button in Safari888poker $80K Mystery Bounty Champion Overcomes a 6-to-1 HU Chip Deficit
Argentina's "Fedevalle" navigated to the heads-up stage of this week's 888poker $80,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event, where he found himself with a mountain to climb. Their final opponent, "Magnolia176," had almost six times as many chips as them.
With a little luck from the deck and plenty of discipline, "Fedevalle" flipped the roles on their heads, defeated "Magnolia176," and helped themselves to a well-deserved $7,103 top prize.
This week's event drew 772 entrants, resulting in an overlay on the $80,000 guarantee. Although they finished in 32nd place, Brazil's "TTeixeirAA" was the tournament's biggest winner, courtesy of bagging the $8,000 jackpot bounty before bowing out.
$80,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Bounties | Prize | Total Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedevalle | Argentina | $591 | $6,512 | $7,103 |
| 2 | Magnolia176 | Sweden | $1,954 | $4,840 | $6,794 |
| 3 | Guuadania | Uruguay | $311 | $3,500 | $3,811 |
| 4 | Billy_Slater | Chile | $786 | $2,380 | $3,166 |
| 5 | BrownBrit | United Kingdom | $1,810 | $1,580 | $3,390 |
| 6 | Zeaberration | Brazil | $650 | $1,148 | $1,798 |
| 7 | ZaCafu | Montenegro | $255 | $800 | $1,055 |
| 8 | tarakan915 | Ukraine | $55 | $600 | $655 |
Ukraine's "tarakan915" was the shortest stack when the final table began, and they were the first player to bust. They three-bet all-in from the small blind with ace-ten of diamonds after "Magnolia176" had raised four times the big blind with king-queen on the button. "Magnolia176" called, turned a straight, improved to a better straight on the river, and "tarakan915" was done and dusted.
King-queen sent another player to the rail 20 or so minutes later. "Billy_Slater" opened from the small blind, then called a 22.5-big-blind shove from 888poker regular "ZaCafu," who made the call with pocket tens. A queen on the flop sent "ZaCafu" home in seventh place, while "Billy_Slater" bolstered their chip-leading stack to almost 100 big blinds.
Another hour passed without an elimination; the exit of "Zeaberration" broke that deadlock. "Guuadania" opened on the button with pocket threes, "Zeaberration" three-bet all-in for just under 12 big blinds with king-ten of diamonds in the big blind, and the initial raiser called. "Guuandania" improved to an unlikely six-handed straight by the river, and "Zeaberration" was sent packing.
It may have taken 90 minutes for three players to bust, but it took less than 45 minutes more to bring the curtain down on the latest 888poker $80,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event.
The United Kingdom's "BrownBrit" fell in fifth one hand after "Zeaberration" fell. "Magnolia176" completed the small blind with pocket sixes before calling the 13.5 big blind shove from "BrownBrit" in the big blind. The at-risk player showed queen-ten of diamonds, which flopped plenty of outs, turned even more, but ultimately missed everything on the river.
Four became three with one-time chip leader "Billy_Slater" crashing out after a clash with "Magnolia176" didn't go to plan. "Magnolia176" min-raised with jack-seven from the small blind and then decided to call when "Billy_Slater" ripped it in from the big blind for 19.5 big blinds with what turned out to be ace-king. A seven on the flop proved enough to send "Billy_Slater" on their way.
The tournament advanced to heads-up when "Guuadania" fell by the wayside. "Magnolia176" open-shoved from the small blind with king-jack, and "Guuadania" called off 19 big blinds with ace-three. A jack-high board busted "Guuadania."
Heads-up looked like it would be nothing but a formality because "Magnolia176" had a monster-sized 123.2 big blind stack compared to the 21.5 big blinds "Fedevalle" had at their disposal.
"Fedevalle" found a double with aces versus ace-queen of diamonds. They were dealt pocket kings a couple of hands later, but they only won the blinds. The Argentinian soared into the lead when they flopped a diamond flush with jack-six when "Magnolia176" flopped the same flush with ten-three.
After a little more drama and the exchanging of the chip lead, "Magnolia176" open-shoved for 27 big blinds with king-seven of clubs, and "Fedevalle" called with king-jack. "Fedevalle" flopped a jack, and it was enough for them to become the Mystery Bounty Main Event champion.
