Charlie 'Epiphany77' Carrel Wins 2017 PokerStars SCOOP Main Event
The 2017 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) at PokerStars came to a close on Tuesday with the crowning of 15 champions, including three winners in the various Main Event buy-in levels. Most eyes were on the $10,300-H tournament, where a talent-heavy final table was playing for a top prize of more than $1 million.
This exclusive event attracted many of the biggest names in poker, some of which advanced to Tuesday's final day. Former PokerStars Caribbean Adventure champ Harrison "gibler321" Gimbel led the final table, while Connor "blanconegro" Drinan, Ola "Odd_Oddsen" Amundsgard, Samuel "€urop€an" Vousden, Charlie "Epiphany77" Carrel and Emil "maroonlime" Patel were also in contention.
When it was all over, well-known high roller Charlie Carrel collected the trophy and more than $1.2 million after defeating Harrison Gimbel heads up. Carrel's victory was incredible when you consider that he not only started the final table last in chips, but he dealt with internet connectivity issues throughout the day and claimed he was playing from a Starbucks in Mexico.
SCOOP $10K Main Event Final Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlie "Epiphany77" Carrel | United Kingdom | $1,200,899 |
| 2 | Harrison "gibler321" Gimbel | Canada | $1,122,873 |
| 3 | th'Kick | Switzerland | $690,348 |
| 4 | Garrin4e | Ukraine | $492,542 |
| 5 | Ola "Odd_Oddsen" Amundsgard | Norway | $351,414 |
| 6 | Connor "blanconegro" Drinan | Mexico | $250,723 |
| 7 | C. Darwin2 | Sweden | $178,883 |
| 8 | Samuel "€urop€an" Vousden | Finland | $127,628 |
| 9 | Emil "maroonlime" Patel | Finland | $91,058 |
The final table started 25 minutes late due to some internet problems for Carrel and Drinan. Once play resumed, it took more than an hour to lose the first player. Action folded around to Patel on the button and he shoved for around 22 big blinds with the 7♥8♥. "th'Kick" then re-shoved from the small blind with pocket tens and his hand held up through the 7♣3♣Q♣A♣2♠ board.
Each of the remaining players was guaranteed at least $127,000. Vousden ultimately collected that payout after his 9♦9♠ failed to outflip the A♥Q♦ of "Garrin4e", and then a three-way all-in on the very next hand sent two more players packing.
With the blinds at 62,500/125,000, Drinan shoved from the button for just over 2.3 million, and th'Kick three-bet to 4.4 million from the small blind. "C. Darwin2" went into the tank from the big blind and decided to call it off with the shortest stack of 1.9 million. th'Kick was in front with the 8♠8♦ against Drinan's A♦Q♣ and C. Darwin2's A♥K♠, and the 6♣4♦8♥J♣5♦ board sealed two eliminations.
Carrel then rocketed into the chip lead by doubling through Amundsgard with the K♥K♠ against A♠Q♦ and then doubling again through th'Kick with top pair against a busted straight draw after all the chips went in on the flop. Carrel added a little more to his stack on the next hand by finishing off Amundsgard with A♣9♣ against J♥10♥.
It was an up and down day for "Garrin4e" who claimed the chip lead at one point four-handed but then dwindled down to 12 big blinds and made a move with a flush draw. On a flop of A♣4♥A♥, Garrin4e check-raised all in for 2.2 million over Gimbel's 300,000 continuation bet.
Gimbel tank-called with K♥J♠ for king-high and needed to fade a lot of outs against Q♥3♥. The 2♠ turn and 9♣ river did the job, and Garrin4e collected $492,542 for fourth place.
The final three players exchanged the chip lead before th'Kick shoved all in for 5.5 million (18 big blinds) from the button and Gimbel re-shoved from the small blind. Carrel folded, and it was off to the races.
th'Kick: Q♥10♣
Gimbel: 6♣6♦
th'Kick was unable to connect on the 7♣4♥4♣K♦3♠ board, sending him to the rail in third place for $690,348.
Carrel and Gimbel paused the tournament to discuss a deal. The negotiations resulted in both players securing seven figures — Gimbel receiving $1,122,873 and Carrel getting $1,100,899 — plus $100,000 left to play for.
Carrel dominated the heads-up match, grinding Gimbel down to less than 10 big blinds before his J♣8♣ came from behind against K♥9♦ on the final hand. The score was the second biggest of Carrel's career, just shy of a $1,241,682 payout at the €25,000 High Roller in Monte Carlo in 2015.
SCOOP NEWS AND NOTES
Austria's Alain "madalain" Medeson took down the low version of the Main Event, turning his $109 buy-in into a huge $221,516 payout. ... Australia's "ROFLshove" won the Main Event-M for $787,312. ... Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier finished sixth in Event #56-H for nearly $38,000. ... Joao "Naza114" Vieira of The Netherlands leads the Overall SCOOP Leaderboard, 20 points ahead of Viktor "Isildur1" Blom. Vieira is also tied for first in the SCOOP Medium Leaderboard with Yuri "theNERDguy" Martins. ... Brazil's "joaoMathias" leads the SCOOP High Leaderboard thanks to 12 cashes in the high buy-in events during the series.
DAY 17 SCOOP WINNERS
| Event | Buy-In | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #55: Main Event-L | $109 | $2,331,600 | madalain | $221,516 |
| Event #55: Main Event-M | $1,050 | 5,033,000 | ROFLshove | $787,312 |
| Event #55: Main Event-H | $10,300 | $6,930,000 | Epiphany777 | $1,200,899* |
| Event #56: Turbo Progressive KO-L | $11 | $180,740 | werschie | $10,349* |
| Event #56: Turbo Progressive KO-M | $109 | $664,600 | Hugool88 | $57,543 |
| Event #56: Turbo Progressive KO-H | $1,050 | $1,349,000 | Murik100 | $156,228 |
*denotes a deal made at the final table
