When Scott Kerr’s A♥ Q♣ remained in a dominating shape against Phillip Willcocks, we saw the final champion on the inaugural PokerStars.net ANZPT crowned.

It was fitting that the final duel was between an Australian and a Kiwi, and with that here is my continued tournament summary with The Eight Points of Enlightenment: ANZPT Queensland.

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1 – Split Venue Tournament: The final stop on the ANZPT was structured a little different as it was run over two venues simultaneously; both Conrad Jupiters and Treasury on the Gold Coast and at Brisbane respectively. Although I had doubts, all in all it worked perfectly and let players from both regions have a chance at participating in the ANZPT. It will most likely be used again in the Queensland leg next season, but there is also word of it being used for a combination of Auckland, Christchurch etc when the tour hits New Zealand.

2 – Lack Of Tables: Another reason behind using two venues simultaneously was the lack of tables at Conrad Jupiters on the Gold Coast (since I was based there I can’t give a critique on the Brisbane leg), as it only had six official tables with another two installed recently for the tournament. This may have been sufficient for the tournament (just) but for the cash game action (especially on the weekend) it definitely wasn’t!

3 – Terrible Cash Games: Sitting down at the cash games, I found them terrible for several reasons. First of all some of their rulings were stupid – such as not being able to straddle and also not being able to bet dark . . . even when it’s your turn to act. The limits were pretty standard in the $1-2 and $2-5 NLH games, but it was the state of play that upset me the most. First of all, most of the players were horrendous, but it also appeared as they played in teams.
Not as in the shared bankroll kind of teams, but the way they played at each other – soft playing one another, telling each other what they had and looking at each other’s cards. For the Supervisors at Jupiters . . . keep an eye out for cheating instead of just yelling at me for straddling!

4 – Bring On The Food: When you cover a tournament you are always needing a quick snack and drink here and there – and in the long run this can be a hefty expensive. However once arriving at Conrad Jupiters for the ANZPT we were handed a bunch of $5 and $10 vouchers that could be used at all the snack bars and restaurants around the casino.

5 – Celebration Party?: It was never expected that the ANZPT would be able to replicate a APT-type party, but you would expect something to dint the budget just slightly. Located at one of the hotel bars, it was populated by the Team PokerStars Pro’s, media and only a few players to make the party fairly small and quiet. Free alcohol and appetisers were supplied, but it was a little bit of a letdown regarding that it was really a party to celebrate a highly successful tour. Hopefully next time it will live up to the hype it should have received.

6 – Money On The Table : What I’ve always loved about the finale of a poker tournament is the intense heads-up battle and the money presentation. Crown, WSOP (excluding the Main Event) and the APPT etc never present money, but the ANZPT is heading in the opposite direction – well in Adelaide and Queensland that is.
Conrad Jupiters presented the $168,075 on a silver platter when Scott Kerr and Phillip Willcocks were heads-up . . . and it made it a whole lot more exciting! In the future bring out the trophy and the money for everyone to see!

7 – One For The Industry: Heath came close a few months earlier, and many before and since also have, but finally the poker industry has captured gold thanks to Scott Kerr. A dealer from Star City, it was great to see someone that spends most of his time on the other side of the felt snatch a victory on behalf of all the dealers and people in the casino and media industry. Well done Scott.

8 – The End Only Means The Start: With the inaugural season now wrapped up, it only means that season two is around the corner. With a potential of eight stops in 2010, we will all be returning to Adelaide from the 9-14th of February next year for the kick-off to a bigger and better ANZPT!

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Now off to Melbourne for a packed schedule at the 2009 Victorian Poker Championships with the rest of the PokerNetwork crew!