ANZPT Main Event Controversial End

Wednesday September 3,2014 : CONTROVERSIAL END TO A.N.Z.P.T. POKER MAIN EVENT
 
Officials intervene to appeal on the integrity of the game.
 
The biggest Australia New Zealand Poker Tour entry list yet (516) was overshadowed by controversy in the main event when tournament officials questioned the heads up finalists on moves that suggested a hint of deal-making.
 
On the final day of the event 34 survivors played down to a final table that comprised Edison Nguyen, Corey Kempson, Dennis Huntly, Luke Spano, Wayde Rickhuss, Vincent Chua, Dylan Honeyman, Gabriel Messo and Cameron Bryce.
 
When Huntly went out at third for $87,800 the two players facing each other in the heads up, Edison Nguyen and Corey Kempson, immediately huddled for a chop, with Kempston surprisingly agreeing to Nguyen locking in $210,000 despite having the lower chip stack by almost half-a-million.
 
Kempson agreed that he would take $195,500, leaving a mere $7,500 on the table for the winner.
 
When the duo resumed play they made moves which suggested to  APPT President Danny McDonagh and Crown Poker Tournament Director Joel Williams that a deal had been made regarding the trophy, and they reacted by halting the game for a discussion on integrity with the players.
 
Despite this, when play resumed the duo both went all-in blind, with Nguyen emerging victorious to take home the trophy and $217,500, leaving Kempson with $195,500…and a suspicion that all was not as it should have been in this finale to a fine tournament.
 
The win was Nguyen's biggest yet in an online and live tourney career that has seen him shine in regional events.