Online Poker Weekend: 'diegoaiz' Takes Sunday Million

September 01, 2008

Mickey Doft Live Reporter

Online Poker Weekend: 'diegoaiz' Takes Sunday Million 0001

Online poker had a slow weekend as both the PokerStars Sunday Million and Full Tilt $750,000 Guarantee came up short of their designated prize pools, with the extended American Labor Day weekend likely holding down registration for the events. Those that were on hand, of course, enjoyed a few percentage points in overlay in the events as a bonus.

Stars Sunday Million

PokerStars saw 7,212 people sign up for the Sunday Million, meaning almost $58,000 was added in as an overlay by Stars. Several notables posted impressive showings. Among them were "TiltHappens" in 25th place ($3,000), Tim "Tmay420" West in 22nd place ($3,000), and Joshua "pbdrunks" VanDuyn in 13th place ($5,250). The chip counts to start the final table were:

diegoaiz - 14,567,593

TheRodGuy - 14,415,256

IamUnlucky - 10,497,102

FlopeDeNuts - 7,680,933

c j mcon - 7,605,388

CodeRedRulez - 6,281,828

UnbrokeN - 5,436,064

Bury2k4 - 3,762,382

krs528 - 1,873,454

With the blinds at 200,000/400,000 and an ante of 40,000, CodeRedRulez was eliminated in ninth place. From the small blind, IamUnlucky moved all in and CodeRedRulez called all-in with A♥K♠. Unfortunately for CodeRedRulez, the Q♥2♠ held by IamUnlucky turned out to be very lucky on the 2♦4♠10♥10♠Q♦ board and CodeRedRulez earned $10,500 for ninth place. C j mcon was the next to fall. From early position, c j mcon moved all in for 2,209,324 with pocket sixes and was called by TheRodGuy's pocket eights. No six would hit the board, and c j mcon left with $17,250 for eighth place.

At the 300,000/600,000/60,000 level, Bury2k4 was eliminated. After krs528 limped from the small blind, Bury2k4 moved all in from the big blind for 4,585,714 and krs528 called. The hands were K♠9♠ for krs528 and 5♣2♠ for Bury2k4. Bury2k4 was caught making a movie and did not catch any helpful cards, finishing in seventh place for $26,250.

The next to be felted was UnbrokeN. After diegoaiz made it 1.8 million, UnbrokeN moved all in for 3,712,128 with 9♥9♦ and diegoaiz called with A♥K♥. The flop was exciting, coming out 9♣Q♥8♥. The J♥ on the turn gave diegoaiz a flush and UnbrokeN was unable to fill up on the river, earning $39,000 for 6th place. Krs528 finished in fifth place after pocket queens ran into FlopeDeNuts' pocket aces and made $54,000. FlopeDeNuts then went on to eliminate IamUnlucky in fourth place. With the blinds at 400,000/800,000 and an 80,000 ante, FlopeDeNuts moved all in from the button with the big stack of 47,727,580 and was called by IamUnlucky in the big blind. FlopeDeNuts held 7♣6♥ to IamUnlucky's A♦4♦, and tThe board came out 2♠7♦5♥4♣2♣, with IamUnlucky finishing fourth for $69,000.

A chip-count deal was then made between the remaining three players. The deal assured the following: $127,912.72 for TheRodGuy, $118,849.49 for diegoaiz, $116,687.79 for FlopeDeNuts, and $30,000 remaining for the winner.

FlopeDeNuts finished in third place after running 9♦9♠ into diegoaiz's 10♣10♥. The board brought no nine, and FlopeDeNuts took home $116,687.79 for third place. The heads-up battle began with these chip counts:

diegoaiz - 54,743,802

TheRodGuy - 17,376,198

The final two started heads-up play with blinds and antes of 600,000/1,200,000/120,000, and did not end until the 1,250,000/2,500,000/250,000 level. During the estimated 125 hands of heads-up play, each player managed to double up more than twice. In the end, it was diegoaiz winning the match. On a board of 2♣4♠10♦, TheRodGuy check raised all in for 21,543,344 with J♦4♥ and diegoaiz called with 10♥9♦. The turn and river were blanks for TheRodGuy, who finished as runner-up for $127,912.72. Diegoaiz's victory was worth $148,849.49. The final standings were:

*1. diegoaiz - $148,849.49

*2. TheRodGuy - $127,912.72

*3. FlopeDeNuts - $116,687.79

4. IamUnlucky - $69,000

5. Krs528 - $54,000

6. UnbrokeN - $39,000

7. Bury2k4 - $26,250

8. c j mcon - $17,250

9. CodeRedRulez - $10,500

* Three-way chop for remaining prize money; $30,000 to eventual winner.

Full Tilt $750,000 Guarantee

3,225 people registered for the Full Tilt $750,000 Guarantee this weekend. Among the top finishers was Full Tilt pro Jordan Morgan (21st place, $2,775). FTOPS IX Main Event winner dubbeemin continued his hot streak by final-tabling the tournament. The chip counts at the beginning of the final table were:

oldschool043 - 1,561,123

Steveee111 - 1,556,052

Flip This Cup - 1,491,498

VamosRafael - 1,360,328

grabskia - 1,237,880

StevoL_7 - 801,178

prostarins - 736,166

Mabbe - 473,120

dubbeemin - 457,655

The first elimination came in the 25,000/50,000/6,000 level. On a board of K♥8♥10♣, Steveee111 bet all in and VamosRafael called, at risk of finishing in ninth place. It was A♦A♥ for VamosRafael, leading Steveee111's K♦Q♥. When the Q♦ fell on the turn, it was VamosRafael who was in trouble and the river card was no help. VamosRafael made $10,050 for ninth place.

The next level, 30,000/60,000/7,500, saw the elimination of StevoL_7 in eighth place. From the button, StevoL_7 moved all in for 476,678 and was called from the big blind by Steveee111. The hands were K♣4♥ for StevoL_7 and A♦3♥ for Steveee111. The board ran out 8♠J♥7♠5♥10♠ and StevoL_7 exited with $13,500. Prostarins finished in seventh place when A♠J♣ was unable to improve against oldschool043's AcQd. Prostarins took home $17,250 for his showing. Mabbe finished in sixth place after losing with A♣8♠ to dubbeemins's A♥7♥, nearly felting Mabbe. In the next hand Mabbe was eliminated and received $23,025 for sixth.

FTOPS IX Main Event winner dubbeemin was the next to go. With the blinds at 40,000/80,000 and an ante of 10,000, dubbeemin moved all in for 656,084 with A♦Q♣. Flip This Cup successfully isolated the action with J♥J♣ and a classic coin flip ensued. A flopped jack quickly gave Flip This Cup a set and the knockout; Dubbeemin earned $31,050 for fifth place. Grabskia finished in fourth place when his A♣2♦ could not hold against oldschool043's K♦10♠ when the board came out 5♦10♦5♣4♥10♥. Grabskia earned $41,400 for the excellent showing.

Flip This Cup finished in third. All in preflop, Flip This Cup held Q♥Q♦ and was ahead of oldschool043's K♦7♦. The flop was excellent for Flip This Cup, coming out 8♦Q♣9♠. Unfortunately for Flip This Cup, the turn and river came 5♣ and 6♠, giving oldschool043 an improbable straight. Flip This Cup received $52,500 for the third-place showing.

The heads-up battle began with oldschool043 holding the chip lead, but it would not last. With the blinds at 60,000/120,000 and an ante of 15,000, nearly all the chips on the table went in on a 5♦9♦7♦ flop. Oldschool043 held J♣9♠ for top pair, and Steveee111 held4♠3♦ for flush and straight draws. The 6♣ river card gave Steveee111 the hand and a massive chip lead.

The tournament ended two hands later. The hands were Q♥4♦ for oldschool043 and J♦8♦ for Steveee111. The board ran out 7♦8♣2♦9♥10♠ and oldschool043 finished runner-up for $80,250, while Steveee111 walked away as the winner of the Full Tilt $750,000 Guarantee, $132,787.50 richer. The final standings were: