The first casino in New Zealand opened in 1994 in Christchurch. Simply known as Christchurch Casino it is where many Kiwis first learned the game of poker . The Christchurch Casino is also home to the New Zealand Poker Championships. The event, which was first held in 2001, attracted 238 entries in its most recent running in 2020.
New Zealand also has the SkyCity casino in Auckland. Host of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) this casino has also held the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) in the past. In 2018, SkyCity hosted New Zealand’s first-ever event on the World Poker Tour (WPT). This event, which returned in 2019, has put New Zealand firmly on the map as a poker destination.
New Zealand may be famous for its beautiful scenery, its All Blacks rugby team, its white wine, and its wool but it has produced plenty of notable poker names as well.
Let’s now take a look at some of their standout players. Lee Nelson
With over $2.5 million in earnings, retired doctor Lee Nelson is far and away New Zealand’s most successful poker player. With almost double the winnings of second place in the all-time money list, it’s only natural that Nelson is the first player we mention.
A winner of the main event at the Crown Australian Poker Championship, Nelson has also won a ANZPT main event in Melbourne. He’s won TV poker tournaments too like the World Open. He’s even won an Omaha event at the Aussie Millions and, in 2009, he was inducted into the Australian Poker Hall of Fame.
Nelson has written a book on prostate cancer entitled “Prostate Cancer Prevention and Cure.” He also built a wellness retreat in New Zealand. His park concentrates on food, exercise, and meditation, all areas of medical interest to him.
Nelson has written books on poker too. He co-authored the popular “Kill Phil” and “Kill Everyone” poker series. These books were designed to help amateurs take on and beat the best poker players . Sosia Jiang
With almost $1.5 million in tournament earnings, former investment banker Sosia Jiang is second on the […]
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