Malinowski and Barer Reel in Six Figure Scores at GGPoker

Matthew Pitt
Senior Editor
4 min read
Wiktor Malinowski

May 8 was a massive day for online poker tournament grinders at GGPoker with more than two dozen players walking away with prizes in excess of $25,000 and several more reeling in six-figure hauls. Wiktor Malinowski fell in the second category courtesy of becoming the $25,500 Sunday Million HR champion.

The $25,500 Sunday Million HR drew in a crowd of 56 entrants who created a $1,400,000 prize pool. The compact field meant only the top seven finishers receive a payout, so spare a thought for Samuel Vousden who busted in eighth and missed out on a $71,847 prize. Vousden enjoyed a remarkable Sunday last week, but faltered in this super high roller event.

Isaac Haxton was the first finalist to receive some prize money for his efforts. Haxton’s seventh place finish came with $71,847. Matthew "Nator" Hyman collected $95,809 when his tournament ended abruptly in sixth place; this was the last five figure score.

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High roller specialist Mikita Badziakouski busted in fifth for $127,764 before Thomas Muehloecker headed to the cashier to collect an impressive $170,376 for his fourth-place finish.

Aleks Ponakovs then bowed out in third for $227,200, which left Malinowski heads-up against Brazilian superstar Pedro Garagnani. The heads-up duo struck a deal that lessened the pay jumps, before Malinowski came from behind and sent his Brazilian opponent to the showers. Garagnani banked $358,975 for his second place finish, which was around $10,000 more than the $348,027 Malinowski scooped due to the aforementioned deal.

$25,500 Sunday Million HR Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Wiktor MalinowskiMacau$348,027*
2Pedro GaragnaniBrazil$358,975*
3Aleks PonakovsLatvia$227,200
4Thomas MuehloeckerAustria$170,376
5Mikta BadziakouskiThailand$127,764
6Matthew "Nator" HymanMexico$95,809
7Isaac HaxtonCanada$71,847

*reflects a heads-up deal

Barer Bulldozes His Way To Bounty Hunters Victory

Ami Barer
Ami Barer

The $525 Bounty Hunters HR Main Event saw an incredible 3,236 players buy in and create a $1,618,000 prize pool. Half that sum went into the main prize pool, with the remaining 50% going on the heads of each entrant.

Everyone was guaranteed more than $17,000, with bounties included, by the time only the final table of nine remained. South African "FIORELLO" got their hands on a $17,409 prize when they crashed out in ninth. Russia’s "Popivku" and Aleksei Barkov were the next casualties, they added $22,880 and $16,921 to their GGPoker accounts respectively.

Next to fall by the wayside were Soraya Estrada and Omer "Gabuch1" Gabay. Their eliminations came with prizes tipping the scales at $20,446 and $33,086.

The final four became three with the untimely demise of Daniel "cocalatinhAA" Junior, a finish worth $54,328. Then came the exit of Casper Svenning in third for $57,502, which left only Alexey "Kosmos9" Grigorenko and Ami Barer heads-up.

Barer brushed aside his final opponent and helped himself to a combined prize weighing in at $149,455, leaving Grigorenko to bank the $87,766 runner-up prize.

Barer went on to win a second GGPoker title when he finished in first place in the $1,500 Sunday Saver for $43,234.

$525 Bounty Hunters HR Main Event Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryBountiesPrizeTotal Prize
1Ami BarerCanada$83,343$66,112$149,455
2Alexey "Kosmos9" GrigorenkoRussia$21,818$65,948$87,766
3Casper SvenningAndorra$10,001$47,501$57,502
4Daniel "cocalatinhAA" JuniorBrazil$20,157$34,171$54,328
5Omer "Gabuch1" GabayIsrael$8,503$24,583$33,086
6Soraya EstradaAndorra$2,761$17,685$20,446
7Aleksei BarkovRussia$4,199$12,722$16,921
8PopivkuRussia$13,728$9,152$22,880
9FIORELLOSouth Africa$10,825$6,584$17,409

Other GGPoker Scores Of $25,000 or More

Rafael Caiaffa
Rafael Caiaffa

We doff our cap to Rafael "BruxoR10" Caiaffa who took down not one but two massive tournaments on May 9. Caiaffa won the $250 Sunday Saver for $30,234 before helping himself to the $121,751 top prize, including bounties, in the $5,250 Omaholic Bounty Super High Roller.

* includes bounty payments

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Matthew Pitt
Senior Editor

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.

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