The playing field for the New Zealand Poker Championships was slashed down from 100 poker players to just 27 and that includes Professor Peter Field, a lecturer of American History from the University of Canterbury.
On April 21, 2007, the second day of hostilities, saw 38 players eliminated from competition and the 12 poker surviving players will join the 15 poker players from the first preliminaries on Thursday, April 19, 2007 to fight for the title of champion of the New Zealand Poker Tournament.
Peter Field commented that his profession as a lecturer is a good way to prepare for major poker tournaments, although it can also block him from competing in the tournament. He said that one of the best aspects of his job is that he is exposed to the public during his lectures so he can play poker in public without it bothering him.
Nonetheless, one of the hassles of his job is that he usually cannot participate in the tournaments because he is busy at the University. Poker Manager of the Christchurch Casino, Mick Ryan, commented that the finals of the tournament will be a huge event at the casino.
He commented that they now have 27 players left and they will be fighting for the right to take home a part of the $381,000 prize pool.
The champion of the event will win a total of $100,000 and a slot at the World Series of Poker Tournament in Las Vegas. He added that Lee Nelson will be a tough player to beat in the event. Other players that are sure to present a challenge are Jovan Sckeric, Dennis Huntley, Eric Assadourian and David Bradford.
06/17/2007 21:49 PM