New Zealand Poker Open Sure To Be Packed Out

Auckland’s SKYCITY Poker Room will be flooded with eager players out to enjoy New Zealand’s Queen’s Birthday holiday over the last weekend of this month – with the New Zealand Poker Open arriving in town.

The eight-day festival of poker begins on Monday, May 28, before concluding on Monday, 4 June, with the climax of the NZD$1,400+NZD$100 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em main event – although that isn’t actually the last competition to begin that day as there is the tournament-ending NZD$300+NZD$30 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Deep Stack a few hours later.

However, with the main event field sure to fill up fast, any potential entrants should note that the tournament has been restricted to just 180 players as they all chase the top prize, title and trophy – in an effort to emulate Jackson Zheng’s success from last year that saw the Kiwi leave his home event richer by NZD$50,615 ($41,442).

Main Event Repechage Offers Second Shot at Glory

Additionally, any player who exits on Day 1a of the main event can use the repechage facility to buy in again on Day 1b – so providing them with another shot at glory.

Numerous satellite events are already running at the SKYCITY Poker Room in the country’s capital city that lead to the main event, with buy-ins starting at just NZD$20 all the way up to the three NZD$320 Mega Satellites that will take place on May 26, May 29 and June 1.

The other side events on the schedule are a NZD$220 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament on May 31 at 19:15, a NZD$120 buy-in Ladies’ Tournament on June 1 at 19:15, a NZD$550 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha competition at 20:00 on June 2, a NZD$3,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em High Stakes event on June 3 at 20:00, and the concluding NZD$330 Deep Stack on June 4 at 16:30.

New Zealand Poker Open Schedule and Satellites (all NZD$)

Daily (on demand)                                                  

19:15, $32+$8 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em single-table sit and go Satellite (as many seats to $320 Mega Satellite as prize pools allows; 3,000 starting chips, 15-minute blind levels)

19:15, $300+$20 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em single-table sit and go Satellite (top two win NZPO $1,500 buy-in main event seats; 5,000 starting chips, 20-minute blind levels)

Mondays

19:15, $15+$5 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open low stakes No-Limit Hold’em Satellite with Rebuys (rebuys $20, double $30; as many seats to NZPO $1,500 buy-in main event as prize pool allows, with remainder of prize pool divided to offer seats to the $320 Mega Satellite; 2,000 starting chips, 15-minute blind levels)

Tuesdays (except May 29)

19:15, $50+$10 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em (3,500 starting chips, 15-minute blind levels)

Wednesdays (except May 30)

19:15, $85+15 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em (4,500 starting chips, 20-minute blind levels)

Thursdays (except May 31)

19:15, $32+$8 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em Turbo Satellite (as many seats to the $320 Mega Satellite as prize pool allows; 3,000 starting chips, 15-minute blind levels)

Fridays

19.15, $85+$15 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em (4,500 starting chips, 20-minute blind levels)

Sundays

12:30, $32+$8 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em Turbo Satellite with Single Rebuys and Add-Ons (rebuys $20, add-ons $20; as many seats to the $320 Mega Satellite as prize pool allows; 3,000 starting chips, 20-minute blind levels)

19:15, $50+$10 buy-in Low Stakes Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em Turbo (10,000 starting chips, 15-minute blind levels)

Saturday, May 12

12:30, $100+$30 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Single Rebuy and Single Add-On (rebuy $50, add-on $50; 5,000 starting chips, 20-minute blind levels)

Saturday, May 19

12:30, $50+$10 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha with Single Rebuy and Add-Ons (rebuy $20, add-ons $20; 3,500 starting stack, 20-minute blind levels)

Saturday, May 26

12:30, $300+$20 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open Mega Satellite (as many seats to $1,500 buy-in main event as prize pool allows; 5,000 starting chips, 20-minute blind levels)

Monday, May 28 to Friday, June 1 (on demand)

19:00, $32+$8 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em Turbo sit and go Satellite (one $320 seat to Mega Satellite)

Monday, May 28 to Saturday, June 2 (on demand)

19:00, $300+$20 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em sit and go Satellite (top two win seats to NZPO $1,500 main event)

Monday, May 28

19:15, $15+$5 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open low stakes No-Limit Hold’em Satellite with Rebuys (rebuys $20, double $30; as many seats to NZPO $1,500 buy-in main event as prize pool allows)

Tuesday, May 29

19:15, $300+$20 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em Mega Satellite (as many seats to the $1,500 main event as prize pool allows)

19:45, $32+$8 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em Turbo Satellite (as many seats to $320 Mega Satellite as prize pool allows)

Wednesday, May 30

19:15, $55+$5 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em Satellite with Rebuys (rebuys $20, double $30; as many seats to NZPO $1,500 main event as prize pool allows)

Thursday, May 31

19:15, Event #1, $200+$20 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em

19:45, $32+$8 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em sit and go Satellite (one seat to $320 Mega Satellite)

Friday, June 1

19:15, Event #2, $100+$20 buy-in Ladies’ Tournament

19:45, $300+$20 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em Mega Satellite (as many seats to the $1,500 main event as prize pool allows)

Saturday, June 2

12:30, $1,400+$100 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em main event Day 1a

20:00, Event #3, $500+$50 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha (Second Chance format)

Sunday, June 3

12:30, $1,400+$100 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em main event Day 1b (repechage)

20:00, Event #4, $2,900+$100 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em High Stakes

Monday, June 4

12:30, $1,400+$100 buy-in New Zealand Poker Open No-Limit Hold’em main event Final Day

16:30, Event #5, $300+$30 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Deep Stack