it was Jesse McKenzie’s turn to send a player to the rail and this time it was Michael Guzzardi who was eliminated. Guzzardi pocketed NZ$26,500 for that sixth-place effort and ushered in five-handed play.
Nguyen may not have dealt the blows to Blatt and Guzzardi, but he was still the most active at the final table and was continuing to dominate during five-handed play. Then Nguyen sent Sam Williams home in fifth place when Williams turned two pair and Nguyen turned a straight and the domination continued.
When four-handed play began, Nguyen had almost 70% of the chips in play and didn’t look like he was going to slow down any time soon. In fact, Nguyen would once again send a player to the rail, this time dealing the blow to McKenzie in fourth place. McKenzie got his stack in preflop with 
and couldn’t compete against Nguyen’s 
. McKenzie took home NZ$38,000 for that result.
Just a few minutes after McKenzie hit the rail and William Rogers was eliminated in third place. Rogers got his short stack all in with 
and was in good shape against Ward’s 
, but when Ward made two pair and Rogers didn’t improve his hand, it was all over with NZ$47,100 for his time.
Ward managed to pick up some chips with the elimination of Rogers, but would go into the heads up battle against Nguyen with a 3-1 chip deficit. However, Ward still had around 70 big blinds and so had plenty of play to try and chip away at Nguyen. And that’s exactly what he did as within 90 minutes Ward had moved into the lead.
It was at this point that Nguyen and Ward decided to do a deal. Ward had just a little more in his stack than Nguyen and so would lock up NZ$104,000. Nguyen, meanwhile, was guaranteed NZ$101,600. That left NZ$10,000 for the eventual winner and the two players decided to flip for it as they would proceed to go all in, without looking at their cards, until there was a winner.
It would take just four hands of the flip fest for the tournament to be over. Nguyen first got lucky when he made a straight with 
against Ward’s 
. Then Ward won two hands in a row to almost square things up before Nguyen won the final hand of the tournament, once again getting lucky to see his 
make two pair to trump Ward’s 
.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize (NZD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minh Nguyen | $111,600* |
| 2 | Thomas Ward | $104,000* |
| 3 | William Rogers | $47,100 |
| 4 | Jesse McKenzie | $38,000 |
| 5 | Sam Williams | $31,500 |
| 6 | Michael Guzzardi | $26,500 |
| 7 | Dean Blatt | $21,500 |
| 8 | Ben Rendall | $16,500 |
| 9 | Stephen Thompson | $12,500 |
*Denotes heads-up deal
Well, that wraps up another season of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour!
Our thanks go out to APPT President Danny McDonagh and the APPT's Sam Dawson for another great tournament. We would also like to thank the staff at SKYCITY Auckland Casino in New Zealand for hosting the event.
There are now a couple of months break for major tournaments in this region. But that just means there is plenty of time to prepare for the next event on the APPT - the Aussie Millions Main Event. Safe and happy holidays to all the players from Australasia and we look forward to seeing everyone again for Season 9 of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour and the next round of ANZPT events.
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 |
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!
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 |
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.
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |