Positive Reaction To New Party Poker Software

Last month, Party Poker released a new software update to help correct a number of issues that had been plaguing players. Gaming industry experts doubted that the update could boost the company’s rating, but a recent report shows that Party Poker is attracting new traffic.

When the new software premiered, poker professionals believed that it came too late. For months, the online poker community complained about many bugs on the site, and Party Poker had lost a lot of traffic. Despite the new software, it was thought that the poker room’s numbers would continue to decline.

However, that has not been the case. According to Poker Update, the online poker room’s software revamp has had a positive effect for the company. Since the software was launched several weeks ago, traffic has increased by 3%. It is currently the fifth most popular online poker website in the market, just behind Full Tilt Poker.

Party Poker’s new platform focuses on a more social gaming experience. Players are encouraged to take part in challenges in order to earn bonus prizes and improve their skills. It is the first of its kind, and we anticipate that it will continue to attract new traffic.

Australia New Zealand Poker Tour Coming Soon

Fall is fast-approaching, and that means one thing for New Zealand’ poker community: the Australian New Zealand Poker Tour is just around the corner. Sponsored by PokerStars, Season Five will kick off in New Zealand in November, presenting poker fans with some exciting competitive action.

The buy-in for ANZPT Auckland is $2000 + $200; so, you can rest assured that there will be some very generous prizes up for grabs this time around. This is the first time that the ANZPT will be coming to the capital, so we’re anticipating a very busy event.

PokerStars has also announced that the ANZPT will be returning to Queenstown again for Snowfest. This leg of the tournament will run from July 30 – August 4, 2012, and the buy-in is $2700 + $300. Last year, the prize pool to an impressive $1.2 million, and first-place winner Sam Razavi earned a generous $300 000 prize.

Spaces are limited for these tournaments; so, if you’re interested in playing, it is best to purchase your buy-in soon. You can also take part in satellites online at PokerStars to earn a free entry into an ANZPT event of your choice.

All-Time High for Queenstown Snowfest

Queenstown is normally one of the busiest stops in PokerStars’ New Zealand Poker Tour competition. 2012 turned out to be the most active NZPT Queenstown in history, with nearly 150 runners in the main event.

149 professional and amateur poker players turned up to compete in the event. This year’s number of participants is a positive sign of the increasing popularity of this stop on the New Zealand Poker Tour. Queenstown is becoming one of the best destinations for poker in New Zealand, and this year’s NZPT is proof of that fact.

A generous prize pool is being offered at NZPT Queenstown this year, awarding over $400 000 to the top 15 players. The winner of the tournament will win an impressive cash prize worth $110 000. Second place will earn $70 000 and third place will earn $41 000.

Day 1C has just begun and 58 players are left in the competition. Some big names are still in the game, including Rohit Bhasin, Leo Boxell and Matty Yates. As such, the rest of the tournament is going to be exciting, so stay tuned for updates.