Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, and Zinc. Those are five metals included at the Periodic Table of Elements, which also happen to make up the web poker moniker of Australian Nelson 'FeCoNiCuZn' Maccini. Before tonight, FeCoNiCuZn was best known for a victory within the opening event on the 2014 SCOOP. I DO NOT know if his mates back home in Adelaide confer with Nelson 'FeCoNiCuZn' Maccini as 'Heavy Metal Maccini' or 'Iron Man Nelson', but perhaps they need to simply call him by his newest distinction: The Sunday Million Champion.

With three tables to go, FeCoNiCuZn amassed a large stack and emerged because the player to overcome. FeCoNiCuZn held the total lead for many of the general table until it got heads up. After a rugged, 40-minute heads-up fracas, FeCoNiCuZnlost coughed up the lead but managed to get it back and cruise into the victory's circle. FeCoNiCuZn is now two major victories away (TCOOP and WCOOP) from the elusive Stars Slam.

There need to be some type of disturbance within the force, or a numerology anomaly with 2016 because this year's Sunday Million has seen an inordinate amount of repeat champions embark on hella-deep runs. It happened last week with Luis "Turko Man" Rodriguez when the Finland-based Turko Man shipped the Sunday million for a second time after previously winning it back in 2009. Earlier this year, PokerStars celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Sunday Million and no less than 10 players can boast that they shipped the Million twice. Yep, 10 repeat champs are members of the Two-Timer Club. Although this week's winner had never won the large one before, a handful of players had final tabled the Sunday Million once again.

This installment of the $215 buy-in Sunday Million attracted 5,866 runners. The sector of Sunday grinders and amateurs alike boosted the whole prize pool to $1,173,200, which pushed it over the $1 million guarantee. The highest 855 places got a cut of the pool, with a juicy portion worth $181,848.88 put aside to the inevitable champion.

Team PokerStars Pro Elky managed to scrounge up a cash. The French video gamer legend continues to be sharp as ever on the virtual poker tables, but Elky's deep run was thwarted when he busted in 575th place.

With 27 players to head at the final three tables, FeCoNiCuZn jumped out to a lengthy lead when the Aussie became the primary player to pass the 10M chip mark. He held nearly 3x up to MG10tze, the German player in second place overall. FeCoNiCuZn looked as if it would have plateaued after hitting 10M. By the point action dwindled right down to 18 players, königkunde made a run on the overall lead. The German surged to second overall with over 9.5M and was nipping at FeCoNiCuZn's heels. The 2 behemoth stacks were prepping for an inevitable heads-up showdown.

On the overall table bubble with 10 to go, FeCoNiCuZn chipped as much as 14M. That's when jaytheo40 attempted to double up with T♣T♠ against FeCoNiCuZn's A♦9♦. FeCoNiCuZn flopped an Ace and that's the reason all she wrote for jaytheo40, who bubbled off the overall table in tenth place.

4/17/16 Sunday Million - Final Table Chip Counts:Seat 1: yukeepplayin (1,654,523)Seat 2: Vovas05 (4,590,476)Seat 3: Neoben78 (2,201,504)Seat 4: liran2788 (3,369,607)Seat 5: politm69 (1,029,424)Seat 6: königkunde (12,844,474)Seat 7: MG10tze (6,222,636)Seat 8: jerbi9999 (9,519,313)Seat 9: FeCoNiCuZn (17,228,043)

The Sunday Million final table commenced throughout the end of level 35 with 80K/160K blinds and a 16K ante. FeCoNiCuZn was within the captain's chair because the final table chip leader. Romania's politm69 was the proverbial short stack with a shade over 1M. The general table was divided into players who went deep in COOP events and players who had previously made a Sunday Million final table.

FeCoNiCuZn is not any stranger to the winner's circle. The young Aussie has a SCOOP bracelet after he won the hole event on the 2014 SCOOP for his first-ever COOP title. On the 2015 SCOOP, Germany's königkunde finished in 8th place within the Heads-Up High Roller event after you have picked off by the eventual champion. Meanwhile, fellow German MG10tze final tabled a 2014 WCOOP event for a $20K score. On the 2014 TCOOP, Israel's jerbi9999 won nearly $26K for a sixth-place finish in a Turbo rebuy event.

Several players who previously went deep within the Million had made multiple appearances on the final table including yukeepplayin, liran2788, and politm69. Canada's yukeepplayin final tabled the Sunday Million back in February 2014, but only cashed in eighth place for $15K. In March of 2013, liran2788 got as regards to winning the Sunday Million, however the Israeli chopped the Million five ways and  eventually finished in second overall for a $166K score. Two years ago, politm69 squeezed out a fourth-place finish within the Sunday Million for a $79K score.

PLANET CARAVAN: liran2788 eliminated in 9th place

It took a classic race to bring down the primary player on the final table. The great ole Jacks vs. Big Slick. Alas, the wealthy got richer because big-stacked FeCoNiCuZn dragged the pot with two pair -- Jacks and fours. All of the money went in pre-flop when liran2788 open-shoved for 3,273,607. Everyone got out of the way, except FeCoNiCuZn who snap-called with J♠J♥ versus liran2788's A♣K♥. Although liran2788 turned a Broadway straight draw, it could was futile because a Jack would have filled in a ship for FeCoNiCuZn. The board finished up Q♠4♠4♥T♥8♣ and liran2788 didn't improve. FeCoNiCuZn won with "Jacks Up" or two pair. Israel's liran2788 became the primary player to exit the general table and busted in ninth place, which paid out $9,150.96.

ELECTRIC FUNERAL: yukeepplayin eliminated in 8th place

Two hands later, we saw the second one bustout on the final table. Alas, yukeepplayin was not playing anymore after running A♠4♣ into Neoben78's A♦K♠. Short-stacked yukeepplayin bombed it all-in for 1,586,523 and Neoben78 insta-called from the small blind with a dominating Big Slick versus Ace-rag. Both players flopped a couple of Aces, but Neoben78 won with a greater King-high kicker after the board finished up A♣J♣8♥2♣6♠. Canada's yukeepplayin was dunzo in eighth place, which paid out $14,665.00.

With seven remaining, a powerful FeCoNiCuZn retained first with nearly 18M while königkunde sat in second with 14M. Shorty politm69 continued to raise the rear with 1.4M.

FAIRIES WEARS BOOTS: politm69 eliminated in 7th place

Romania's politm69 gaunt stack was right down to 559,848 before creating a final stand with K♠Q♦. However, jerbi9999 called with A♥T♣, hoping to select off a shorty. The board ran out 9♥8♣8♥5♥Q♥. politm69 rivered a Queen to enhance to 2 pair -- Queens and Eights -- but jerbi9999 rivered a four-flush to wwithin the pot with Ace-high heart flush. Romania's politm69 earned $25,810.40 for a seventh-place performance.

With six left in the hunt, FeCoNiCuZn led with 15.2M and königkunde was in second with 14.5M. Meanwhile, MG10tze and Neoben78 battled it out as basement dwellers with 5.1M each.

RAT SALAD: Vovas05 eliminated in 6th place

Two shorties rumbled. Just one survived. The opposite was read their last rites. Another coin flip. This time Big Slick was pitted against pocket treys. Alas, a late King at the river trumped the treys. Vovas05 open-shoved for 3,346,287 and Neoben78 re-shoved for 3,869,360. Vovas05 led slightly with 3♣3♥ against Neoben78's A♥K♠. However, the board ran out T♠T♦5♠7♦K♥. Vovas05 had flopped two pair but was rundown at the river when the King of hearts spiked and crushed Vovas05's hopes of staving off an elimination. Neoben78 wat the pot with Kings and tens. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Vovas05 was knocked out in sixth place, which paid out $37,542.40.

HAND OF DOOM: Neoben78 eliminated in 5th place

Neoben78 attempted to square off against big-stacked FeCoNiCuZn. The chip leader min-raised to 800K and both the blinds called (Neoben78 and königkunde). The flop was A♣T♦T♠. The blinds checked to FeCoNiCuZn, who fired out 800K. Neoben78 called, but königkunde bailed. Heads-up. The J♣ fell at the turn. Neoben78 checked, FeCoNiCuZn bet 1.6M, Neoben78 check-raised all-in for 5,935,647, and FeCoNiCuZn called.

Neoben78: A♦9♦FeCoNiCuZn: K♦Q♦

Neoben78 flopped two pair with Aces Up, but FeCoNiCuZn flopped a Broadway gutter and got there on the turn. The river was the J♠, which failed to help Neoben78, who lost with two pair against FeCoNiCuZn's Broadway straight. Neoben78 from Luxembourg busted in fifth place, which paid out $49274.40. After dragging a 16M pot, FeCoNiCuZn chipped as much as over 36M.

DEAL

With four to go, a deal discussion happened. FeCoNiCuZn held an amazing lead with over 60% of the chips in play and an intimidating 36M stack. The opposite three were roughly the similar size with approximately 7.5M each. They'd to go away $20,000 at the table for first place, however the numbers were floated:

FeCoNiCuZn ($146,377,34)MG10tze ($104,171.55)königkunde ($103,564.06)jerbi9999 ($103,558.31)

The players liked the ICM numbers and everybody agreed at the take care of. a money chop in place, action resumed.

PARANOID: jerbi9999 eliminated in 4th place

Short-stacked jerbi9999 busted in a multi-way pot after trying to triple up (for his last 277,789) against FeCoNiCuZn and königkunde. The board finished up A♦8♥8♣T♣J♠ and königkunde rivered a Jack-high straight with 9♥7♠ to scoop the principle pot and side pot. Both FeCoNiCuZn and jerbi9999 mucked their losing hands. For a fourth-place finish, Israel's jerbi9999 locked up $103,558.31.

With three remaining... it was an Aussie and two Germans... FeCoNiCuZn led with 30M, followed by königkunde's 17.6M and MG10tze (10.8M).

WAR PIGS: MG10tze eliminated in 3rd place

It didn't last three-handed very long before we saw fireworks in a Motown-inspired brawl or the "Jackson Five Bout" when a couple of Jacks held up against pocket fives. königkunde min-raised to 1M, MG10tze bombed it all-in for 5,999,658, FeCoNiCuZn called, but königkunde folded. Heads-up. MG10tze trailed with 5♥5♣ against FeCoNiCuZn's J♠J♥. FeCoNiCuZn improved to a collection of Jacks at the flop, yet MG10tze didn't improve after the board finished up K♠J♦7♥3♣8♠. FeCoNiCuZn dragged the 13M pot. Germany's MG10tze was knocked out in third place, which paid out $104,171.55

HEADS-UP: königkunde (Germany) vs. FeCoNiCuZn (Australia)Seat 6: königkunde (23,853,491)Seat 9: FeCoNiCuZn (34,806,509)

FeCoNiCuZn picked off one German, but he was heads-up with the opposite. It was finally right down to the overall two with FeCoNiCuZn holding a 34.8M to 23.8M edge. The 2 would spar for an excellent QUARTER-HOUR before either of them did any significant damage.

Approximately 25 minutes into heads-up, an enormous hand developed wherein königkunde doubled up from 19M to 38M with A♥K♦ vs. FeCoNiCuZn's A♠7♥. königkunde dragged a 38.3M pot to grab a 2-1 advantage. However, königkunde's lead was short lived because FeCoNiCuZn rallied and stormed back to even up the score within nine hands.

königkunde launched into another mini-rush winning five consecutive hands including a 13M pot to take a large lead 41.4M to 17.2M. FeCoNiCuZn quickly launched a counter-attack and won 6 out of the following 9 hands including a couple of 22M pots. The primary one closed the distance 33.3M to 25.3M. The second put him back within the lead 45M to 13.5M after he dragged a pot with two pair -- Queens and eights. Four hands later... it was all over.

IRON MAN: königkunde eliminated in 2nd place; FeCoNiCuZn binks Sunday Milly!

On the penultimate hand, FeCoNiCuZn won a 17.4M pot with two pair with Doyle Brunson's favorite hand -- 10-2 off suit. That hand put FeCoNiCuZn ahead 52M to 6.5M.

On the general hand... FeCoNiCuZn insta-shoved for 52,026,036 and königkunde called for 5,433,964. königkunde was in trouble with J♦T♦ against a strong Ace and FeCoNiCuZn's A♦9♣. The turn gave königkunde a glimmer of hope with an open-ended straight draw, but FeCoNiCuZn faded a straight at the river to win the pot.  The board ran out K♦7♠3♥Q♦K♣. FeCoNiCuZn never improved but won the pot with a couple of Kings a greater Ace-high kicker. Unfortunately, königkunde couldn't come from behind to circumvent an elimination. For an excellent second-place performance, Germany's königkunde earned a payday worth $103,564.06.

Congrats to the latest Sunday Million champion -- FeCoNiCuZn from Australia. With a four-way money chop locked up, first place this week paid out $166,377.34. That's almost enough cash to play the Sunday Million per week for the following 15 years!

4/17/16 Sunday Million ($215 No-Limit Hold'em) resultsEntrants: 5,866Prize pool: $1,173,200Places paid: 855

1. Nelson 'FeCoNiCuZn' Maccini (Australia) $166,377.34 *2. königkunde (Germany) $103,564.06 *3. MG10tze (Germany) $104,171.55 *4. jerbi9999 (Israel) $103,558.31 *5. Neoben78 (Luxembourg) $49,274.406. Vovas05 (Ukraine) $37,542.407. politm69 (Romania) $25,810.408. yukeepplayin (Canada) $14,665.009. liran2788 (Israel) $9,150.96

* = denotes a four-way chop

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Pauly McGuire is a contract contributor to PokerStars Blog.

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