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.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
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Busted | |
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Busted |
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.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
840,000
266,000
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266,000 |
|
Busted |
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.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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816,000
423,000
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423,000 |
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411,000
63,000
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63,000 |
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361,000
4,000
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4,000 |
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275,000
148,000
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148,000 |
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250,000
67,000
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67,000 |
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180,000
111,000
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111,000 |
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.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
196,000
135,000
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135,000 |
|
Busted |
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.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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360,000
117,000
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117,000 |
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162,000
109,000
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109,000 |
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75,000
61,000
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61,000 |
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Busted |
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♣.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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182,000
80,000
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80,000 |
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Busted |
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.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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710,000
223,000
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223,000 |
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525,000
195,000
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195,000 |
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455,000
60,000
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60,000 |
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185,000
37,000
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37,000 |
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Busted | |
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Busted |
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