Simon Watt Wins the APPT Auckland Title

For the 2nd straight year a local poker player has won at the PokerStars APPT Auckland. Poker player Simon Watt outwitted 263 players to take home the biggest portion of a $789,000 NZD cash pool in just the 2nd APPT event ever held in New Zealand. The poker event attracted several poker pros to the SkyCity Casino including Team PokerStars Pros Grant Levy, Tony Hachem, Emad Tahtouh, Lee "Final Table" Nelson and Celina Lin.

Nelson was sent home in just the second hand of the poker tournament when he executed a full house but his opponent rivered quads. The nine-player APPT Auckland final table played out on October 19th, 2009 with Assadour Assadourian the sole remaining PokerStars sponsored player. But Assadourian busted in 7th place, taking home a total of $23,670 NZD. The heads-up showdown eventually came down between Simon Watt and Gerome Guitteau from France.

In the most important hand of the APPT Auckland, Watt made an ill-time bluff with an ace-high against Guitteau and Guitteau on a middle-pair. Guitteau then called Watt down and with more than ninety-percent of the chips in the middle; it looked like Guitteau was destined to win the tournament.

But Watt spiked an ace on the turn and that was enough to secure Watt the cash pot. Two hands later, Watt sent Guitteau to the rail, earning him the APPT Auckland title and $209,085 NZD in cash prize. This is the 2nd year that PokerStars has taken place in New Zealand. L

Last year, fellow Kiwi Daniel Craker outwitted 306 players to take home the title. This year, Craker put on a good performance in defending his APPT title before busting out in 29th place for $5,523 NZD. The next APPT event will take place on November 11th, 2009-November 15th, 2009 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Cebu, Philippines. Satellite events are currently running on PokerStars.

November 09, 2009
Brian Nelson