PokerStars is turning 25, and they aren't blowing out the candles quietly. The online poker giant has announced a month-long Anniversary Series running from May 10 to June 3, 2026, boasting a staggering $50 million in total guarantees.
The festival serves as a dual celebration, also marking the 15th anniversary of the Sunday Storm, one of the most iconic low-stakes tournaments in poker history.
The first hour of play has finished, and the 118 remaining players have been sent on their first 20-minute break of the day.
Seeing a raise to 8,000 ahead of him, Ilya Nikiforov three-bet to 32,000 from the small blind. Stanislav Anufriiev responded with a cold four-bet to 103,000 from the big blind. The original raiser folded, but Nikiforov moved all in for 135,000, which Anufriiev called.
Ilya Nikiforov: K♠K♣ 
Stanislav Anufriiev: A♦J♦
A sweet situation soon turned sour for Nikiforov, as the dealer spread a J♣8♠J♥ flop, improving Anufriiev to trips.
There was no saving grace for Nikiforov, as the 6♣ turn and 4♣ river completed the board, seeing him eliminated in unfortunate circumstances.
Gianluca Cedolia opened to 8,000 under the gun. Hugo Blaison made it 24,000 in the cutoff before Artsiom Lasouski four-bet to 51,000 on the button. Cedolia immediately got out of the way, but Blaison clicked it back to 95,000.
Lasouski confirmed the amount before calling, and the 4♣5♠2♣ flop was fanned. Blaison continued for 27,000, which Lasouski called. Blaison sized up to 102,000 on the 9♦ turn, but was still unable to shake his opponent as Lasouski called again.
The river fell the 6♣. Blaison moved all in, covering Lasouski's 175,000 remaining chips. Lasouski went deep into the tank, but eventually tossed a single chip in the middle to signal a call.
Blaison tabled A♠10♣ for just ace-high, prompting Lasouski to triumphantly show 8♥8♦. His pair of eights won him the massive pot worth more than 200 big blinds, and saw him ascend to be among the leaders in the room.
Fabian Bartuschk was all in and at risk from the hijack, versus Conor O'Driscoll on the button.
Fabian Bartuschk: K♠K♥
Conor O'Driscoll: Q♦Q♣
There was no help for O'Driscoll on the 6♦J♠10♠9♥10♥ board, and Bartuschk pulled in a crucial double up.
The altercation left O'Driscoll with just 28,000 in his stack, which he was unable to spin up, as he was eliminated a few hands later.
Vid Zagar raised to 8,000 under the gun. It folded to Tigran Harutyunyan in the big blind, who shoved in his stack of 78,000. Zagar called after a small tank.
Tigran Harutyunyan: A♣Q♣
Vid Zagar: 10♠10♦
"So I need to win a flip," Harutyunyan stated as he saw the 6♦4♥8♦ flop and 3♠ turn brick off. He spiked top pair on the A♥ river, however, and raked in the pot to double up.
At a nearby table, Taran Parmar had shoved in stack of 70,000 under the gun and was up against Igor Pihela in the next seat over.
Taran Parmar: 8♦7♦
Igor Pihela: A♥J♦
The K♠4♣4♦K♣ turn brought some chop outs, but the 3♥ river was a blank and sealed Parmar's fate.
The action was joined as Cedric Schwaederle had worked his stack in preflop from the cutoff, and was at risk versus the under-the-gun player Robbie Bull.
Cedric Schwaederle: A♣A♥
Robbie Bull: A♦K♦
The ace-high runout saw Schwaederle improve to top set, with the collision leaving Bull with just a couple of big blinds.
The very next shuffle, Bull was eliminated, his K♦4♦ unable to beat 7♦7♣.
In a limped pot to the 10♦3♠J♦ flop, Hossein Ensan committed his final 40,000 from the big blind against small blind Ramon Lampert.
Hossein Ensan: 7♦6♦
Ramon Lampert: J♠6♣
Ensan's flush draw failed to materialize on the A♥2♠ runout, and he wished his opponent good luck before heading to the payout desk.
At another table, Rodrigo Selouan and Benjamin Pollak were also in the blinds. They had built a pot of 125,000 when Selouan bet 85,000 on the 7♦3♠2♠8♣J♥ river.
Pollak snap-called with K♥K♣, leaving the K♠8♦ of Selouan in the dust.
"You are so good, so fucking good," Pollak's neighbor Nacho Barbero told him as he raked in the chips.
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