After a great start on Thursday, with Jans "Graftekkel" Arends winning the Opening Event, the XL Blizzard continued on Friday. This time, there were two events on the schedule with a buy-in of $55. Let's see who were crowned winners and may take a shot at one million dollars (by winning four more).
XL Blizzard #4 - $20,000 Twins Royal
Buy-in
Date
Players
Prize pool
$55
Jan. 19
593
$29,650
At 8 p.m. GMT, the XL Blizzard #4 - $20,000 Twins Royal started with each player receiving a starting stack of 15,000 chips. After the late registration closed, there were 463 players and 130 rebuys of $50 each. That made for a prize pool of $29,650, with a first-place prize of $5,634.
After several hours, the tournament reached the final table. "juicyjules22" ended in 10th place for $356, just falling short of the final nine. Every finalist secured themselves of $492 - the amount "nU3DOC" received for his ninth-place finish. "OscarSJS" and "WarnerBrosss" busted in eighth and seventh place, receiving $667 and $963 respectively.
"69Ways" from Finland finished in sixth place for $1,260 and "Gugulehtu" got $1,630 for his or hers fifth place. Argentina's "ivanascasubi" received $2,313 after busting in fourth place and his fellow countryman "Nemesis_25" ended up in third place for $2,039.
The final heads-up between Belarusian "vampa500" and Russia's "Pasha813" was won by the latter who secured $5,634. The runner-up had to settle for $4,151.
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
Pasha813
Russia
$5,634
2
vampa500
Belarus
$4,151
3
Nemesis_25
Argentina
$3,039
4
ivanascasubi
Argentina
$2,313
5
Gugulehtu
Malta
$1,631
6
69Ways
Finland
$1,260
7
WarnerBrosss
Netherlands
$964
8
OscarSJS
United Kingdom
$667
9
nU3DOC
Russia
$492
XL Blizzard #5 - $20,000 Twins Flush
Buy-in
Date
Players
Prize pool
$55
Jan. 19
568
$28,400
At the same time as the XL Blizzard #4, the XL Blizzard #5 - $20,000 Twins Flush started. After the registration period was over, there were 434 players and 134 rebuys for a total of 568 entries. The total prize pool was $28,400 with a first prize of $5,396.
Malta's "Gugulehtu", who finished fifth in XL Blizzard #4, made the final table once again. After the elimination of "Openpunks" (ninth, $471), "ob1wahn" (eighth, $639) and "sharadrao" (seventh, $923), he or she had to settle for sixth place ($1,207).
Romania's "HotSauce86" went out in fifth place ($2,215) which left three Russian players and a German.
"Jamasutra" survived the battle against the Russians and saw "edyvpakistan", "dimdaf" and "Ao1ing" leave the tournament. "Ao1ing" lost the final heads-up against the German and had to settle for $3,976. The German winner received the first prize of $5,396.
Thursday 18 January was a good day for tournament players around the world. It marked the start of the inaugural edition of the 2018 XL Blizzard Series on one of the biggest online poker rooms, 888poker. On the first day of the series, they kicked off with the $80,000 Opening Event.
XL Blizzard #1 - $80,000 Opening Event
Buy-in
Date
Players
Prize pool
$109
Jan. 18
946
$94,600
In the first four hours of play, a total of 667 players and 279 rebuys made for a total of 946 players. They created a total prize pool of $94,600 with the first prize of $17,736. It took a while to get towards the money but in the end, it was Argentina's "BtM4Ever" who was the last player finishing empty-handed, bubbling the 888 XL Blizzard Opening Event.
After making the money, it took a long time before the tournament was down to the last nine. Hours before that, Chris "888Moorman" Moorman had finished in 62nd place for a cash of $302.72. After ten hours of play, the remaining nine players made the final table and went on to play for the $17,736 first prize.
For "dr1zo" (ninth - $1,334), "974kWRT" (eighth - $2,129) and "gnassil" (seventh - $3,075) it wasn't a big success on the final table as they left quite early on.
After that, the tournament saw "M9yM9so" leave in sixth place. Not much later, "ilginho" was left with just ten big blinds and he just lost them with king-three suited against the ace-nine off of chip leader "BTIPPPPP". He finished in fifth place for $4,967.
For "John_Doe09" the tournament ended in fourth place for $7,095 after losing all his chips in a flush over flush situation against Jans "Graftekkel" Arends.
"BTIPPPPP" was down to his final thirteen big blinds and he was at risk with kings against the seven-ten suited of "Graftekkel". The latter rivered a straight to bust "BTIPPPPP" in third place.
The deciding heads-up between "Graftekkel" and "123magmag123" didn't last long. On a ten-nine-jack-nine board, "Graftekkel" bet 1,500,000 chips and snap-called when "123magmag123" went all in for his last five million chips. The Dutch player had eight-seven for a straight, while the Irish turned over trips with king-nine.
The ace on the river didn't give "123magmag123" the help he needed and he finished in second place for $12,771. "Graftekkel" secured himself of the victory and the first prize of $17,738.
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
Jans "Graftekkel" Arends
Netherlands
$17,738
2
123magmag123
Ireland
$12,771
3
BTIPPPPP
Canada
$9,460
4
John_Doe09
Malta
$7,095
5
ilginho
Germany
$4,967
6
M9yM9so
Russia
$4,021
7
gnassil
Sweden
$3,075
8
974kWRT
Ukraine
$2,129
9
dr1zo
Mexico
$1,334
Jans Arends (right)
XL Blizzard #2 - $15,000 Mini Opening Event
Buy-in
Date
Players
Prize pool
$12
Jan. 18
1,508
$25,506
The cheapest tournament on Day 1 was the XL Blizzard #2 - $15,000 Mini Opening Event. Players had to pay $12 to compete in this tournament and 1,508 did exactly that. There were also 832 rebuys to get a total prize pool of $25,506, easily exclipsing the $15,00 that 888 had guaranteed.
Every finalist was guaranteed at least $275 and this prize went to "220G60" who busted in ninth place. After that, "crazydog777" (eighth, $485), "slasha21" (seventh, $727) and "Ao1ing" (sixth, $969) followed in quick succession.
Ukraine's "loveyourcsh" then busted in fifth place for $1,212, "bagi666" finished in fourth for $1,658 and "APCEBAT" missed the heads-up when he finished in third place for $3,364 after making a three-way deal.
The final heads-up between "VyachesLove" and "bygavuga" ended with "bygavuga" as the winner for $3,394, while "VyachesLove" settled for second place and $2,963 in prize money.
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
bygavuga
Russia
$3,394*
2
VyachesLove
Russia
$2,963*
3
APCEBAT
Russia
$3,364*
4
bagi666
United Kingdom
$1,658
5
loveyourcsh
Ukraine
$1,212
6
Ao1ing
Russia
$969
7
slasha21
United Kingdom
$727
8
crazydog777
Germany
$485
9
220G60
Germany
$275
XL Blizzard #3 - $20,000 Late Opening Event
Buy-in
Date
Players
Prize pool
$55
Jan. 18
616
$30,800
"scellone94" from Malta won the XL Blizzard #3 - $20,000 Late Opening Event, a tournament with a buy-in of $55. He defeated a field of 616 players, beating "Charlymogo" in the final heads-up. He or she took home the first place prize of $5,852.
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
scellone94
Malta
$5,852
2
Charlymogo
Germany
$4,312
3
luckypanch75
Ukraine
$3,157
4
N33dCoaching
Denmark
$2,402
5
nelzinyo
United Kingdom
$1,694
6
otakupro
Colombia
$1,309
7
Fill131
Ukraine
$1,001
8
toshapiter8
Russia
$693
9
MAAtuKKs
Brazil
$511
$1 Million Winners Promotion
Winning more than one XL Blizzard tournament not only nets you some substantial prize money, it will also net you a prize of between $1,000 and a cool $1 million.
If you manage to win two XL Blizzard events, 888poker will reward you with $1,000; win a third and you’ll receive $10,000. Anyone who manages to take down four XL Blizzard events will walk away with $100,000 and if you’re lucky and skillful enough to triumph in five events, your bankroll will receive a $1 million boost.
"bygavuga", "scellone94", and Jans "Graftekkel" Arends will be sure to check in on some more events this series, as they're off to a great start in this special promotion.
Champion of Champions
The Champion of Champions returns for the XL Blizzard series and one lucky 888poker player will win a $12,000 WSOP Vegas package. Each time you play in an XL Blizzard event, you earn leaderboard points. The top 50 players on the leaderboard receive a ticket to the Champion of Champions tournament and everyone in that special event wins a prize.
Bursting the money bubble is never fun, but thanks to the Bubble of Bubbles promotion, finishing one place outside of the money places could be profitable.
Everyone who bursts the bubble in an XL Blizzard event will receive a ticket to the Bubble of Bubbles tournament. Reach the final table of this tournament and you’ll win a prize ranging from a $55 tournament ticket up to a $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package.
Place
Prize
1
$3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package
2-4
$160 tournament ticket
5-9
$55 tournament ticket
Download 888poker via PokerNews and you’ll receive a free $88 worth of cash and tournament tickets just for creating your free account; this is a free £20 to residents of the United Kingdom. When you come to make your first deposit, 888poker matches it 100 percent up to a maximum of $888. All you need to do then is bring your A-game to the table and see if you can become an XL Blizzard champion.
Tonight's and This Weekend's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
The 888poker XL Blizzard series kicks off at 6:00 p.m. GMT on Jan. 18 and runs until Jan. 28. During those 11 days, 34 events will crown their champions and more than $2.8 million will be won.
There is an XL Blizzard tournament for everyone, regardless of the size of their bankroll, because 888poker has created tournaments with buy-ins starting as low as $5 and increasing all the way up to $2,100.
Twelve events are priced between $5 and $44, 11 events have buy-ins of $55 to $109 and 13 XL Blizzard tournaments have buy-ins of $215 or more.
Three events take place on Jan. 18 as the festival gets under way. 888poker players can get involved in an $80,000 Opening Event ($109 buy-in) at 7:00 p.m. GMT, a $15,000 Mini Opening Event ($12) also at 7:00 p.m. GMT and a $20,000 Late Opening Event ($55) at 9:00 p.m. GMT.
Featured Events
Several XL Blizzard tournaments are sure to capture the imagination of the poker community. Whether you get to play in some of the following events or if you have to watch from the sidelines, these tournaments are almost guaranteed to attract some of the best online poker tournament players in the business so seeing them in action will be a sight to behold.
XL Blizzard #12: $200,000 Whale with a $1,050 buy-in on Jan. 21
XL Blizzard #16: $250,000 High Roller with a $2,100 buy-in on Jan. 23
XL Blizzard #31: $150,000 Mega Deep with a $215 buy-in on Jan. 28
XL Blizzard #32: $1,000,000 Main Event with a $1,050 buy-on on Jan. 28
There are a trio of XL Blizzard Main Events for you to get involved in. The $1,000,000 Main Event costs $1,050 to enter and shuffles up and deals at 7:00 p.m on Jan. 28. The $200,000 Mini Main costs $160 to buy into and starts one minute after the $1,050 buy-in edition at 7:01 p.m. GMT. Lastly, the $50,000 Micro Main commands a $30 buy-in and start at 9:00 p.m. on Jan. 28.
XL Blizzard players automatically take part in three massive promotions, including one where you could walk away with one million dollars. Check them out below.
$1 Million Winners Promotion
Winning more than one XL Blizzard tournament not only nets you some substantial prize money, it will also net you a prize of between $1,000 and a cool $1 million.
If you manage to win two XL Blizzard events, 888poker will reward you with $1,000; win a third and you’ll receive $10,000. Anyone who manages to take down four XL Blizzard events will walk away with $100,000 and if you’re lucky and skillful enough to triumph in five events, your bankroll will receive a $1 million boost.
Champion of Champions
The Champion of Champions returns for the XL Blizzard series and one lucky 888poker player will win a $12,000 WSOP Vegas package. Each time you play in an XL Blizzard event, you earn leaderboard points. The top 50 players on the leaderboard receive a ticket to the Champion of Champions tournament and everyone in that special event wins a prize.
Bursting the money bubble is never fun, but thanks to the Bubble of Bubbles promotion, finishing one place outside of the money places could be profitable.
Everyone who bursts the bubble in an XL Blizzard event will receive a ticket to the Bubble of Bubbles tournament. Reach the final table of this tournament and you’ll win a prize ranging from a $55 tournament ticket up to a $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package.
Place
Prize
1
$3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package
2-4
$160 tournament ticket
5-9
$55 tournament ticket
Download 888poker via PokerNews and you’ll receive a free $88 worth of cash and tournament tickets just for creating your free account; this is a free £20 to residents of the United Kingdom. When you come to make your first deposit, 888poker matches it 100 percent up to a maximum of $888. All you need to do then is bring your A-game to the table and see if you can become an XL Blizzard champion.
