How to Play Live Poker Tournaments in New Zealand
Are you eager to become a part of live poker tournament playing in New Zealand, yet have no clue as to where to start? The guide below can give you some insight into the way the poker tournaments run in New Zealand, what the most popular series are, and where you might attend weekly live poker tournaments after the main tour is done.
Additionally, you will be provided with a number of important issues that you need to clarify in advance before going to your first live event. Should you play poker tournaments online prior to visiting the poker tables in the casino, you are always welcome to use the weekly passwords for free poker NZ.
How Local Poker Tournaments Work
All live poker tournament events in New Zealand are played according to universal rules that you can find in any casino around the world. You need to pay a certain entry fee (buy-in), get a certain number of chips, and play till you have no chips left or there is only one player left in the game.
Usually, the best 10-15% of players get through to the money part. At local casinos, one can usually play in No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournaments with interesting twists such as Big Blind Ante and shot clock. In case you don’t know where to concentrate your attention when playing, here are some helpful tips on how poker differs from blackjack in our guide.
ForIn order not to forget about other tournament varieties that are offered in New Zealand, one might need to pay attention to such variants as freezeout, double/single re-entry, progressive bounties, turbo, and others. Most of them will provide opportunities for players to join them during late registrations. In case you are going to attend one of these tournaments, remember to bring your ID, make sure you have the necessary amount of money for registration, and study carefully re-entry policies.
Important NZ Poker Tournaments & Championships
Traditionally, the leading poker tournaments in New Zealand were divided equally between two major cities – Auckland and Christchurch. Please note that the format and dates of each tournament can vary depending on the year, so make sure to check out the official calendar first.
- Wellington Poker Championships: Another good example of tournament offered by Christchurch Casino. It consists of many events held on a tight schedule and has relatively low buy-in rates and a convenient structure of the main event that prepares players for the NZPC tournament.
- New Zealand Poker Championships, Christchurch: This is the undisputed champion of the New Zealand poker scene. NZPC normally runs mid-winter at the Christchurch Casino. It has the best structure for a tournament where you can really get to play poker.
- Tournament Qualifiers: Many international poker rooms offer satellite entry to the regional tournaments in NZ. If you wish to qualify for a live event without paying full price for it, you may start your research by reading our Guts Casino review.
Where to Go for Regular NZ Poker Tournaments
But what about those times when the tour flags come down? You’ll still need somewhere to play. Let’s face it, Christchurch Casino should be your home if you’re in the South Island. They offer tournaments on nearly a daily basis, have good cash games, and the floor staff knows the rules.
Auckland offers the SkyCity Casino, but their schedule can be all over the place. You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on the SkyCity Poker website first because their poker room schedule changes like that of the weather.
Auckland’s SkyCity room waxes and wanes, but when in use posts clear fixtures with contemporary shapes. Look at the work schedule tNot quite prepared to spend lots of money at the casinos yet? Then try finding some pub poker games around town. The entry fees will be minuscule, most participants will be there for a drink or two, and it’s definitely the fastest way to become acquainted with playing with poker chips and cards.
Top Tips for Your First Live Poker Tournament
First of all, live poker tournaments are nothing like the one you’ve been playing at the virtual tables. Some preparation can save you from embarrassing yourself among seasoned players. Below is a list of things you should take into account to feel comfortable:
- Look into the structure: You shouldn’t only think about the buy-in fee. A stack of 25,000 is completely useless when blinds come in every 15 minutes. You better find out whether you’re playing in a tournament which involves deep stacks or you’ll have to make decisions in terms of shoving or folding already in the second break.
- Get things straight: Nothing makes you as mad as losing your valuable time waiting in a line at the cage rather than being part of the action. Always take your physical ID with you and have a casino card prepared.
- Keep an eye on your opponents: Although you cannot select your seating position, you can watch the action at all times. Make sure you try to understand limpers, players acting weak and players talking too much. This does not require you to pull out your Hollywood tricks but requires noticing betting patterns.
- Stay away from trouble: When approaching a stage where there is no money anymore, your primary goal is to survive. Use your opponents’ fear of going out of the game without having achieved the minimal outcome. Nonetheless, refrain from making such moves against a player that is just a little bit away from having the right stack to see the flop.
- Value bets: People in real games are unlikely to fold their hand. No matter what, nobody will fold their hand even if he/she had only a little pair. You have to learn to stop making moves like you usually do in online poker. Just play your value and win the opponents’ money. Do not c-bet with four opponents in front of you as you are most likely to get called.
- Bullet cap: Determine how many bullets you would like to buy and do not shove another 10 BB buy-in after having been playing for only five minutes. Seriously, casinos are always air conditioned to extreme levels so you may feel cold by the level 12.
- Basic etiquette tips: Play on time, keep your hands down, use chips to protect your cards as the dealer will scoop them, and do not comment on your hand during the play. If they employ a shot clock, think about what you would like to do while your opponent ponders his actions.
- Plan for an exit: Do you know what your plans are if you get KO’d? Jumping into the cash games right away? Participating in one of the turbo tournaments? Headed to the bar? Make your plans beforehand because chances are, you’ll end up registering for something you shouldn’t be playing.
Conclusion: Time to Get Started
The bottom line when playing live poker in New Zealand is – there are only two routes open. It’s either chasing the big events in either Christchurch or Auckland, or grinding smaller $100-300 buy-in daily tournaments. If you are new to live poker, forget the big ones for the time being. Instead, go for one of the cheaper weekly freezeouts.
If you’re moving from online to live poker, take some time to grind some small MTTs and freeroll satellites for a week or two to get your head together first. The local scene may not be huge, but it definitely is quite good. Find a tournament, find yourself a seat and best of luck!
Gambling should only ever be viewed as a form of fun; entertainment, and never a way to make money, or for financial gain. If you find yourself chasing losses, unable to stop, or expecting to win, you may be exhibiting signs of problem gambling. If, at any point, you feel that you have a gambling problem, stop immediately, check out our Responsible Gambling page, and reach out to organisations and charities like New Zealand’s Problem Gambling Foundation. Help and support is available.
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