Poker: Chris Levick Wins New Zealand Poker Tour

The A$2 700 buy-in PokerStars.net Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) concluded at the Crown Casino in Melbourne this week with a victory for Chris Levick, a high profile Australian entrepreneur who has launched a number of poker rooms and the successful Oz Poker Tour over the past three years. Levick won his place in the tournament on a free roll, making the occasion even more memorable for him.

It was a clash between business and the media in the heads up, where Levick faced runner-up Heath Chick (30), a poker journalist and commentator. When Levick was declared the winner, it was his third cash - and first win - in a major live tournament, with the A$158 050 main prize taking his career winnings to date to A$169 668.

The two were survivors of an initial field of 218 hopefuls that included seasoned players and 61 online qualifiers.

Levick dominated the final table, eliminating six of his nine opponents to take a four-to-one chip lead into the heads up. Nevertheless, Chick gave him a good run for his money in the exciting final game to a great Australian and New Zealand occasion, and for his effort was rewarded with a second placing prize of A$103 550.

In the final hand, Levick button raised to 150 000, Chick re-raised to 300 000, Levick pushed all-in and Chick snap-called with [qh] [qc]. Levick’s [ah] [jh] needed help, and it duly arrived on a flop of [8c] [as] [3c]. The board ran out [3h] [6c] and the title was Levick's.

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