Event #8: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day 2 Completed
Event #8: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day 2 Completed
A new first-time gold bracelet winner has been crowned during the 2021 GGPoker World Series of Poker Online. Austria-based poker pro Daniel Smiljkovic entered the final day of Event #8: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Championship as the chip leader and never surrendered the top spot to close out the victory in style.
The tournament drew a total of 479 entries for a prize pool of $2,275,250 and Smiljkovic defeated China's Xuming "scplayer" Qi in heads-up.
Prior to this year's online festival on GGPoker, Smiljkovic had cashed in WSOP tournaments for more than $170k. However, that amount was shattered thanks to the first-place payout of $423,426 as the German celebrated his 30th official WSOP cash in style. He joins the ranks of gold bracelet winners after a final day that lasted all but one hour and 40 minutes.
Among the notable finalists were also George Wolff, Marius Gierse, and Aki "Seabossss" Virtanen, who all reached the seven-handed final table. Roman Hrabec and "DontTiltGG" were the first two casualties of the day after succumbing to their short stacks early on.
Position | Player | Country | Payout (in USD) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Daniel Smiljkovic | Germany | $423,426 |
2 | Xuming "scplayer" Qi | China | $306,145 |
3 | Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou | Cyprus | $221,349 |
4 | Marius Gierse | Austria | $160,040 |
5 | George Wolff | United States | $115,712 |
6 | Yonatan "itayalenbi" Koko | Israel | $83,662 |
7 | Aki "Seabossss" Virtanen | Finland | $60,489 |
With nine players remaining on two short-handed tables, the action kicked off quite tense as the looming final table bubble included a significant pay jump. Roman Hrabec was the far shortest stack and became the first casualty, sending his chips over to Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou. Daniel Smiljkovic earned his first knockout of the day by winning a crucial flip against "DontTiltGG", which set up the final table.
Xuming "scplayer" Qi notched up the next four eliminations, two of which came as a result of three-handed action. The exit of George Wolff in fifth place saw Qi's ace-queen and Christodoulou's ace-king split the pot with a broadway straight, as Wolff's turned set of tens went up in flames.
Qi also sent Marius Gierse to the rail without ever threatening the top spot of Smiljkovic, who tangled on several occasions with Christodoulou to remain well ahead of all opponents. The Cypriot eventually hit the rail in third place and Smiljkovic made quick work of Qi in heads-up to earn his first WSOP gold bracelet.
That wraps up the live coverage for today but the next tournament with exclusive updates already awaits on August 12. Event #9: $525 Superstack Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'em features a stack of 50,000 chips and levels of eight minutes. It will play down to a winner and the PokerNews team will be there from start to finish.
With the blinds about to go up in 3 hands, Xuming "scplayer" Qi jammed for just over 2.4 million and was called by Daniel Smiljkovic in the big blind.
Xuming "scplayer" Qi:
Daniel Smiljkovic:
There was no help for Qi on the flop and the turn. He also whiffed the river, which improved Smiljkovic to queens and treys. Qi has been eliminated in second place for $306,145 while Smiljkovic earns his maiden gold bracelet and the top prize of $423,426.
A recap of today's action is to follow.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Smiljkovic |
23,950,000
2,963,252
|
2,963,252 |
|
||
Xuming "scplayer" Qi | Busted |
Following a raise to 416,000 by Xuming "scplayer" Qi, Daniel Smiljkovic filled up and checked the flop. Qi continued for 218,000 and received a call to bet another 661,000 on the turn. Smiljkovic check-called once more to then check the river.
Qi checked behind with for a pair of nines and Smiljkovic had the best of it with the .
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Smiljkovic |
20,986,748
1,655,000
|
1,655,000 |
|
||
Xuming "scplayer" Qi |
2,963,252
-1,655,000
|
-1,655,000 |
Daniel Smiljkovic raised to 352,000 and called a three-bet to 1,230,000 by Xuming "scplayer" Qi. The flop was checked by both and Qi led the turn for 625,000, earning a call from Smiljkovic.
Qi then checked the river and Smiljkovic bet 4,875,000, which had the remainder of his opponent's stack covered. That sent Qi deep into the tank and he eventually folded.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Smiljkovic |
19,331,748
1,695,000
|
1,695,000 |
|
||
Xuming "scplayer" Qi |
4,618,252
-1,695,000
|
-1,695,000 |
The first few hands of the heads-up duel went back and forth as Xuming "scplayer" Qi got through with a four-bet jam.
Qi then limped in and called a raise to 528,000 by Daniel Smiljkovic to see a flop of . Smiljkovic continued for 548,000 in order to earn a call and then checked the turn. This prompted a bet worth 708,000 by Qi and a call.
On the river, Smiljkovic checked and Qi checked behind with for a busted gutshot. Smiljkovic had the nuts with the and restored the comfortable lead.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Smiljkovic |
17,636,748
956,000
|
956,000 |
|
||
Xuming "scplayer" Qi |
6,313,252
-956,000
|
-956,000 |
Level: 35
Blinds: 80,000/160,000
Ante: 20,000
Down to just 852,870 and under the gun, Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou jammed and was isolated by Daniel Smiljkovic with a raise to 1,792,000 out of the small blind.
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou:
Daniel Smiljkovic:
Christodoulou improved on the and remained ahead on the turn. However, the river gave Smiljkovic the superior two pair and sent his opponent out in third place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Smiljkovic |
16,680,748
2,229,120
|
2,229,120 |
|
||
Xuming "scplayer" Qi |
7,269,252
-1,148,750
|
-1,148,750 |
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou
|
Busted |
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou three-bet jammed for just over a million in chips and was called by Daniel Smiljkovic.
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou:
Daniel Smiljkovic:
The board ran out and Christodoulou paired up on the turn. Xuming "scplayer" Qi flashed his mucked .
One hand later, Christodoulou min-raised in the small blind and Smiljkovic called. The same bet and call amount followed on the flop and the turn was checked. Christodoulou bet 700,000 on the turn and folded to a raise by Smiljkovic.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Smiljkovic |
14,451,628
-32,685
|
-32,685 |
|
||
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" ChristodoulouXuming "scplayer" Qi
|
8,628,002
8,628,002
|
8,628,002 |
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou
|
870,370
-177,315
|
-177,315 |
Xuming "scplayer" Qi raise-folded against Daniel Smiljkovic and Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou won two pots in a row to pull ahead of the player from China.
What followed was Qi's min-raise to 280,000 and Christodoulou min-clicked to 420,000, earning a call. Christodoulou bet the flop for 280,000 to pick up a call and also bet the turn for 560,000. Qi raised to 1,400,000 and called all-in when Christodoulou pushed.
Xuming "scplayer" Qi:
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou:
The river kept Qi in contention while Christodoulou dropped to a severe short stack.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Smiljkovic |
14,484,313
-28,000
|
-28,000 |
|
||
Xuming "scplayer" Qi |
8,418,002
3,122,251
|
3,122,251 |
Christodoulos "P0t RippeR" Christodoulou
|
1,047,685
-3,094,251
|
-3,094,251 |