11:40pm: Ten-minute break
11:38pm: Yates on the ropes
Marcel Schreiner now has a big lead as the final hand before the break has left Matty Yates on the ropes.
Schreiner raised from the button to 80,000 and Yates made the call. Yates decided to lead out and he fired three barrels on the board of 7♦ 9♣ 6♠7♠2♠. It was 110,000 on the flop, 155,000 on the turn and finally 230,000 on the river. Schreiner called him down, although he took his time on the river. We thought it may have been a tough call but when he opened Q♠7♣ for trip sevens we assume he was contemplating a raise. Yates showed down A♦ 5♣ as the players scurried off for a ten-minute break.
Schreiner is now up to 1.605 million with Yates down to 765,000.
11:35pm: Yates fires twice
A limp from Marcel Schreiner on the button, was followed by a rap of the table from Matty Yates as they saw a cheap 9♠K♦ 10♣ flop.
Yates decided to lead out for 90,000 and Schreiner made the call. Could this be it? No, apparently not. Yates fired another 140,000 and Schreiner gave it up.
Yates is now up to 1.1 million with Schreiner at 1.27 million.
11:30pm: Big blind special for Schreiner
Matty Yates limped in from the button and Marcel Schreiner checked to see a flop of 6♥ A♦ J♥ . Schreiner check-called for 65,000 before both players checked the repeat J♦ turn. On the 10♥ river Schreiner fired out 125,000 and Yates looked him up with a call.
“Just a six,” said Yates, but Schreiner took it down with his J♣ 2♥ for trip jacks.
Schreiner is up to 1.54 million with Yates falling to 830,000.
11:20pm: Schreiner back in front
Germany’s Marcel Schreiner is now back in the lead, with Matty Yates now the one with work to do. Schreiner grabbed the lead following a very rare preflop war. Schreiner raised the button to 80,000, before Yates popped it to 170,000. Schreiner then made it 270,000 and Yates called.
The flop came down Q♥ A♠10♥ . It looked like a possible action flop but Yates checked and then folded to the bet of 160,000 from his opponent.
Yates is now down to one million with Schreiner up to 1.37 million.
11:00pm: No party just yet!
The player’s party is underway but all the excitement is here in the SKYCITY Queenstown Casino as the APPT Queenstown Snowfest Main Event has taken yet another twist with Marcel Schreiner finding a well-timed double up.
Matty Yates open-shoved from the button and Schreiner snap-called in the big blind and opened Aâ™ A♦ . Yates dropped his head as he couldn’t believe his bad timing as he tabled A♣ J♣ .
“Straight flush Matty!” called the rail, and they got a sweat as the flop landed Q♣ 3♥ 5♣ . Yates improved his outs even further with the 10â™ turn as now a club or a king on the river would win him the tournament.
The dealer burned and revealed the 5â™ to leave Schreiner to stack up one million in chips, with Yates back to 1.37 million. Game on!
10:50pm: Yates turns tournament on its head with massive double up!
It’s taken over two hours of heads-up play, but finally we’ve witnessed a big all-in confrontation between our two remaining players with Matty Yates landing a huge double up to gain the ascendency over Marcel Schreiner.
Preflop, Yates raised to 75,000 before Schreiner three-bet to 185,000. Yates made the call and the action flop was 9♠5♠10♦ . Schreiner followed up with a bet of 175,000. Yates thought for a moment and made the call.
The turn was the 6♥ and Schreiner slid out a hefty 345,000 but Yates glanced at his rail before announcing himself all in. Schreiner dropped his head into his arms slouched across the table as he asked for a count. It was another 226,000 to call and, somewhat committed, he grimaced made the crying call.
Schreiner: 10♣ 7♣
Yates: 10♠K♣
Yates had the kicker but Schreiner had outs with his straight draw. The river was the 4♦ – a brick for Schreiner to see him slip to just 505,000 with Yates now holding a massive 1.865 million chips.
10:40pm: Level up, blinds 20,000-40,000, ante 5,000
10:30pm: More for Yates
Marcel Schreiner came in for a raise to 60,000 and Matty Yates called as the flop fell 5♥ 7♥ 10♣ . Yates checked and Schreiner bet 55,000. Yates then check-raised to 127,000 but this time Schreiner made the call.
Both players checked the Q♣ turn before Yates led out for 99,000 on the 8♠river. Schreiner gave it a little thought but decided to fold as Yates nudges close to one million in chips.
10:20pm: A three-bet and a fold
Marcel Schreiner raised it up, and once again it was a min-raise to 60,000. Matty Yates put in a rare three-bet to 130,000 from the big blind and Schreiner called as we were eagerly anticipating a big showdown. It wasn’t to be as Yates’ bet of 179,000 on the 2♥ Q♥ 3â™ flop was enough to take it down.
Yates has 880,000 with Schreiner back to 1.39 million.
10:15pm: A little Matty
Marcel Schreiner raised the button to 60,000 and Matty Yates called in the big blind, before the two players checked the flop of 9♦ A♥ 6♣ .
Yates led out for 85,000 on the repeat A♦ turn and that was enough to take it down. Yates has 750,000 with Schreiner at 1.51 million.
10:10pm: Contingency plans
The action here on this final table really has slowed to a crawl with very little action to report as the blinds are being continually exchanged back and forth with Marcel Schreiner holding a rough 2-to-1 lead.
The play is so slow that APPT President Danny McDonagh is looking into contingency plans for tonight’s all important Player’s Wrap Party which is due to start at 11pm tonight.
“We might have to stop the play, go to the party and come back later to finish it off,” said McDonagh, with tongue in cheek of course.
9:50pm: Matty finds a check-raise
Another standard min-raise by Marcel Schreiner on the button, this time to 60,000, with Matty Yates making the call as they saw a flop of 5♠3♠K♦ .
Yates checked and Schreiner bet 55,000. Yates then pulled a rare check-raise, making it 129,000 to go. It worked, as Schreiner folded and Yates raked in another pot. It’s been a long time since we saw a big showdown hand but there’s definitely been a change in momentum now as Yates climbs to 900,000. Schreiner is on 1.37 million.
9:40pm: Level up, blinds 15,000-30,000, ante 3,000
Both players have agreed to skip the scheduled break and play on!
9:35pm: Slow and steady
It’s been really slow going with very few pots getting past a flop. However Matty Yates has mounted a mini-comeback, winning a couple of small pots recently.
In the first hand, Yates raised preflop, checked the flop before taking it down with a bet of 69,000 on the board of 7♠9♦ 5♥ 3♥ .
He followed that up two hands later, with a preflop min-raise to take a 5♥ J♠9♠flop. Yates fired 66,000 and Schreiner called but when Yates committed another 157,000 on the 2♥ , it was too much for the German who raised his eyebrows and folded.
Yates is back to 850,000, with Schreiner struggling to close the deal with 1.42 million.
9:25pm: A small one for Yates
This time it was Marcel Schreiner who tried the limp from the button, with Matty Yates checking his option in the big blind to see a flop of 3♠A♣ 8♣ .
Both players checked and the turn brought the 2♦ . Yates slid 54,000 into the middle with Schreiner making the call as both players checked down the Aâ™ river. Yates opened A♥ 4♣ for trip aces to perhaps turn some momentum in his direction. He’s up to 760,000 with Schreiner at 1.61 million.
9:15pm: More Marcel
Matty Yates raised to 48,000 but Marcel Schreiner three-bet to 122,000. Yates made the call but gave it up when Schreiner fired 105,000 on the 4♦ Q♥ 7♦ .
Yates is now down to 600,000 and really needs to change things up and make a stand before the trophy slips through his fingers.
9:10pm: Schreiner gaining the edge
The last fifteen hands have failed to get to a showdown, so there’s not a lot to report, but that hasn’t stopped Marcel Schreiner from chipping away at the chip stack of his opponent Matty Yates as the German has collected twelve of the last fifteen pots without too much fanfare.
We thought this heads-up match might be an aggressive one, but it seems that the German is content to chip away slowly and grind his opponent into the ground. At the moment Schreiner is up to 1.58 million with Yates down to 790,000.
8:55pm: That’s a chop!
Matty Yates raised to 52,000 and Marcel Schreiner made the call as the flop landed 9♣ 7♦ A♣ . Both players checked and the turn brought the Q♥ . Schreiner led out for 54,000 but Yates announced a raise, making it 137,000. Schreiner made the call.
The river was the 4♥ and Schreiner checked it over to Yates who bet 132,000. Schreiner hesitated and thought for some time before making a crying call.
Yates opened A♠10♦ and Schreiner was somewhat relieved as he revealed A♦ 10♣ for the same hand. Chop it up!
8:50pm: German aggression
Marcel Schreiner has taken a couple of consecutive pots to build a near 3:2 chip lead in this heads-up battle for the APPT Queenstown Snowfest title.
In the first hand, Matty Yates limped the button and the two checked the flop but Yates couldn’t sustain multiple barrels, eventually folding on the river on a board of 5♣ 6♦ 7♣ 10â™ Qâ™ .
Next hand and Schreiner raised to 40,000 and Yates called to see a flop of 6♣ 10♥ 7♦ . Yates checked and Schreiner bet 46,000. Yates called but he had to give up when
Schreiner bet another 97,000 on the 3♦ turn.
Schreiner is now up to 1.4 million with Yates down to 970,000.
8:45pm: Yates mixes it up
To mix it up, Matty Yates decided to limp in from the button and Marcel Schreiner checked his option to see a cheap flop of 8♣ Q♦ 5♥ .
Both players checked and the turn was the J♣ . Schreiner led out for 26,000 and Yates called as the 9♦ landed on the river. Schreiner fired again for 48,000 but this time Yates put in a river raise, making it 135,000 to go. It worked a treat as Schreiner folded.
Yates is back up to 1.1 million with Schreiner still narrowly in front with 1.27 million.
8:40pm: Level up, blinds 12,000-24,000, ante 3,000
8:38pm: Top set for Schreiner
Matty Yates raised to 40,000 from the button but this time Marcel Schreiner three-bet to 95,000 from the big blind. Yates made the call and the flop landed K♠10♦ 9♠.
Schreiner came out swinging with a bet of 92,000 but Yates got out of the way. And he was relieved that he did when Schreiner flashed K♥ K♦ for a set of kings!
8:35pm: Ace-high enough for Yates
Matty Yates min-raised the button to 40,000 and Marcel Schreiner called. They saw a flop of 4♦ 7♥ 6♦ and both players checked. The turn brought the Q♣ and Schreiner led out for 48,000. Yates made the call before both players checked down the Q♥ river.
Yates opened first, showing A♦ K♣ for ace-high which was enough to scoop the pot.
8:30pm: Schreiner trips Yates
Matty Yates raised it up to 40,000 on the button and Marcel Schreiner called. The flop landed J♦ 7♠3♥ and both players checked. However the action got heavier on the K♠turn. Schreiner checked and Yates bet 50,000. Schreiner check-raised to 125,000 but Yates threw in a min-raise to 200,000. Schreiner called and the river was a repeat K♣ .
Schreiner checked, hoping for a bet, but Yates checked behind and tabled J♥ 9♥ only to discover that Schreiner held K♦ Q♥ for trip kings.
Schreiner is up to 1.25 million with Yates now trailing with 1.12 million.
8:25pm: A timid start
These two players have shown a willingness to play aggressively so far today but it seems they are treading lightly and exchanging a few soft jabs to start off this heads-up match.
In a recent hand, both players caught a pair of board but neither fired a bet. Marcel Schreiner had raised to 40,000 preflop and Matty Yates called before they checked down the 8♠4♣ A♥ Q♠2♠board.
Schreiner showed 10♥ 8♥ but Yates caught a bigger pair on the turn with his Q♣ 10♦ .
8:20pm: Heads-up chip counts
As heads-up play commences with the trophy on the line, local Matty Yates holds a narrow chip lead over Germany’s Marcel Schreiner.
Matty Yates: 1,265,000
Marcel Schreiner: 1,102,000
8:15pm: John Waterman eliminated in 3rd place
The tremendous run of PokerStars freeroll satellite winner John Waterman has come to an end in 3rd place.
Marcel Schreiner raised to 40,000 on the button before Waterman popped it up to 140,000 from the big blind. Schreiner responded by moving all in and Waterman made the call.
Waterman: K♠Q♦
Schreiner: 8♠8♣
The race went the way of Schreiner as the board bricked out 4♥ A♦ A♣ J♥ 2♥ to see Waterman pick up a very nice NZ$35,150 for his 3rd place finish.
The players are now taking a quick break before heads-up play commences.
8:05pm: On the slide
John Waterman’s post-dinner slide continues with every pot a sizable one with the blinds and antes getting so expensive.
Waterman limped from the small blind and Marcel Schreiner checked his option in the big blind to see a rare cheap flop. It arrived Kâ™ 9â™ 10♦ and Waterman led out for 44,000 but Schreiner responded with a raise to 92,000. It wasn’t a big raise, but it was enough to force a fold.
Waterman slips to 435,000 with Schreiner sitting with 780,000 chips.
7:55pm: A Kiwi’s favourite hand
Matty Yates again was the preflop aggressor, raising it up to 46,000 on the button. John Waterman called from the small blind and the two saw a flop of 9♦ 2♠5♥ .
Waterman checked it over to Yates who bet 76,000. Waterman tanked before clicking it back with a min-raise to 152,000. Yates made the call.
There was a big pot in the middle when the turn 4♠appeared but both players slowed down and checked, before again checking the 10♥ river.
Waterman showed A♣ 5♣ but Yates just had him pipped with his 6♥ 6♦ . Yates is now up to 1.03 million with Waterman slipping to 550,000.
7:45pm: Yates on the attack
Matty Yates raised it up to 43,000 from the button and Marcel Schreiner made the call in the big blind. The flop landed Q♥ 2♦ 3♣ and Schreiner checked it over to Yates who followed up for 54,000. Schreiner made the call and we saw the 8♥ fall on the turn.
Both players checked and the river brought the K♥ . Schreiner checked again and Yates took a stab with a bet of 77,000. Schreiner thought for several minutes but eventually gave it up. He slips to 875,000 with Yates up to nearly the same amount.
7:32pm: Carl Knox eliminated in 4th place
We have a good record of eliminations immediately following breaks today, and it’s taken all of one hand back from the dinner break for New Zealand’s Carl Knox to bust out.
He was a little tardy back from dinner and only just made it to his seat in time to receive the 7♠7♥ on the button. He moved all in and John Waterman made the call in the big blind with A♥ Q♥ .
The first four cards were safe for Knox as they arrived 10♠5♣ J♦ 2♣ but the A♣ on the river spelt the end for Knox. He can now go and enjoy some dessert with his payout of NZ$29,145 for 4th place.
7:30pm: Play resumes
After a quick bite to eat, the four remaining players have returned to the SKYCITY Queenstown Casino to duke this out until a champion is crowned!
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