Sam Adams has cemented his place in Australian poker folklore, adding four more Australian Poker Tour (APT) trophies to his cabinet after a powerhouse performance in the APT Season IV Grand Final.
The Kiwi ex-pat, who won his first APT Player of the Series title at Eatons Hill Hotel back in February last year, pocketed more than $170,000 in total prize money from the seven-day series, including victory in two of the biggest tournaments on the schedule: the $2,500 buy-in Goliath and the $600 buy-in Main Event.
With another two podium finishes in the Shot Clock and PLO High Roller, Adams romped home in both the Diamond Tier Player of the Series and APT Player of the Year races, adding to an ever-growing list of ITM and final table results which also has him currently in the lead for the WPT League QPC Player of the Year title belt.
Often regarded as an enigmatic character with an insatiable appetite for action, Adams drew back the proverbial curtain to unveil more about himself in the last couple of days, including his holistic and philosophical approach to the game which was discussed in an exclusive live interview with PokerMedia Australia.
“I’ve never looked at a push-fold chart, I haven’t taken a poker course, I haven’t read a poker book and I don’t use sims. I’ve always come up with my own strategies,” he said.
“Off the felt, I do a lot of thinking about the game, running through different hands and situations in my mind and try to piece it all together … but in terms of conventional study, I don’t do any of that.”
Adams dedicated his success to his late mother, who sadly passed away from cancer three months ago, fulfilling his promise to her to “get the job done”.
APT SEASON IV PLAYER OF THE YEAR RESULTS
| Place | Name | Points | Prize |
| 1st | Sam Adams | 9,335 | $50,000 |
| 2nd | Cooper Smout | 6,945 | $17,000 |
| 3rd | Kiale Matthews | 6,560 | $12,750 |
| 4th | Bert Perry | 4,810 | $8,500 |
| 5th | Jonnie Kururangi | 4,780 | $4,250 |
The response on social media has been immense, with APT Ambassador Mike Maddocks amongst the first of many to show his admiration for Adams’ efforts during the course of the year.
“I think all of us … need to take a moment to stop and marvel at the incredible accomplishment that Sam Adams has just made,” Maddocks wrote on his Facebook page, “[but] it comes at a cost, [requiring] an incredible amount of mental strength and fortitude.”
“The best players thrive under pressure. When everything is on the line, they rise to the occasion. Sam Adams stepped up and showed us all why he deserves to be the most recognised poker player in Australia in 2021.”
Maddocks himself was amongst a galaxy of star players to have reached the winners’ circle after scoring his third career PLO title, while Kiale Matthews also won two trophies this week, taking out both the Short Deck and the PLO/NLH Rotation events.
Other major results included Dylan Wayne, who claimed the prestigious Dracakis Players Championship, as well as Jesse Stanley, who defeated Bert Perry heads-up in The Grind for a top prize of $39,000.
Dean Stacey then closed out proceedings with victory in The Beast, topping a field of 259 entries for a career-high $25K payday.
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For more information, images and results from the APT Season IV Grand Final, head over to the APTLive Facebook page or visit the APT website. You can also watch the full replay of the feature table broadcasts at twitch.tv/lcapoker.
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