Thursday, 28th March 2024 18:38
Home / Uncategorized / APPT Auckland: Time for a cool change

By Landon Blackhall

The field for day 1A of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event has been confirmed at 135 players, and with expectations of a total field in excess of 300, that means many of our visitors are out enjoying the sights of the city today.

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SKYCITY Poker Room is busy today, but not quite as busy as it will be tomorrow for day 1B

New Zealand has no shortage of action sports for the budding thrill-seeker – bungy jumping, skydiving, skiing and Zorbing (rolling around large fields inside a large inflatable ball), but there also plenty of more sedate activities to enjoy.

The southern polar regions may be a long way from New Zealand, but the nation has a proud history of involvement in Antractica, which is celebrated at Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World.

It’s a short 10-minute bus ride from out the front of the SKYCITY complex to the exhibit, which features a reconstruction of the hut and conditions in which Robert Falcon Scott and his ill-fated expedition party lived on their trek to the South Pole.

The most popular attraction houses two of the world’s largest species of penguin, the King and the Gentoo. Both species stand about one-metre in height, and are kept in an exhibit that closely resembles the frozen landscape of Antractica. To get up close and personal with Batman’s nemesis, a SnowCat takes visitors through an interactive display featuring the dangers of Antarctica before entering the penguin exhibit. Cool stuff.

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Don’t get in a flap, man: King Penguins at Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World

Play is now into level four (150/300 with an ante of 25), and already 10 players have been freed from their poker commitments in the SKYCITY Festival of Poker finale, while another 10 qualifiers have decided against making the trip to New Zealand. Their chips have been taken from the table but their entry fee remains in the pool.

Among the players in action today is PokerStars.net Team Asia’s Celina Lin. Earlier today, Lynn Gilmartin caiught up with the vivacious and popular player:


Watch APPT Auckland 09 : Celina Lin on PokerStars.tv

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