888poker Ambassador Ian Simpson Finishes 3rd in $120K Gtd KO Games Event

November 28, 2023

The KO Games Overlay Edition got off to a thrilling start at 888poker over the weekend, with five events crowning their champions. 888poker ambassador and all-around good guy Ian "Simpioni" Simpson has a couple of near misses in the first round of games.

Simpson finished sixth in the $525 buy-in KO Games #03 Mystery Bounty High Roller, a result worth $2,853 in total. On the same night, Simpson navigated his way through most of the 1,094-strong field in the $109 buy-in $120,000 guaranteed KO Games #02 – Mystery Bounty Opener, and found himself in the envious position of chip leader at the eight-handed final table.

The three biggest mystery bounties had already been won by the time the final table was set. "ElmoTuam," who sat down at the final table second in chips, pulled out not one but two $3,600 mystery bounties! The giant $12,000 bounty found its way to Brazil's "Vandangoz" who crashed out in 87th place yet still walked away with $12,444 in total, the largest haul of the event.

KO Games #02 Mystery Bounty Opener Final Table Chip Counts

It only took around 15 minutes for the first elimination to occur. "Xuy123z" lost most of their stack in a battle of the blinds with "AUTIPOSTI" and became the table's shortest stack. A few moments later, "Zhuravliov" min-raised with ace-king under the gun, then called when "Xuy123z" three-bet all-in for a shade under six big blinds with the dominated ace-queen. The ace-king held despite "Xuy123z" flopping a diamond flush draw.

Seventh place went to "Nalimsky", who had earlier won the $55 buy-in Mystery Bounty Opening event for $4,496. They came unstuck after shoving a little less than ten big blinds with pocket fives, and Simpson looked them up from the big blind with pocket sixes. Simpson flopped a set, and "family" was drawing dead on the turn.

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Malta's "AUTIPOSTI," a big winner on 888poker, was the next player to be relieved of their stack. The Malta-based grinder's stack had dwindled to 11 big blinds, and they went into the middle from the small blind with king-nine. "marllonsanti" snap-called from the big blind with ace-ten, and ace-high proved enough to reduce the player count by one.

The final five became four when Andorra's "Zhuravilov" crashed out in another battle of the blinds. The action folded to "Zhuravilov" in the small blind, and they open-shoved for 13 big blinds with what turned out to be jack-seven of spades. "ElmoTuam" called with ace-ten, which paired the ten on the flop. Game over for "Zhuravilov."

"marllonsanti," the last standing Brazilian, saw their deep run end in a fourth-place finish after a clash with Simpson did not go to plan. The Brazilian opened to 3.6 big blinds from the small blind with ace-ten, only for Simpson to move all-in for 24 big blinds effective, doing so with pocket sevens. "marllonsanti" pondered their options before calling, and it was off to the races. Simpson's sevens held, "marllonsanti" busted, and Simpon soared into the chip lead.

The deck wasn't kind to Simpson while play was three-handed, and he found himself propping up his opponents in the chip counts. Simpson then committed his last nine big blinds with ace-seven on the button, and ran into the pocket sevens of "GusinAndrey7." A king-high board was no help to Simpson, and the heads-up stage was reached.

"GusinAndrey7" held a substantial, almost two-to-one, chip lead over "ElmoTuam" going into the one-on-one battle. "ElmoTuam" managed to claw their way back a little, but "GusinAndrey7" managed to keep them at arm's length.

The final hand saw "GusinAndrey7" min-raised with ace-king before instantly calling he 14 big blind shove from their opponent. That Big Slick was up against jack-eight of clubs. A queen-high board kept "GusinAndrey7's" hand the best, and they became the KO Games #02 – Mystery Bounty Opener's champion, and were the recipient of $10,666.

KO Games #02 Mystery Bounty Opener Final Table Results

Other KO Games Results

Although Simpson fell in third in the $120,000 guaranteed event, one of his teammates came out on top in the KO Games #04 – PKO Mini. Josh "Josh_Manley" Manley outlasted 592 opponents in that event to turn his $11 investment into $1,130!

Remaining 888poker KO Games Schedule

You still have plenty of chances to become an 888poker KO Games Overlay Edition champion, as the series runs until December 10. Get involved and give your bankroll and confidence a boost as the end of 2023 looms.

Senior Editor

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