Germany's TroopTroop1 had a spectacular end of 2013 when he made the general table of WCOOP Challenge Series #5 and scored over $115k in a five-way deal. For many people mere mortals, that's a once-in-a-lifetime score. However, only two weeks later, TroopTroop1 did it again... and for greater than twice that quantity. Standing in his way was tilt21sted, a Romanian on his second trip to the Sunday Million final table after finishing sixth back in April 2012. Although tilt21sted provided various heart-stopping moments during their heads-up match, TroopTroop1 prevailed, adding another $234k to his bankroll and a Sunday Million title to his C.V.
While a few of the PokerStars universe was firmly fixated on today's launch of the 2014 PCA, the Sunday Million had its first running of the year. A STRONG crowd of 8,666 flocked to the felt, making a $1,733,200.00 prize pool. 1,260 players earned a share of it with first place set to earn $254,958.40. Eleven Red Spades were within the mix this week including ElkY, Nacho Barbero, Lex Veldhuis, Humberto Brenes and Jake Cody. Just one Team Pro cashed, however-- a former world champion who made his third top 150 finish within the last 11 months.
2009 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada made yet one more deep run within the Million, having finished 13th and 34th last February and August respectively. This week, he ground his way into the highest 150 before three-bet shoving his last ten big blinds with A♥Q♥ within the big blind. Initial min-raiser seraph0411 called and turned up pocket sixes. The T♣4♣2♥ flop was no help to Cada and the 6♣ turn left him drawing dead as seraph0411 made a collection. The meaningless river was the K♠ and Cada was eliminated in 150th place.
With ten players remaining, blinds were as much as 200,000/400,000. Short stack riversouza open-shoved his remaining 2.58 million from UTG and Leonmen44 called from the large blind with 7♣7♠. Despite turning a flush draw, Riversouza's 8♠9♠ didn't improve at the J♥6♠2♥3♠T♥ board and he was eliminated at the final table bubble.
Final table chip counts
Seat 1: TroopTroop1 (25,286,865 in chips)
Seat 2: Nelisschuif7 (8,585,818 in chips)
Seat 3: jude187 (6,251,957 in chips)
Seat 4: Gottonik (8,739,167 in chips)
Seat 5: Leonmen44 (7,894,516 in chips)
Seat 6: ertho435 (11,018,484 in chips)
Seat 7: tilt21sted (9,253,117 in chips)
Seat 8: fotis060105 (3,827,409 in chips)
Seat 9: matze widi (5,802,667 in chips)
A tale of 2 coinflips
The final table had its first casualty at the third hand of play. Holding pocket jacks, matze widi four-bet shoved for 7 million preflop and TroopTroop1 looked him up with K♣Q♠. TroopTroop1 paired his king at the flop and ended matze widi's run in ninth place ($13,432.30) while increasing his massive stack to 31.8 million.
A couple of minutes later, jude187 met his tournament end. TroopTroop1 opened for a min-raise to 800,000, jude187 shoved for 3.53 million with A♦Q♦, Gottonik cold-called at the button with pocket eights and TroopTroop1 gave up his hand. It was another race situation, but one who was essentially selected the K♠8♣2♠ flop. Gottonik made middle set and jude187 didn't improve, exiting the overall table in eighth place ($19,065.20).
Gottonik flushes out aces
With the blinds as much as 250,000/500,000, Gottonik opened 7♠8♠ for 1,000,000 and short stack fotis060105 happily moved in for his last 3.1 million with A♦A♠. Gottonik called, but only hit a gutshot straight draw at the Q♦J♠9♣ flop. The 2♠ turn gave Gottonik more outs with a flush draw and the 4♠ river filled, it, snapping off fotis060105's pocket aces. Fotos060105 departed in seventh place ($34,664.00) while Gottonik moved as much as 17.6 million in chips.
ertho435 can't escape
With the action folded around to the small blind, ertho435 looked down at A♣5♣ and moved all-in for 8 million. Unfortunately for him, tilt21sted awoke with A♦8♣ within the big blind. Ertho435 couldn't overcome his dominated hand and he was eliminated in sixth place, adding $51,996.00 to his bankroll.
Five for fighting
Following ertho435's elimination, the overall five agreed to pause the action and discuss a possible deal. Here's how they stacked up on the time.
TroopTroop1 27,481,468
tilt21sted 22,962,267
Gottonik 19,444,319
Leonmen44 8,396,128
Nelisschuif7 8,375,818
Final table host Naoya "nkeyno" Kihara provided the players with both chip chop and ICM figures. While four of the five were amenable to an ICM chop, tilt21sted was on the lookout for a share nearly $10,000 greater than he was offered. After twenty minutes of negotiations, the parties were still removed from an agreement and action resumed.
Once cards were back within the air, it wasn't long before probably the most short stacks succumbed. With the action folded to him within the small blind, Leonmen44 open-shoved for 3.47 million with 7♦8♦ and tilt21sted called with 6♥6♦ within the big blind. Tilt21sted flopped a suite of sixes and sent Leonmen44 to the rail in fifth place, good for $69,328.00.
TroopTroop1 pins down Gottonik
Still within the chip lead, TroopTroop1 continued his assault and took out Gottonik in a 53.8 million pot. Both players flopped top pair, but TroopTroop1 caught his kicker at the turn to flee domination and eliminate Gottonik in fourth place ($86,660.00).
Ready for round two?
With the general table all the way down to three, TroopTroop1, tilt21sted and Nelisschuif7 decided to take another run at creating a deal. Here is a have a look at their chip counts when the action paused a second time:
TroopTroop1 56,425,787
tilt21sted 18,438,395
Nelisschuif7 11,795,818
Despite a little grousing from tilt21sted, the players agreed to an ICM chop and with $20,000 still up for grabs for the winner, cards went back within the air.
Triple threat
Short stack Nelisschuif7 gained some ground when he doubled through tilt21stead, his pocket nines flopping a suite vs. A♦2♣. Tilt21sted was left on only 5 million in chips, but doubled back as much as 10 million at the next deal when his A♣K♠ held up against Nelisschuif7's A♦Q♦. Still on 19 million in chips, Nelisschuif7 broke through five hands later when he doubled through TroopTroop1, his T♥T♣ holding vs. K♠7♣. Once the dominant chip leader, TroopTroop1 was now only 2.5 million prior to Nelisschuif7 with 39 million in chips to his 36.5 million.
TroopTroop1, however, was relentless in his approach and quickly ground back another 10 million before opening for a three million raise from the small blind. Nelisschuif7 three-bet to 6.75 million, TroopTroop1 shoved for 46.6 million and Nelisschuif7 called, his A♦J♥ dominating TroopTroop1's A♣7♠. It gave the look of a disastrous misstep for TroopTroop1... until the board ran out T♠5♦4♠6♣8♠ to make him an eight-high straight! Nelisschuif7 was suddenly at the rail in third place, his share of the deal good for a $160,659.50 payday.
Heads-up chip counts
Seat 1: TroopTroop1 (73,714,846 in chips)
Seat 7: tilt21sted (12,945,154 in chips)
TroopTroop1 looked as if it would lose control early on this heads-up match. Tilt21sted doubled to 25.9 million at the first hand when his pocket sevens held vs. Q♠T♥, then doubled again at the second when pocket tens prevailed over Q♦J♠. For the primary time, tilt21sted held the chip lead with 51.7 million while TroopTroop1 fell to 34.9 million.
It was back to the grind for TroopTroop1 and after winning back-to-back pots at the turn with no showdown, he was back as much as 58.8 million in chips. Tilt21sted fought hard to reclaim the lead, but couldn't overcome his dominated hand at the final deal:
Congratulations to TroopTroop1 on his Sunday Million victory and a remarkable holiday season on the tables! He banked $234,028.30 for the win, while runner-up tilt21sted earned $176,579.60.
PokerStars Sunday Million results for 1/4/2014
Players: 8,666
Prizepool: $1,733,200.00
Places paid: 1,260
1. TroopTroop1 (Germany) $234,028.30*
2. tilt21sted (Romania) $176,579.60*
3. Nelisschuif7 (Malta) $160,659.50*
4. Gottonik (Netherlands) $86,660.00
5. Leonmen44 (Russia) $69,328.00
6. ertho435 (Austria) $51,996.00
7. fotis060105 (Cyprus) $34,664.00
8. jude187 (Germany) $19,065.20
9. matze widi (Germany) $13,432.30
*= reflects the result of a three-way deal that left $20,000 in play for the winner
Kristin Bihr is a contract contributor to the PokerStars Blog.
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Sunday Million]
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