"Sheglov" Stages Epic Comeback in the 888poker Mystery Bounty Main Event Title

March 27, 2024

Ukraine's "Sheglov" could be forgiven if they were down in the dumps about limping their way to the final table of the $300,000 guaranteed 888poker Mystery Bounty Main Event with only a ten big blind stack. Having such a short stack put player at a distinct disadvantage when there's big money at stake.

However, less than 2.5 hours after sitting down with a less then optimal stack, "Sheglov" was the last player standing, completing an epic comeback for the ages, and capturing the title and $34,836 in prize money!

$300,000 Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event Final Table Chip Counts

Romania's "MMDpoker1" had a final table to forget. They found themselves at the top of the chip counts once all Day 1s were completed, and were at the top of the pile at the start of the final table's action. However, "MMDpoker1" completed a disappointing hat-trick of firsts by being the first finalist out of the door.

There were warning signs that it was not going to be "MMDpoker1"'s day early into the final day. "kellerassel0" limped in for 60,000 from the small blind with pocket threes, "MMDpoker1" raised to 180,000 with king-ten of hearts in the big blind before calling the 1,760,376 shove from "kellerassel0". A ten on the flop looked to have extended the Romanian's lead, but running cards improved "kellerassel0" to an unlikely wheel straight.

"MMDpoker1" lost another chunk of their stack tangling with 888poker Stream Team member Leo "KaizenStyle" Jokura, and "Sheglov" doubled through them with pocket threes against queen-jack.

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The last of the "MMDpoker1"'s chips went into the middle the hand after the "Sheglov" double-up. "kellerassel0" raised to 126,000 with ace-queen from under the gun, "MMDpoker1" called with queen-six of hearts from the next seat along, and the flop fell five-nine-jack. Both players checked, leading to a queen landing on the turn. With the pot at 402,000 and "MMDpoker1" having only 880,303 chips behind, it was obvious the former chip leader was going to be all-in. That is exactly what happened, and they busted when they failed to find a six on the turn or river.

Jokura was second in chips when "MMDpoker1" busted, yet they would become the seventh-place finisher. After min-raising to 200,000 from late position with pocket queens, Jokura called the 2,984,550 shove from "Sheglov," made from the small blind with ace-four of diamonds. It was a strange play from "Sheglov" but one that paid off because an ace appeared on the flop, leaving Jokura drawing to one out because another player had folded a queen. Unsurprisingly, the case queen did not appear, Jokura busted in seventh, and "Sheglov" soared to the top of the chip counts by some distance.

888poker regular "CPU0r" crashed out in sixth for a total prize worth $21,061, having collected a $12,000 bounty on Day 2. Their last action in the Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event was to three-bet all-in from the small blind for 1,767,200 with king-ten of spades after "kellerassel0" had min-raised to 240,000 in the cutoff. "kellerassel0" called with ace-king, which held to reduce the player count by one.

The final five became four with the untimely demise of "AnitaKiraly." After paying the blinds, "AnitaKiraly" was left with less than 1.5 big blinds. They more than doubled their stack with pocket tens, but the writing was still on the wall. The last of their chips went into the middle with king-queen, which lost to the ace-ten of "kellerassel0".

"kellerassel0" now held 8.7 million chips, with their nearest rival sat behind 3.7 million. You would think the chip leader would sail through to the heads-up stage, but you would have thought wrong.

Having seen their stack dwindle a little, then lose a huge pot with six-five of clubs versus the pocket aces of "QdEqTeCalaz," "kellerassel0" four-bet all-in for 18 big blinds with ace-queen in a battle of the blinds against "doga10." "doga10" snap-called with the dominating ace-king. Their king-kicker played, and that was all she wrote for "kellerassel0."

The $300,000 guaranteed Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event progressed to heads-up when "QdEqTeCalaz" was eliminated. With blinds of 100,000/200,000/25,000a, "QdEqTeCalaz" min-raised with ace-ten, "doga10" three-bet to 1,000,000 with pocket kings, only for "QdEqTeCalaz" to jam for 4,170,832 in total. "doga10" instantly called, faded three outs, and sent "QdEqTeCalaz" home in third.

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"doga10" held a 10,912,724 to 5,057,726 lead over "Sheglov" but the latter had already shown they could fight back from the brink of defeat. The chip lead changed hands several times during the hour-long one-on-one battle, but "Sheglov" began forging a lead for themselves. By the time the final hand occurred, "Sheglov" had more an an eight-to-one advantage.

The final hand saw "Sheglov" min-raise to 700,000 before calling the 1,667,329 shove from "doga10." "Sheglov" turned over ace-jack, which was up against king-four. Two jacks on the flop gifted "Sheglov" trips. An eight on the turn left "doga10" drawing dead.

"doga10" took home $23,379 for their efforts, while "Sheglov," the champion, banked $34,836.

$300,000 Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event Final Table Results

Full 888poker Mystery Bounty Festival Numbered Events Results

Check out the full results from all 26 numbered events that made up the bustling schedule of the 888poker Mystery Bounty Festival. More than two dozen players padded their bankrolls with sizeable sums, were you among them?

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