XL Blizzard Recaps
Day 1 Started
2018 888poker XL Blizzard
XL Blizzard Recaps
Day: 1
XL Blizzard Series Commences Today at 888poker
The 888poker XL Blizzard series kicks off at 6:00 p.m. GMT on Jan. 18 and runs until Jan. 28. During those 11 days, 34 events will crown their champions and more than $2.8 million will be won.
There is an XL Blizzard tournament for everyone, regardless of the size of their bankroll, because 888poker has created tournaments with buy-ins starting as low as $5 and increasing all the way up to $2,100.
Twelve events are priced between $5 and $44, 11 events have buy-ins of $55 to $109 and 13 XL Blizzard tournaments have buy-ins of $215 or more.
Three events take place on Jan. 18 as the festival gets under way. 888poker players can get involved in an $80,000 Opening Event ($109 buy-in) at 7:00 p.m. GMT, a $15,000 Mini Opening Event ($12) also at 7:00 p.m. GMT and a $20,000 Late Opening Event ($55) at 9:00 p.m. GMT.
Featured Events
Several XL Blizzard tournaments are sure to capture the imagination of the poker community. Whether you get to play in some of the following events or if you have to watch from the sidelines, these tournaments are almost guaranteed to attract some of the best online poker tournament players in the business so seeing them in action will be a sight to behold.
- XL Blizzard #12: $200,000 Whale with a $1,050 buy-in on Jan. 21
- XL Blizzard #16: $250,000 High Roller with a $2,100 buy-in on Jan. 23
- XL Blizzard #31: $150,000 Mega Deep with a $215 buy-in on Jan. 28
- XL Blizzard #32: $1,000,000 Main Event with a $1,050 buy-on on Jan. 28
There are a trio of XL Blizzard Main Events for you to get involved in. The $1,000,000 Main Event costs $1,050 to enter and shuffles up and deals at 7:00 p.m on Jan. 28. The $200,000 Mini Main costs $160 to buy into and starts one minute after the $1,050 buy-in edition at 7:01 p.m. GMT. Lastly, the $50,000 Micro Main commands a $30 buy-in and start at 9:00 p.m. on Jan. 28.
XL Blizzard players automatically take part in three massive promotions, including one where you could walk away with one million dollars. Check them out below.
$1 Million Winners Promotion
Winning more than one XL Blizzard tournament not only nets you some substantial prize money, it will also net you a prize of between $1,000 and a cool $1 million.
If you manage to win two XL Blizzard events, 888poker will reward you with $1,000; win a third and you’ll receive $10,000. Anyone who manages to take down four XL Blizzard events will walk away with $100,000 and if you’re lucky and skillful enough to triumph in five events, your bankroll will receive a $1 million boost.
Champion of Champions
The Champion of Champions returns for the XL Blizzard series and one lucky 888poker player will win a $12,000 WSOP Vegas package. Each time you play in an XL Blizzard event, you earn leaderboard points. The top 50 players on the leaderboard receive a ticket to the Champion of Champions tournament and everyone in that special event wins a prize.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $12,000 WSOP Vegas package |
| 2 | $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package + $1,050 tournament ticket |
| 3 | $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package |
| 4-5 | $1,050 tournament ticket |
| 6-10 | $600 tournament ticket |
| 11-50 | $55 tournament ticket |
Bubble of Bubbles
Bursting the money bubble is never fun, but thanks to the Bubble of Bubbles promotion, finishing one place outside of the money places could be profitable.
Everyone who bursts the bubble in an XL Blizzard event will receive a ticket to the Bubble of Bubbles tournament. Reach the final table of this tournament and you’ll win a prize ranging from a $55 tournament ticket up to a $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package |
| 2-4 | $160 tournament ticket |
| 5-9 | $55 tournament ticket |
Download 888poker via PokerNews and you’ll receive a free $88 worth of cash and tournament tickets just for creating your free account; this is a free £20 to residents of the United Kingdom. When you come to make your first deposit, 888poker matches it 100 percent up to a maximum of $888. All you need to do then is bring your A-game to the table and see if you can become an XL Blizzard champion.
888poker XL Blizzard: Jans "Graftekkel" Arends Wins $80,000 Opening Event
Thursday 18 January was a good day for tournament players around the world. It marked the start of the inaugural edition of the 2018 XL Blizzard Series on one of the biggest online poker rooms, 888poker. On the first day of the series, they kicked off with the $80,000 Opening Event.
XL Blizzard #1 - $80,000 Opening Event
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109 | Jan. 18 | 946 | $94,600 |
In the first four hours of play, a total of 667 players and 279 rebuys made for a total of 946 players. They created a total prize pool of $94,600 with the first prize of $17,736. It took a while to get towards the money but in the end, it was Argentina's "BtM4Ever" who was the last player finishing empty-handed, bubbling the 888 XL Blizzard Opening Event.
After making the money, it took a long time before the tournament was down to the last nine. Hours before that, Chris "888Moorman" Moorman had finished in 62nd place for a cash of $302.72. After ten hours of play, the remaining nine players made the final table and went on to play for the $17,736 first prize.
For "dr1zo" (ninth - $1,334), "974kWRT" (eighth - $2,129) and "gnassil" (seventh - $3,075) it wasn't a big success on the final table as they left quite early on.
After that, the tournament saw "M9yM9so" leave in sixth place. Not much later, "ilginho" was left with just ten big blinds and he just lost them with king-three suited against the ace-nine off of chip leader "BTIPPPPP". He finished in fifth place for $4,967.
For "John_Doe09" the tournament ended in fourth place for $7,095 after losing all his chips in a flush over flush situation against Jans "Graftekkel" Arends.
"BTIPPPPP" was down to his final thirteen big blinds and he was at risk with kings against the seven-ten suited of "Graftekkel". The latter rivered a straight to bust "BTIPPPPP" in third place.
The deciding heads-up between "Graftekkel" and "123magmag123" didn't last long. On a ten-nine-jack-nine board, "Graftekkel" bet 1,500,000 chips and snap-called when "123magmag123" went all in for his last five million chips. The Dutch player had eight-seven for a straight, while the Irish turned over trips with king-nine.
The ace on the river didn't give "123magmag123" the help he needed and he finished in second place for $12,771. "Graftekkel" secured himself of the victory and the first prize of $17,738.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jans "Graftekkel" Arends | Netherlands | $17,738 |
| 2 | 123magmag123 | Ireland | $12,771 |
| 3 | BTIPPPPP | Canada | $9,460 |
| 4 | John_Doe09 | Malta | $7,095 |
| 5 | ilginho | Germany | $4,967 |
| 6 | M9yM9so | Russia | $4,021 |
| 7 | gnassil | Sweden | $3,075 |
| 8 | 974kWRT | Ukraine | $2,129 |
| 9 | dr1zo | Mexico | $1,334 |
XL Blizzard #2 - $15,000 Mini Opening Event
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12 | Jan. 18 | 1,508 | $25,506 |
The cheapest tournament on Day 1 was the XL Blizzard #2 - $15,000 Mini Opening Event. Players had to pay $12 to compete in this tournament and 1,508 did exactly that. There were also 832 rebuys to get a total prize pool of $25,506, easily exclipsing the $15,00 that 888 had guaranteed.
Every finalist was guaranteed at least $275 and this prize went to "220G60" who busted in ninth place. After that, "crazydog777" (eighth, $485), "slasha21" (seventh, $727) and "Ao1ing" (sixth, $969) followed in quick succession.
Ukraine's "loveyourcsh" then busted in fifth place for $1,212, "bagi666" finished in fourth for $1,658 and "APCEBAT" missed the heads-up when he finished in third place for $3,364 after making a three-way deal.
The final heads-up between "VyachesLove" and "bygavuga" ended with "bygavuga" as the winner for $3,394, while "VyachesLove" settled for second place and $2,963 in prize money.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | bygavuga | Russia | $3,394* |
| 2 | VyachesLove | Russia | $2,963* |
| 3 | APCEBAT | Russia | $3,364* |
| 4 | bagi666 | United Kingdom | $1,658 |
| 5 | loveyourcsh | Ukraine | $1,212 |
| 6 | Ao1ing | Russia | $969 |
| 7 | slasha21 | United Kingdom | $727 |
| 8 | crazydog777 | Germany | $485 |
| 9 | 220G60 | Germany | $275 |
XL Blizzard #3 - $20,000 Late Opening Event
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $55 | Jan. 18 | 616 | $30,800 |
"scellone94" from Malta won the XL Blizzard #3 - $20,000 Late Opening Event, a tournament with a buy-in of $55. He defeated a field of 616 players, beating "Charlymogo" in the final heads-up. He or she took home the first place prize of $5,852.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | scellone94 | Malta | $5,852 |
| 2 | Charlymogo | Germany | $4,312 |
| 3 | luckypanch75 | Ukraine | $3,157 |
| 4 | N33dCoaching | Denmark | $2,402 |
| 5 | nelzinyo | United Kingdom | $1,694 |
| 6 | otakupro | Colombia | $1,309 |
| 7 | Fill131 | Ukraine | $1,001 |
| 8 | toshapiter8 | Russia | $693 |
| 9 | MAAtuKKs | Brazil | $511 |
$1 Million Winners Promotion
Winning more than one XL Blizzard tournament not only nets you some substantial prize money, it will also net you a prize of between $1,000 and a cool $1 million.
If you manage to win two XL Blizzard events, 888poker will reward you with $1,000; win a third and you’ll receive $10,000. Anyone who manages to take down four XL Blizzard events will walk away with $100,000 and if you’re lucky and skillful enough to triumph in five events, your bankroll will receive a $1 million boost.
"bygavuga", "scellone94", and Jans "Graftekkel" Arends will be sure to check in on some more events this series, as they're off to a great start in this special promotion.
Champion of Champions
The Champion of Champions returns for the XL Blizzard series and one lucky 888poker player will win a $12,000 WSOP Vegas package. Each time you play in an XL Blizzard event, you earn leaderboard points. The top 50 players on the leaderboard receive a ticket to the Champion of Champions tournament and everyone in that special event wins a prize.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $12,000 WSOP Vegas package |
| 2 | $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package + $1,050 tournament ticket |
| 3 | $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package |
| 4-5 | $1,050 tournament ticket |
| 6-10 | $600 tournament ticket |
| 11-50 | $55 tournament ticket |
Bubble of Bubbles
Bursting the money bubble is never fun, but thanks to the Bubble of Bubbles promotion, finishing one place outside of the money places could be profitable.
Everyone who bursts the bubble in an XL Blizzard event will receive a ticket to the Bubble of Bubbles tournament. Reach the final table of this tournament and you’ll win a prize ranging from a $55 tournament ticket up to a $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $3,000 Crazy 8 WSOP package |
| 2-4 | $160 tournament ticket |
| 5-9 | $55 tournament ticket |
Download 888poker via PokerNews and you’ll receive a free $88 worth of cash and tournament tickets just for creating your free account; this is a free £20 to residents of the United Kingdom. When you come to make your first deposit, 888poker matches it 100 percent up to a maximum of $888. All you need to do then is bring your A-game to the table and see if you can become an XL Blizzard champion.
Tonight's and This Weekend's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
| Date | Time (GMT) | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 19 Jan | 7:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #4: $20,000 Twins Royal | $55 |
| 7:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #5: $20,000 Twins Flush | $55 | |
| Sat 20 Jan | 7:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #6: $50,000 Crazy 8 | $88 |
| 7:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #7: $15,000 Mini Crazy 8 | $8.80 | |
| 9:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #8: $15,000 Late Crazy 8 | $44 | |
| Sun 21 Jan | 17:30 | XL Blizzard #9 - $120,000 Mega Deep | $215 |
| 18:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #10 - $200,000 Tune Up | $160 | |
| 6:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #11: $40,000 Mini Tune Up | $12 | |
| 19:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #12 - $200,000 Whale | $1,050 | |
| 9:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #13 - $20,000 Late Tune Up | $55 |
Two Final Tables But No Win For "Gugulehtu"
After a great start on Thursday, with Jans "Graftekkel" Arends winning the Opening Event, the XL Blizzard continued on Friday. This time, there were two events on the schedule with a buy-in of $55. Let's see who were crowned winners and may take a shot at one million dollars (by winning four more).
XL Blizzard #4 - $20,000 Twins Royal
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $55 | Jan. 19 | 593 | $29,650 |
At 8 p.m. GMT, the XL Blizzard #4 - $20,000 Twins Royal started with each player receiving a starting stack of 15,000 chips. After the late registration closed, there were 463 players and 130 rebuys of $50 each. That made for a prize pool of $29,650, with a first-place prize of $5,634.
After several hours, the tournament reached the final table. "juicyjules22" ended in 10th place for $356, just falling short of the final nine. Every finalist secured themselves of $492 - the amount "nU3DOC" received for his ninth-place finish. "OscarSJS" and "WarnerBrosss" busted in eighth and seventh place, receiving $667 and $963 respectively.
"69Ways" from Finland finished in sixth place for $1,260 and "Gugulehtu" got $1,630 for his or hers fifth place. Argentina's "ivanascasubi" received $2,313 after busting in fourth place and his fellow countryman "Nemesis_25" ended up in third place for $2,039.
The final heads-up between Belarusian "vampa500" and Russia's "Pasha813" was won by the latter who secured $5,634. The runner-up had to settle for $4,151.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pasha813 | Russia | $5,634 |
| 2 | vampa500 | Belarus | $4,151 |
| 3 | Nemesis_25 | Argentina | $3,039 |
| 4 | ivanascasubi | Argentina | $2,313 |
| 5 | Gugulehtu | Malta | $1,631 |
| 6 | 69Ways | Finland | $1,260 |
| 7 | WarnerBrosss | Netherlands | $964 |
| 8 | OscarSJS | United Kingdom | $667 |
| 9 | nU3DOC | Russia | $492 |
XL Blizzard #5 - $20,000 Twins Flush
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $55 | Jan. 19 | 568 | $28,400 |
At the same time as the XL Blizzard #4, the XL Blizzard #5 - $20,000 Twins Flush started. After the registration period was over, there were 434 players and 134 rebuys for a total of 568 entries. The total prize pool was $28,400 with a first prize of $5,396.
Malta's "Gugulehtu", who finished fifth in XL Blizzard #4, made the final table once again. After the elimination of "Openpunks" (ninth, $471), "ob1wahn" (eighth, $639) and "sharadrao" (seventh, $923), he or she had to settle for sixth place ($1,207).
Romania's "HotSauce86" went out in fifth place ($2,215) which left three Russian players and a German.
"Jamasutra" survived the battle against the Russians and saw "edyvpakistan", "dimdaf" and "Ao1ing" leave the tournament. "Ao1ing" lost the final heads-up against the German and had to settle for $3,976. The German winner received the first prize of $5,396.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamasutra | Germany | $5,396 |
| 2 | Ao1ing | Russia | $3,976 |
| 3 | dimdaf | Russia | $2,911 |
| 4 | edyvpakistan | Russia | $2,215 |
| 5 | HotSauce86 | Romania | $1,562 |
| 6 | Gugulehtu | Malta | $1,207 |
| 7 | sharadrao | India | $923 |
| 8 | ob1wahn | Germany | $639 |
| 9 | Openpunks | Malta | $471 |
"Rekrutt1" Wins The $50,000 Crazy 8
On the third day of the 888poker XL Blizzard Series, three new tournaments started. Most of the attention went out to the $50,000 Crazy 8, where the only five-figure prize of the day was won by Norwegian player "Rekrutt1". Let's take a look at this tournament and the results of the other events that played out on Saturday.
XL Blizzard #6 - $50,000 Crazy 8
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $88 | Jan. 20 | 668 | $53,440 |
At 20:00 GMT, the XL Blizzard #6 - $50,000 Crazy 8 kicked off. After late registration closed, there were 465 registered players. With a total of 203 rebuys, that made for a total of 668 entries, resulting in a a total prize pool of $53,440 with $10,154 reserved for the winner. More than eight hours were played before they crowned a champion.
Eight players made the final table, securing themselves of $1,069. "ricochi_91" (eighth, $1,069), "DR_Puyol" (seventh, $1,336), "PoulPanasony" (sixth, $1,870), "PBD03" (fifth, $2,672) were eliminated in quick succession. After that, "CARRAMROD" (fourth, $4,008) and "DoobieFish" (third, $5,483) missed out on the final heads-up.
Russia's "Ksuna" battled against Norway's "Rekrutt1" and in the end, the latter mentioned defeated his opponent to be crowned as the winner. The Norwegian received the first prize of $10,154, while the runner-up had to settle for $7,482.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rekrutt1 | Norway | $10,154 |
| 2 | Ksuna | Russia | $7,482 |
| 3 | DoobieFish | United Kingdom | $5,483 |
| 4 | CARRAMROD | Colombia | $4,008 |
| 5 | PBD03 | Canada | $2,672 |
| 6 | PoulPanasony | Denmark | $1,870 |
| 7 | DR_Puyol | Switzerland | $1,336 |
| 8 | ricochi_91 | Peru | $1,069 |
XL Blizzard #7 - $15,000 Mini Crazy 8
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8.80 | Jan. 20 | 2,545 | $20,360 |
For the players who couldn't afford the biggest buy-in ($88) of the day, there was a Mini edition of the Crazy 8 on the schedule. This tournament had a buy-in of $8.80 and there were 2,545 players competing for a prize pool of $20,360. Every finalist in this tournament would secure him- or herself of $204 but all eyes were on the top prize of $3,563.
That top prize went to Finland's "NeveGiveUp" after beating "bunder17" from Germany in heads-up. The German runner-up received $2,545.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NeveGiveUp | Finland | $3,563 |
| 2 | bunder17 | Germany | $2,545 |
| 3 | anper888 | Peru | $1,971 |
| 4 | A25091973 | Russia | $1,425 |
| 5 | BEPH9IK | Russia | $1,018 |
| 6 | Nieapamieta1 | Czech Republic | $611 |
| 7 | h_k_phooey | United Kingdom | $407 |
| 8 | Darlene2013 | Canada | $204 |
XL Blizzard #8 - $15,000 Late Crazy 8
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $44 | Jan. 20 | 445 | $17,800 |
Another winner was crowned in the XL Blizzard #8 - $15,000 Late Crazy 8. This event was played by 445 players to create a prize pool of $17,800. In the end, it was Russia's "msksevart " who won the event for $3,025 after making a heads-up deal with runner-up "Javierv10" who finished in second place for $3,027.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | msksevart | Russia | $3,025 |
| 2 | Javierv10 | Colombia | $3,027 |
| 3 | KelevraJesus | Malta | $1,958 |
| 4 | xane7a | Malta | $1,424 |
| 5 | Am44nda | Sweden | $979 |
| 6 | luckypanch75 | Ukraine | $712 |
| 7 | DefiMensuel | Sweden | $534 |
| 8 | yrkkk | Lithuania | $445 |
Today's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
| Date | Time (GMT) | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 21 Jan | 17:30 | XL Blizzard #9 - $120,000 Mega Deep | $215 |
| 18:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #10 - $200,000 Tune Up | $160 | |
| 6:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #11: $40,000 Mini Tune Up | $12 | |
| 19:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #12 - $200,000 Whale | $1,050 | |
| 9:00 p.m. | XL Blizzard #13 - $20,000 Late Tune Up | $55 |
Niklas "tutten7" Astedt Cashes Big Twice, Jacobson Fourth in Whale
On the fourth day of the 888poker XL Blizzard Series, five new tournaments were on the schedule. Most of the attention went out to the $200,000 Whale, where some great prizes were paid out to the players. Let's take a look who was crowned as a winner in this event and the results of the other events that played out on Sunday.
XL Blizzard #9 - $120,000 Mega Deep
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $215 | Jan. 21 | 565 | $154,800 |
Well known Austrian grinder "23NoraB" took down the $120,000 guaranteed Mega Deep event, beating 564 other hopefuls to take down the first-place prize of almost $30,000. Heads-up he beat "Raise_Once," a Greek player using Phil Ivey's monicker. Second place netted him or her a massive $21,440. Russian player "NVladislav78" had to do with third place, worth $15,790.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23NoraB | Austria | $29,257 |
| 2 | Raise_Once | Greece | $21,440 |
| 3 | NVladislav78 | Russia | $15,790 |
| 4 | seijistar1 | Brazil | $11,610 |
| 5 | Ineedmassari | Brazil | $7,740 |
| 6 | lrdvoldemort | United Kingdom | $5,418 |
| 7 | Merfinis | United Kingdom | $3,870 |
| 8 | StuntSoHard | Netherlands | $2,709 |
XL Blizzard #10 - $200,000 Tune Up
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $160 | Jan. 21 | 1,379 | $206,850 |
After almost 13 hours of play, the XL Blizzard #10 - $200,000 Tune Up finally crowned a winner. It was "RKOoutofNWHR" from Germany who claimed the first place prize of $35,591 after defeating countryman "Stiffler29" in heads-up play.
The event drew 1,027 players. They had a combined 352 rebuys, making for a total of 1,379 entries. That created a prize pool of $206,850 with 135 places getting paid. It was "Fackedelic" from Austria that finished on the bubble and was the last player unable to break into the money.
After more than 10 hours of play, the tournament dwindled down to nine players who made up the official final table. In one of the first hands, "gtavares" finished in 9th place ($2,482). After that, it took a while before "Gusalagupagu" lost his stack with pocket kings against chip leader "RKOoutofNWHR" to end in eighth place. "BtM4Ever" (seventh, $6,206) and "Avskedad" (sixth, $8,274) followed in quick succession to get down to five players.
With five players left, "VisionLikeN." was all in for his or her last fifteen big blinds with two red nines. "RKOoutofNWHR" found pocket queens and made the easy call. The queens were still good after five community cards, which meant that "VisionLikeN." finished in fifth place for $8,274. Niklas "tutten7" Astedt and "Allindgaard" were the shortest stacks with four players left. They got their money in with king-queen against nines, and the Swede turned a queen to bust the Danish player in fourth place for $14,893.
Niklas "tutten7" Astedt then lost a few pots in a row and was down to fifteen big blinds. He went all in from the small blind with 
and received a call from "RKOoutofNWHR" in the big blind with 
. The board ran out 
and Astedt finished in third place for $19,858.
The two German players made a deal before the heads-up started. After both agreed to the numbers, they decided to flip for the XL title and $4,000 extra. After several flips, it was "RKOoutofNWHR" who won the XL Blizzard title and the first prize of $35,591. The German defeated fellow countryman "Stiffler29", who took a prize of $28,181 after the heads-up deal.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RKOoutofNWHR | Germany | $35,591 |
| 2 | Stiffler29 | Germany | $28,181 |
| 3 | Niklas "tutten7" Astedt | Sweden | $19,858 |
| 4 | Allindgaard | Denmark | $14,893 |
| 5 | VisionLikeN. | Germany | $10,343 |
| 6 | Avskedad | Sweden | $8,274 |
| 7 | BtM4Ever | Argentina | $6,206 |
| 8 | Gusalagupagu | Romania | $3,137 |
| 9 | gtavares10 | Brazil | $2,482 |
XL Blizzard #11 - $40,000 Mini Tune Up
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12 | Jan. 21 | 4,840 | $52,647 |
For those who thought $160 for the regular Tune Up was a little too much, 888 had the Mini Tune Up in store, asking just $12 to enter. A massive turnout of 4,840 players resulted in a sizable prize pool worth $52,647.
Making the final table would result in 33 times your money, but winning would get you your money back times 564. "BL1NDRAZOR" was the one to make the final table but had to settle for the former, getting $400 for ninth place. "boarbag", like "BL1NDRAZOR" from the United Kingdom, followed suit and exited in eight position.
The win would go to Germany as "geniuspoker" won the heads up battle after striking a deal with "dolaBET," "geniuspoker" took home $6,775 while "dolaBET" got wired $6,127.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | geniuspoker | Germany | $6,775 |
| 2 | dolaBET | Lithuania | $6,127 |
| 3 | Felipe "FmoraesP" Moraes Pereira | Brazil | $4,054 |
| 4 | yHuKaJIbHbIu | Russia | $3,054 |
| 5 | Ndbnds | Ukraine | $2,106 |
| 6 | fankatabt | Macedonia | $1,474 |
| 7 | fishyfishy. | Romania | $948 |
| 8 | boarbag | United Kingdom | $526 |
| 9 | BL1NDRAZOR | United Kingdom | $400 |
XL Blizzard #12 - $200,000 Whale
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,050 | Jan. 21 | 197 | $200,000 |
Niklas "tutten7" Astedt did well in the $200 Tune Up finishing third for $19,858, but he did even better in the $200,000 Whale. Astedt battled himself to the heads up where he faced off against "CrystalMad" from the United Kingdom. Astedt wouldn't be able to close the deal, losing heads-up to go out in second, netting himself $32,000. Still, not a bad weekend for the Sede who cashed for $51,858 in these two events combined.
Coming in fourth was none other than Martin "MJacobson888" Jacobson. The former WSOP Main Event champion, who signed a sponsorship deal with 888poker at the beginning of the year, took home $18,000.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CrystalMad | United Kingdom | $46,000 |
| 2 | Niklas "tutten7" Astedt | Sweden | $32,000 |
| 3 | Ronaldo4112 | Malta | $24,300 |
| 4 | Martin "MJacobson888" Jacobson | United Kingdom | $18,000 |
| 5 | mario73m | United Kingdom | $12,000 |
| 6 | APOARSLAN | Sweden | $10,000 |
| 7 | Whyfloatme | United Kingdom | $8,000 |
| 8 | Madeon1994 | Sweden | $6,000 |
| 9 | sonmonedass | Argentina | $5,000 |
XL Blizzard #13 - $20,000 Late Tune Up
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $55 | Jan. 21 | 679 | $33,950 |
Besides the regular Tune Up and the Mini edition of the same event, a late version was on offer as well. For those still willing to play late at night, the $55 buy-in event was the perfect destination.
679 players registered the event, making for a prize pool of almost $34,000. "Avgustys" from Ukraine took home the biggest prize, winning $6,417 after beating Belarusian player "GoFighTer" heads up.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avgustys | Ukraine | $6,417 |
| 2 | GoFighTer | Belarus | $4,702 |
| 3 | jorec | Czech Republic | $3,463 |
| 4 | CNpoker666 | United Kingdom | $2,614 |
| 5 | gruzin_vova | Russia | $1,833 |
| 6 | MAMOHT_T | Russia | $1,443 |
| 7 | elf88.74 | Russia | $1,103 |
| 8 | HellChicKKen | Belarus | $764 |
| 9 | SugarBeast | Germany | $519 |
Today's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
| Date | Time (GMT) | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 22 Jan | 20:00 | XL Blizzard #14 - $40,000 R&A Event | $55 |
| 20:00 | XL Blizzard #15 - $10,000 Mini R&A | $5 |
"yarik1903" Gets Ukraine's Second XL Blizzard Title
On the fifth day of the 888poker XL Blizzard Series, just two new tournaments were played. Let's take a look who were crowned winners in these events on Monday
XL Blizzard #14 - $40,000 R&A
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Rebuys+ Add-ons | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $55 | Jan. 22 | 414 | 308 + 252 | $48,700 |
At 20:00 GMT, the XL Blizzard #14 - $40,000 R&A started with over 400 players. During the first hour, players did 308 rebuys and 252 add-ons to create a total prize pool of $48,700. For the winner, there was the first prize waiting of $9,346 and a ticket for the Champion of Champions event next week.
Niklas “tutten7” Åstedt was the biggest name at the final table.
After several hours of play, it was Dutch player "BobLeeSwagga" who finished the tournament in 55th place. That meant "BobLeeSwagga" was the bubble boy and with that, received a ticket for the Bubble of Bubbles tournament. On the final table, Niklas “tutten7” Åstedt (lead photo) was the biggest name. The Swede made two big scores on Sunday and was chasing his first XL Blizzard title in this event. Unfortunately for him, he finished in sixth place for $2,070.
Not much later, "emreey90" exited in third place for $5,114. The final heads-up was between Ukraine's "yarik1903" and "hale_bop123" from Germany. It was the Ukrainian who took down the title and the first prize of $9,346.
XL Blizzard #15 - $10,000 Mini R&A
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Rebuys+ Add-ons | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | Jan. 22 | 1,477 | 1,638 + 829 | $17,945 |
"DeltaSider" became the fourth Russian to win an XL Blizzard title!
For the players who didn't have the bankroll to play the $55 event, there was also a Mini edition with a buy-in of just $5. In total, 1,477 players competed in this event and they made for 1,638 rebuys and 829 add-ons. That made for a $17,945 prize pool with the first prize just over $3,000.
In this event, Russia's "SMVD1" came one shy of making the money but that got the Russian a ticket for the Bubble of Bubbles tournament. In the end, "luckypaanch75" (fourth, $1,220) and "moonm1969" (third, $1,703) were eliminated from the final table. The final two players made a deal, where Ukraine's "Agelesss1" got $2,676 and Russia's "DeltaSider" locked up $2,618.
After the deal, "DeltaSider" won the tournament and became the fourth Russian to win an XL Blizzard title!
Today's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
PokerNews is exclusively bringing you live updates from the XL Blizzard #16 - $250,000 High Roller tonight. Here's the full schedule for today's XL Blizzard:
| Date | Time (GMT) | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 23 Jan | 20:00 | XL Blizzard #16 - $250,000 High Roller | $2,100 |
| 20:00 | XL Blizzard #17 - $100,000 Mini High Roller | $215 | |
| 22:00 | XL Blizzard #18 - $30,000 Late High Roller | $160 |
Parker Talbot Makes High Roller Final Table
On the fifth day of the 888poker XL Blizzard Series, three new tournaments were on the schedule. Most of the attention went out to the $250,000 High Roller, where some massive prizes were "up for grabs."
XL Blizzard #16 - $250,000 High Roller
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,100 | Jan. 23 | 118 | $250,000 |
After almost nine hours of play, Mexico's "SteveyBG" won the XL Blizzard #16 - $250,000 High Roller for $63,697. The event attracted 118 players for a little overlay and a total prize pool of $250,000.
Some of the best tournament players in the poker world registered to the event. Well-known pros like Ole "olekonjole" Schemion, Martin "MJacobson888" Jacobson, Simon "Isildur1337x" Mattsson had a go at the most expensive tournament of the XL Blizzard series, but all without the necessary luck to make a deep run.
Just twelve places got paid in this tournament, and it was Dutchman "InJeBakkes" who fell in thirteenth place after losing a coin flip with pocket threes against ace-king. After that, "pekojizonno", "Whyfloatme" and "DosPoochies" missed out on the final table. The eventual final table was, however, by no means lacking household names.
"SteveyBG" stopped "OlNKOinkOink" from his second title of the day.
Parker "888tonkaaaa" Talbot was one of them, but he hit the rail in ninth place ($7,500).
Fabricio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez was down to eight big blinds, and he shoved with king-queen. Ben "jenbizzIe" Jones made the call with pocket sevens and held, eliminating Gonzalez in eighth place for $8,750. After that, Jones found himself eliminated in seventh place ($10,625) after shoving pocket tens into pocket queens.
Thirty minutes later, "summuNNN" defended his big blind against a raise from "OINKOinkOink" and flopped top pair with ten-eight. Unfortunately for him, the German had pocket aces and made an easy call when the Brit moved in. No help for "summuNNN" on the turn or river and he saw his run come to an end in sixth place for $13,125.
Ukraine's "yarik1903" won an event on Monday, but couldn't close the deal in the $2,100 High Roller. The Ukrainian ended up all in with ace-six against the ace-king of "aIderfaIder" and lost the hand, ending this event in fifth place for $17,500.
"aIderfaIder" was second in chips with four remaining, but still busted in fourth place for $23,750. The British player called all in with sixes but was facing pocket tens from "SteveyBG." "SteveyBG" flopped a set and eliminated the Brit.
With three left, Sebastian "p000cket000" Sikorski moved all in from the small blind with jack-three and received a call from "OINKOinkOink" in the big blind with ace-seven. The German regular won the hand to bust Sikorski in third place for $35,000. The two final players made a deal before their heads-up, and after that, it was Mexico's "SteveyBG" who got the title and first prize of $63,697.
With that, the Mexican player stopped "OlNKOinkOink" from his second title of the day. But still, the German had a fantastic runner-up finish for $51,303.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SteveyBG | Mexico | $63,697 |
| 2 | OlNKOinkOink | Germany | $51,303 |
| 3 | Sebastian "p000cket000" Sikorski | Canada | $35,000 |
| 4 | aIderfaIder | United Kingdom | $23,750 |
| 5 | yarik1903 | Ukraine | $17,500 |
| 6 | summuNNN | United Kingdom | $13,125 |
| 7 | Ben "jenbizzIe" Jones | United Kingdom | $10,625 |
| 8 | Fabricio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez | Uruguay | $8,750 |
| 9 | Parker "888tonkaaaa" Talbot | Canada | $7,500 |
XL Blizzard #17 - $100,000 Mini High Roller
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $215 | Jan. 23 | 630 | $126,000 |
"OlNKOinkOink" came up short in the $2,100 High Roller where he finished runner-up, but he did come out on top in Event 17. Besting a field of 630 players, "OlNKOinkOink" went home with the top prize of almost $25,000.
The mini version of the High Roller easily made its guarantee, getting to a prize pool of $126,000 where just $100,000 was reserved by 888. While "OlNKOinkOink" was the one walking away with the title, he or she wasn't the one to leave this event the richest. Heads-up, a deal was made with countryman "Charlymogo" who banked $27,955.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OlNKOinkOink | Germany | $24,179 |
| 2 | Charlymogo | Germany | $27,955 |
| 3 | sweet_dr34ms | Russia | $13,230 |
| 4 | sivvis | Germany | $10,080 |
| 5 | bluffing420s | Canada | $7,056 |
| 6 | Pasha813 | Russia | $5,355 |
| 7 | WHATaDREAM | Brazil | $4,095 |
| 8 | DoobieFish | United Kingdom | $2,835 |
| 9 | YoureMagical | Mexico | $2,092 |
XL Blizzard #18 - $30,000 Late High Roller
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $160 | Jan. 23 | 288 | $43,200 |
Another "high roller," this time with a buy-in of just $160 and a late start. Two Brazilians, two Swedes, a player from the Ukraine, and a Fin, Russian, Czech, and Canadian made for an international final table.
The Czech player "LovePorn69", who apparently loves to watch nature documentaries on the internet, walked away a winner. While "LovePorn69" got $8,050 for first, Russian player "P0vorachivay" ended up with a similar amount after a heads-up deal.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LovePorn69 | Czech Republic | $8,050 |
| 2 | P0vorachivay | Russia | $7,934 |
| 3 | Clay_Born | Sweden | $5,076 |
| 4 | Fukuruku | Ukraine | $3,780 |
| 5 | rafitia | Brazil | $2,592 |
| 6 | spasticmonk | Canada | $2,160 |
| 7 | Klonkfisken | Sweden | $1,728 |
| 8 | dmg34 | Finland | $1,296 |
| 9 | MatheusCG | Brazil | $864 |
Today's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
| Date | Time (GMT) | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 24 Jan | 20:00 | XL Blizzard #19 - $40,000 8-Max | $109 |
| 20:00 | XL Blizzard #20 - $10,000 Mini 8-Max | $12 | |
| 22:00 | XL Blizzard #21 - $10,000 Late 8-Max | $30 |
Bernardo "bsdias" Dias Misses Out On 8-Max Title
On the sixth day of the 888poker XL Blizzard Series, three new tournaments were on the schedule. Most money was up for grabs in the $40,000 8-Max, where the winner could take home a five-figure score.
XL Blizzard #19 - $40,000 8-Max
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109 | Jan. 24 | 619 | $61,900 |
At 8 p.m. GMT, the XL Blizzard #19 - $40,000 8-Max started with each player receiving a massive 15,000 starting stack. After the late registration closed, there were 619 players. That made for a prize pool of $61,900, with a first-place prize of $11,761
The XL Blizzard #19 - $40,000 8-Max started with a massive 15,000 starting stack
After several hours, the tournament reached the final table. "alexxv14" and "pokanuktus" busted in eighth and seventh place, receiving $1,238 and $1,548 respectively.
"Palyaaa" from Finland finished in sixth place for $2,167 and "Philgreen111" got $3,095 for his or her fifth place. Russia's "blowjob1987" received $4,643 after busting in fourth place and Romanian "AlinGabrielG" ended up in third place for $6,500.
The final heads-up between Brazil's Bernardo "bsdias" Dias (lead photo) and Malta's "PazzoRJ" was won by the latter who secured $11,761. The runner-up had to settle for $8,666.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PazzoRJ | Malta | $11,761 |
| 2 | Bernardo "bsdias" Dias | Brazil | $8,666 |
| 3 | AlinGabrielG | Romania | $6,500 |
| 4 | blowjob1987 | Russia | $4,643 |
| 5 | Philgreen111 | United Kingdom | $3,095 |
| 6 | Palyaaa | Ukraine | $2,167 |
| 7 | pokanuktus | Russia | $1,548 |
| 8 | alexxv14 | Romania | $1,238 |
XL Blizzard #20 - $10,000 Mini 8-Max
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12 | Jan. 24 | 2,120 | $22,018 |
For the players who couldn't afford the bigger buy-in ($109), there was a Mini edition of the Crazy 8 on the schedule. This tournament had a buy-in of just $12, and there were 2,120 players competing for a prize pool of $22,018. The final table was top heavy with all eight finalists in this tournament securing themselves of $220 while the top prize was $3,963.
That prize went to United Kingdom's "JohnJones34" after beating "Jpvasc" from Brazil in the deciding heads-up. The Brazilian runner-up received $2,862.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JohnJones34 | United Kingdom | $3,963 |
| 2 | Jpvasc | Brazil | $2,862 |
| 3 | poliakov777 | Ukraine | $2,202 |
| 4 | batonlviv | Ukraine | $1,541 |
| 5 | Maestro_Bolt | Russia | $1,101 |
| 6 | CiaoBambino | Lithuania | $661 |
| 7 | KostyaNII | Russia | $440 |
| 8 | lostpk14 | Brazil | $220 |
XL Blizzard #21 - $10,000 Late 8-Max
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30 | Jan. 24 | 692 | $19,030 |
A late winner was crowned in the XL Blizzard #21 - $10,000 Late 8-Max. This event attracted 692 players to create a prize pool of $19,030. In the end, it was Latvia's "CR1TCHZ" who won the event for $3,597 after defeating runner-up "warhungry90" who finished in second place for $2,636.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CR1TCHZ | Latvia | $3,597 |
| 2 | warhungry90 | United Kingdom | $2,636 |
| 3 | galan8 | Ukraine | $1,941 |
| 4 | Vlada2108 | Slovakia | $1,427 |
| 5 | casual_win | United Kingdom | $952 |
| 6 | DefiMensueel | Sweden | $666 |
| 7 | teejy | Russia | $476 |
| 8 | U.RUTIGLIANO | United Kingdom | $333 |
Download 888poker via PokerNews and you’ll receive a free $88 worth of cash and tournament tickets just for creating your free account; this is a free £20 to residents of the United Kingdom. When you come to make your first deposit, 888poker matches it 100 percent up to a maximum of $888. All you need to do then is bring your A-game to the table and see if you can become an XL Blizzard champion.
Today's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
| Date | Time (GMT) | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 25 Jan | 20:00 | XL Blizzard #22 - $80,000 Quarterback | $215 |
| 20:00 | XL Blizzard #23 - $20,000 Mini Quarterback | $44 | |
| 22:00 | XL Blizzard #24 - $20,000 Late Quarterback | $109 |
Jans 'Graftekkel' Arends Denied Second Title
On the eighth day of the XL Blizzard Series on 888poker, players enjoyed a nice day of poker. In total, three tournaments started with the XL Blizzard #22 - $80,000 Quarterback as the highlight of the day. The $55 buy-in Mini edition and a $215 buy-in Late edition started as well. Let's take a look at the results.
XL Blizzard #22 - $80,000 Quarterback
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $215 | Jan. 25 | 661 | $84,500 |
At 20:00 GMT, the $80,000 Quarterback started with players receiving a starting stack of 10,000 for a $215 buy-in. In case of busting while (late) registration was still open, players could rebuy for just $50. After late registration, there were 343 players and 318 rebuys for a total prize pool of $84,500. For the winner, $16,351 was reserved, while every finalist got at least $1,479.
Would Jans have won his second event of the series, he would have banked an extra $1,000
Jans 'Graftekkel' Arends, who won the Opening Event, was chasing his second title of this series. The Dutchman couldn't close this one after finishing in sixth place for $3,718. Would Jans have won his second event of the series, he would have banked an extra $1,000 in 888's $1 Million Winners Promotion.
In the end, it was "sayqmyqname" who took down this event for $16,351 after defeating Brazil's "andrebos" in the final battle. "OPH1UCHUS" finished in third place, just short from a five-figure score earning $9,295.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | sayqmyqname | United Arab Emirates | $16,351 |
| 2 | andrebos | Brazil | $12,253 |
| 3 | OPH1UCHUS | United Kingdom | $9,295 |
| 4 | POTITOOOOOOOO | Malta | $6,971 |
| 5 | eijseijs | Sweden | $4,817 |
| 6 | Jans 'Graftekkel' Arends | Netherlands | $3,718 |
| 7 | T.R.Albrecht | Germany | $2,873 |
| 8 | jxw331 | United Kingdom | $2,028 |
| 9 | Ineedmassari | Brazil | $1,479 |
XL Blizzard #23 - $20,000 Mini Quarterback
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $44 | Jan. 25 | 1,106 | $31,460 |
Just like the previous days, there was a Mini edition of the 'Main' tournament on the schedule. This event, the XL Blizzard #23 - $20,000 Mini Quarterback, had a buy-in of $44 and players could rebuy for just $10 if they busted before registration closed. In total, there were 1,106 entries creating a prize pool of $31,460. There was a top prize of $5,899 but in the end, nobody won that amount.
With four players remaining, the players made a deal where Dutchman "Mastelzmind" took the most money ($4,517). he or she wouldn't get the XL Blizzard title, though, losing in the heads-up to "bujalabujala" from Lithuania.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | bujalabujala | Lithuania | $3,496 |
| 2 | Mastelzmind | Netherlands | $4,517 |
| 3 | eatyastack | Latvia | $3,460 |
| 4 | LeonBY | Belarus | $4,178 |
| 5 | U.E.N.O. | Malta | $1,652 |
| 6 | Kevinmac1 | United Kingdom | $1,337 |
| 7 | 1OMGsolucky1 | Sweden | $1,022 |
| 8 | Ilikepugs | Sweden | $708 |
| 9 | TheDEBTonatR | Canada | $444 |
XL Blizzard #24 - $20,000 Late Quarterback
| Buy-in | Date | Players | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109 | Jan. 25 | 364 | $25,825 |
Another winner was crowned in the XL Blizzard #24 - $20,000 Late Quarterback, where 364 players competed to create a prize pool of $25,825.
After just six hours and eighteen minutes, it was Russia's "petrofv5501" who took the title and the first prize of $5,281. The Russian defeated Switzerland's "77DASH" in the deciding heads-up, after tournament regular Fabricio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez finished in third place.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | petrofv5501 | Russia | $5,281 |
| 2 | 77DASH | Switzerland | $3,874 |
| 3 | Fabricio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez | Uruguay | $2,918 |
| 4 | Krazzyaces77 | Canada | $2,195 |
| 5 | NoMamesWey23 | Mexico | $1,498 |
| 6 | yarik1903 | Ukraine | $1,162 |
| 7 | Papasmerf88 | United Kingdom | $904 |
| 8 | Kzzon | Sweden | $646 |
| 9 | alexos888 | Canada | $491 |
Download 888poker via PokerNews and you’ll receive a free $88 worth of cash and tournament tickets just for creating your free account; this is a free £20 to residents of the United Kingdom. When you come to make your first deposit, 888poker matches it 100 percent up to a maximum of $888. All you need to do then is bring your A-game to the table and see if you can become an XL Blizzard champion.
Today's 888poker XL Blizzard Schedule
| Date | Time (GMT) | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 26 Jan | 20:00 | XL Blizzard #25 - $25,000 Knockout | $150 |
| 20:00 | XL Blizzard #26 - $10,000 Mini Knockout | $35 | |
| 22:00 | XL Blizzard #27 - $10,000 Late Knockout | $75 |