Online Poker Weekend: Steady Numbers at Online Majors
A busy live schedule in recent days made the weekend's online tourneys a bit lighter than normal for big-name pros. Despite a relative lack of big names, however, the numbers were still there; the three biggest events again exceeded their guarantee. Nick "nickym998" Morris claimed the night's biggest payday ($136,287) in an oddity, since he was not the winner of any of the events. Instead, he pulled in the big payday in a deal cut late in the Stars Sunday Million, then watched as "WhatArunAA" came back to claim the actual win.
PokerStars Sunday Million
PokerStars, once again, had no trouble making its guarantee. This time around, there were 6,398 players, creating a $1,279,600 prize pool, meaning first place was scheduled to receive $184,006.48. The usual 900 places were paid.
The one notable player at this final table was Nick "nickym998" Morris, who took second in the fifth-anniversary Sunday Million this spring – the one that had a $1.5 million guarantee.
The first one out was bfineman. He made a standard 3x raise in late position and nickym998 made it 4,800,000 – which would almost put bfineman all in. Next, bfineman re-raised all in to 5,512,526 and nickym998 made the obvious call, showing J♦J♥ to bfineman's K♣K♦. A board of 6♠6♣9♠5♣J♠ cracked the kings and sent bfineman home in ninth for $7,933.52.
Two hands later, Pappiri open-shoved under the gun and WhatArunAA re-raised all in. Nobody else called and WhatArunAA took some of his stack back, showing 10♦10♣ to Pappiri's A♠K♥. The race was on, and the board was 3♠5♦2♦2♠3♣. Pappiri left in eighth for $12,796.
After 11 minutes of action, nickym998 raised four times the big blind on the button, and Mutleyj9 re-raised all in – only slightly more than the original raise. As with the first bustout, nickym998 called, showing Q♥Q♠ to Mutleyj9's A♦6♥. The board came 3♣2♦J♠9♦7♣ and Mutleyj9 was out in seventh, taking home $21,113.40.
A few hands later, Francix made a standard raise and stevenl94 pushed. Francix called and had K♠9♣ to stevenl94's Q♥Q♠. The board was A♦8♦3♣7♠K♥ and stevenl94's queens were cracked, leaving him in sixth for $29,430.80.
Only three hands after that, Francix raised to 5,000,000 with blinds only at 200,000/400,000 with a 40,000 ante. After calling time, erras called all in, and Francix took some back, flipping over A♠5♦ to erras' K♠6♥. The board was 2♠5♠10♦Q♣3♦ and erras earned $41,075.16 for fifth.
After pushing some chips around and hitting the next break, the remaining four players decided to chop the prize money by chip count, leaving $30,000 for the eventual winner. At this point the standings were nickym998 in the lead, followed by Francix, MarktheShark and WhatArunAA in last.
After play resumed, it wound take 25 more minutes for the next player to go out. Francix was that player, shoving under the gun. MarktheShark re-raised all in to isolate, took some back when nobody else called, and showed K♣J♣ to Francix' 3♠3♦. The board was 8♦J♥Q♣2♣4♠ and Francix left in fourth, earning $88,357.
Next, MarktheShark made a standard raise on the button, and nickym998 called. The flop was 3♣6♣6♥. nickym998 checked and MarktheShark bet about half the pot. nickym998 doubled it to 3,200,000 and MarktheShark three-betted all in. nickym998 called with K♥K♦ to MarktheShark's A♥Q♠. It finished out 9♦5♠ and MarktheShark won $78,446 for third.
The final two players began heads-up virtually tied, and both with 38 big blinds or so. However, heads-up play only lasted a couple of hands. In the last hand, with WhatArunAA ahead 2-1, he made a 3x raise. nickym998 re-raised to 6,400,000 and WhatArunAA shoved over the top. Nickym998 called with A♣10♦ to WhatArunAA's J♥J♦. The board was 10♠2♦6♦J♣6♠ and nickym998 collected the biggest portion of the money for second, $136,287. WhatArunAA took $69,472 for the chop and $30,000 for first, for a total of $99,472.
Final standings:
* 1st: WhatArunAA — $99,472
* 2nd: Nick "nickym998" Morris — $136,287
* 3rd: MarktheShark — $78,446
* 4th: Francix — $88,357
5th: erras — $41,075.16
6th: stevenl94 — $29,430.80
7th: Mutleyj9 — $21,113.40
8th: Pappiri — $12,796
9th: bfineman — $7,933.52
* Reflects the results of a four-way split; $30,000 to eventual winner
Full Tilt $750,000 Guaranteed
The Full Tilt $750,000 Guaranteed slightly exceeded its guarantee, with 3,751 players, a $750,200 prize pool, 522 places paid, and $132,822.91 for first.
Among the "red" pros to cash this week: Peter "Nordberg" Feldman in 48th, Jon "PearlJammed" Turner in 247th, Steve Brecher in 283rd, Michael Craig in 352nd and Amanda "Mandy B" Baker in 512th.
At this final table, myrabbifoo is best known for taking fourth in the 2006 World Championship of Online Poker HORSE event that Chad Brown won.
First out was Gibbus; knet_poker made a standard raise and Gibbus went all in. knet_poker called and showed A♠J♥ to Gibbus' Q♦J♦. The board was 6♠10♦3♥9♣7♥ and Gibbus won $10,052.68 for ninth.
Next, ronms limped in and myrabbifoo raised to 4x the big blind. ronms re-popped all in and myrabbifoo called, showing K♥K♦ to ronms' A♥9♥. The board was Q♠10♣Q♥4♦10♥ and ronms left in eighth for $13,503.60.
Several minutes later, bobcards2 open shoved with K♥6♥ and hustlerpoke called with K♠J♣. The board was 4♦9♠10♠Q♠10♣ and bobcards2 won $17,254.60 for seventh.
Then, SenorBubby made a standard raise on the button and knet_poker shoved in the big blind. SenorBubby called, showing A♦Q♣ to knet_poker's K♣J♣. The board came 6♥Q♠2♥A♥3♣ and knet_poker was shown the door in sixth, earning $23,031.14.
It would be another 33 minutes before the next player would bust out. myrabbifoo made a standard raise in the cutoff, and ChipSteela re-raised all in. myrabbifoo called immediately with A♣K♣ and ChipSteela had 6♦6♠. The board was 8♠8♦10♣10♠Q♣ and ChipSteela collected $31,058.28 for fifth.
Next, basebaldy shoved under the gun and myrabbifoo called with Q♠Q♦ to basebaldy's 7♠7♦. The board was K♦5♣8♣A♣A♠ and basebaldy was out in fourth, earning $41,411.04.
Then, SenorBubby made a standard raise and hustlerpoke re-raised all in. SenorBubby called with A♣3♦ to hustlerpoke's A♦6♥. The board delivered a beat with Q♠8♦3♠10♠10♣ to send hustlerpoke packing in third for $52,514.
SenorBubby entered heads up with about a 1.5 to 1 lead over myrabbifoo, and they would play for 12 minutes before a winner was decided.
With the lead now 1.7 to 1 in favor of myrabbifoo, he limped in and SenorBubby checked. The flop was 3♥5♥6♠. SenorBubby bet 540,000, the size of the pot, and myrabbifoo re-raised to 1,200,000. SenorBubby called. The turn was 8♠. SenorBubby went all in with 9♠3♣ and myrabbifoo called with Q♥6♥. The river was J♠ and the sixes won it. SenorBubby collected $80,271.40 for second and myrabbifoo won $132,822.91 for first.
Final standings:
1st: myrabbifoo — $132,822.91
2nd: SenorBubby — $80,271.40
3rd: hustlerpoke — $52,514
4th: basebaldy — $41,411.04
5th: ChipSteela — $31,058.28
6th: knet_poker — $23,031.14
7th: bobcards2 — $17,254.60
8th: ronms — $13,503.60
9th: Gibbus — $10,052.68
PartyPoker $300,000 Guaranteed
PartyPoker also inched by its guarantee, with 1,545 players, a $309,000 prize pool, and $61,800 for the standard first-place prize. As always, 200 places were paid.
First out was btcop, who open-shoved two minutes into the final table, from the cutoff. deahansson re-raised all in to isolate, and it worked. After taking some back, deahansson showed Q♠Q♥ to btcop's 2♣2♥. The board read 9♥3♠J♥5♠8♥ and btcop took home $2,935.50 for tenth.
Then, scotsman432 made a 7x raise preflop and IIPOKERGODII called all in, in the small blind. david_a also called in the big blind. The flop was 9♠2♦8♠ and scotsman432 checked. david_a shoved and scotsman432 folded. IIPOKERGODII then showed A♦J♣ to david_a's 10♦10♥. The board finished out 3♠8♥ and IIPOKERGODII got $4,171.50 for ninth.
After that, scotsman432 made a 4x raise and deahansson called. The flop was 8♣3♣9♣. deahansson checked and scotsman432 bet 440,000. deahansson re-popped all in and scotsman432 called with A♥A♣. Deahansson had 8♠8♥, and the board finished 4♥3♠, sending scotsman432 home with $5,407.50 in eighth.
On the next hand, High11th open shoved in the cutoff and deahansson re-raised all in. Nobody called, and deahansson took most of it back, flipping over A♦K♦. High11th had 3♥3♣ and the race situation led to a board of A♥4♠8♦2♣Q♦. High11th was out in seventh, earning $8,188.50.
Next, groeni open shoved in the cutoff and deahansson re-raised all in (déjà vu!). Again, nobody called and deahansson showed J♣J♦ to groeni's Q♣7♣. The board was J♠2♣K♥9♠9♥ and groeni won $10,660.50 for sixth.
Ten minutes later, deahansson made a standard raise and miss_pooli shoved in the small blind. deahansson called with A♣4♦ to miss_pooli's A♦Q♦, and the board was 10♥6♥7♦9♥4♣. The river sent miss_pooli back home in fifth for $14,214.
After a break and some discussion, the remaining players decided to chop it by chip count, and the tournament ended with deahansson the official winner.
Final standings:
* 1st: deahansson — $54,223.63
* 2nd: tranmerd — $29,699.06
* 3rd: david_a — $27,822.37
* 4th: MikeMcDermot — $22,206.45
5th: miss_pooli — $14,214
6th: groeni — $10,660.50
7th: High11th — $8,188.50
8th: scotsman432 — $5,407.50
9th: IIPOKERGODII — $4,171.50
10th: btcop — $2,935.50
* - reflects the results of a four-way split
