APPT: Daniel Craker Wins Auckland Stop

The inaugural Asia Pacific Poker Tour stop in Auckland, New Zealand, drew 306 entrants and broke the record for the largest poker tournament ever in the country. The total prize pool for the event was $856,000 NZD, with the top 32 players receiving prize money. The final day of play in this three-day event saw 11 players return to battle for a first-place prize worth $257,040 NZD, and Edward Holcroft (11th) and Eric Mutrie (10th) were busted heading to the final table of nine.

Wang Che Jung was the early aggressor at the final table, taking out four opponents, Wai Kwan Yuen (ninth), Michael Mariakis (eighth), Nathanael Seet (sixth), and Dan Sing (fourth) before he finally met his doom, falling in third place in a hand that marked the turning point at the final table. There was a large slowdown in play during five-handed action, and it took a few hours for Sing to eliminate Luke Stanford (fifth). After Kiwi Daniel Craker busted Jung in third place (Craker also eliminated Jani Karke in seventh place), he made quick work of Matthew Konecke (second) during heads-up play. Konnecke got all of his chips into the middle during the second hand of heads-up play with A-9, but Craker held pocket twos, which held up to give him the victory and $257,040 NZD for the first major victory of his career.

Hand of the final table:

Craker raised preflop and Konecke made the call. Jung reraised the pot to three bets and Craker made the call. Konecke mucked. The flop was dealt 9 3 2, and Jung moved all in. Craker quickly called and turned over 8 8. Jung showed down K 6 and the turn and river fell 3 and J to eliminate Jung in third place.

Here are the final-table results:

1: Daniel Craker -- $257,040
2: Matthew Konecke -- $162,791
3: Wang Che Jung -- $85,680
4: Dan Sing -- $59,976
5: Luke Stanford -- $46,267
6: Nathanael Seet -- $34,272
7: Jani Karke -- $25,704
8: Michael Mariakis -- $19,706
9: Wai Kwan Yuen -- $14,565

Notable cashes: Tony Hachem (24), Grant Levy (27).

The next stop for APPT season two will be APPT Manila Nov. 13-16.

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