And the online poker rollercoaster ride continues.
After being up to almost normal last week, entries in Sunday's major tournaments shot back down again this weekend, during the Super Bowl, an obvious indication of football's power over the online poker industry. This further suggests that the fall in attendance after the NETELLER pullout two weeks ago likely had more to do with the football games that weekend, as well, rather than the NETELLER news. While the numbers may be bad for online poker in the short term (this weekend), these microtrends seem to be indicating a negligible drop in attendance resulting from the pullout of the payment processors.
PokerStars Sunday Million
The PokerStars Sunday Million tournament had 5,709 entrants, a very respectable number, considering the draw of the Super Bowl running simultaneously with it. The entrants built a prize pool of $1,141,800 with their $200 buy-ins. Internet pro Cory "UGOTPZD" Carroll finished in 13th, barely missing the final table, earning $5,366.
When the final nine players gathered at the final table, TheBigViking had the chip lead with $13.6 million in chips. Eskimo was in second with $11.8 million, while MYT611 was bringing up the rear with just $2 million (when the big blind was already at $320,000). MYT611 picked his spot just two hands into the final-table action when he pushed all in preflop from the small blind. Eskimo called in the big blind and showed A
J
versus MYT611's A
8. The flop came A
Q J, giving each a paired ace, but also giving eskimo two pair with his queen. The last two cards were blanks and eskimo took down the pot to eliminate MYT611 in ninth ($7,536).
Raydavis77 was the next to go when he reraised all in from the small blind for $3.2 million against TheBigViking's preflop button raise of $960,000. TheBigViking called and showed K 7 versus raydavis77's A Q. The board ran out 8 6 5 6 K, spiking a king on the river to put TheBigViking in the lead to take the hand. Raydavis77 collected $11,989 for his eighth-place finish.
Johnjoel1 had been nursing a short stack since the beginning of the final table, and finally decided to go down to the felt six minutes into the final-table action. Eskimo raised to $757,000 preflop and johnjoel1 called, leaving himself just $1.3 million behind. The flop came A Q 4 and johnjoel1 went the rest of the way and pushed in his chips. Eskimo called and showed A 4 for two pair against johnjoel1's A 9, a dominating hand preflop, but a dominated hand now. The turn and river were blanks and johnjoel1 was sent to the virtual rail in seventh ($19,982).
It was over 15 minutes before the next elimination hand. Cup_o_java was sitting with just $1.3 million in chips and had been pushing all in relatively frequently because of his achingly small stack size. He pushed all in once again and was called by TheBigViking, who showed 10 8. Cup_o_java was dominating TheBigViking with K 8. TheBigViking's chances of winning the hand jumped from 29 percent to 38 percent when the flop came Q 9 7, giving him an open-ended straight draw. The turn was the J, completing a straight for TheBigViking to put him in the lead. The river was the 9 and TheBigViking won the hand to bust cup_o_java in sixth place ($27,974).
TheBigViking had less than 20 minutes to enjoy the little winnings he'd snagged from cup_o_java's stack. His stack had gone from $17 million to $6 million in that time and he was about to play his final hand. TheBigViking raised to $1.44 million preflop on the button, with the big blind at $480,000, and BRAZILLLLLLA pushed all in for $12 million from the small blind. TheBigViking called all in and showed A 8 but was up against the pocket jacks of BRAZILLLLLLA. The first four cards dealt were blanks, and the river only served to pair TheBigViking's 8, not enough to keep him alive. TheBigViking got a $38,821 payday for fifth place.
The remaining four players paused the tournament to discuss a deal, but an accord could not be reached and the tournament restarted. BRAZILLLLLLA would have benefited from a deal, as he was eliminated shortly after play resumed. MortalNutzz raised to $2.3 million preflop, with the big blind now at $600,000, and BRAZILLLLLLA pushed all in for his remaining $17.8 million. MortalNutzz called, having BRAZILLLLLLA covered by only $40,000, and showed pocket nines versus BRAZILLLLLLA's A Q. The board ran out K 9 3 7 K, improving neither, aside from the board pairing, and giving the hand to MortalNutzz. BRAZILLLLLLA made $50,239 for fourth place.
MortalNutzz's chip lead went from negligible to sizable as he now sat with $36 million in chips compared to eskimo's $11.3 million and Roberts34's $9.7 million. The three went into a deal-making discussion shortly after three-way play began. After a long discussion/clarification period, the three decided on a slightly modified, by-the-chips chop (with $30,000 remaining in the middle for the ultimate winner, per the PokerStars rules). The chop guaranteed MortalNutzz $135,258, and both eskimo and Roberts34 $84,758.
A big hand came very soon after the deal was made. Roberts34 raised to $1.8 million preflop and eskimo reraised all in for his remaining $8.5 million. Roberts34 called, having eskimo covered by $4 million, and showed pocket fives. Eskimo held A 7 and it was basically a coin-flip situation. The flop came 4 3 2 and eskimo's chances of survival were down to just 19 percent. The Q on the turn bumped his chances up to 27 percent with a flush draw and two overcards to Roberts34's pair. The 7 came on the river to complete his ace-high flush, give him the pot, and cripple Roberts34.
Roberts34's end came five minutes later when he pushed all in preflop and was called by MortalNutzz. Roberts34 showed K 9 and he was up against the A 7 of MortalNutzz. MortalNutzz snagged an unneeded pair of sevens on the flop and Roberts34 was eliminated with just king high.
When the heads-up match began, MortalNutzz had $41.7 million in chips and eskimo had $15.4 million. One double-up was all eskimo needed to take the chip lead. Four minutes later, one double-up would no longer do the trick. Eskimo pushed all in preflop for his remaining $8.9 million and MortalNutzz called and showed A J. Eskimo revealed 3 3. It was about as much of a coin-flip situation as it could be, with eskimo in the lead with just a 50.04 percent chance to win the pot and double up. Fifty percent turned into 8 percent when the flop came J 6 6, giving MortalNutzz a pair of jacks for the lead. The turn and river were running fours, giving both players two pair, but MortalNutzz's jacks up prevailed to win the tournament and the extra $30,000. MortalNutzz's total winnings came to $165,258 for his first-place finish in the tournament.
The final standings were:
*1) MortalNutzz – $165,258
*2) eskimo – $84,758
*3) Roberts34 – $$84,758
4) BRAZILLLLLLA – $50,239.20
5) TheBigViking – $38,821.20
6) cup_o_java – $27,974.10
7) johnjoel1 – $19,981.50
8) raydavis77 – $11,988.90
9) MYT611 – $7,535.88
*Payout reflects a slightly modified three-way by-the-chips chop, with $30,000 remaining to for the ultimate winner, per the PokerStars rules.
Full Tilt $300,000 Guarantee
Note: the Full Tilt site was having technical difficulties last night that began when there were 32 players remaining in the tournament. The site was down for quite a while, and thus the tournament was never resolved and did not reach a final table. The remaining players split the prize money based on their relative stack sizes at the time of the crash, per the Full Tilt rules regarding technical difficulties.
UltimateBet $200,000 Guarantee
Attendance at the UltimateBet $200,000-guaranteed tournament came to just 729 on Super Bowl Sunday, most likely because of players' interest in the big game. The attendance numbers meant that UltimateBet coughed up a largish $54,200 overlay.
UltimateBet sponsored pro Annie Duke was very close to making her poker site's final table yesterday, but was eventually eliminated in 12th ($1,700). A_thekevlar_2, a player who'd made the final table at the UltimateBet Online Championship main event (eventually finishing fourth for $65,000), finished in 10th last night. While 10th is normally good for a seat at the final table of this event, a_thekevlar_2 was involved in a double-elimination hand on the final-table bubble that prevented him from technically claiming a seat at the final table. He made $2,000 for his efforts.
MHBSchwab2 was in the lead with $316,000 when the nine remaining players sat at the final table, but he wasn't that far ahead of RandALLin in second ($297,000) and no1TK in third ($286,000). MHBSchwab2 failed to significantly improve his stack throughout the final-table action and was eventually eliminated in fifth ($11,000) when his pocket kings were cracked by the A 10 of no1TK.
Both RandALLin and no1TK brought their stacks all the way to three-way play, along with stallion pt3. No1TK led the way with just over $1 million in chips versus RandALLin in second with $417,000 and stallion pt3 as the short stack with $374,000. The first hand of three-way play was a big one. No1TK raised to $29,000 preflop, with the big blind at $12,000, and RandALLin reraised to $111,000. No1TK called and the flop came K 10 5. RandALLin pushed all in for $304,000 and no1TK called and showed K Q. RandALLin turned over A K for a dominating hand and the lead. The turn was a third king and the river was a blank, giving the pot to RandALLin and putting him in the chip lead.
No1TK lasted just two more hands in the tournament. RandALLin raised to $36,000 preflop and no1TK called. The flop came J 10 8 and no1TK checked. RandALLin bet $41,000 and no1TK check-raised to $110,000. RandALLin pushed all in over the top, having no1TK covered by over $200,000, and no1TK called for his last $586,000 and showed Q 9 for a flopped straight. RandALLin revealed K Q in the pocket for an open-end draw to a better straight, but he was trailing in the hand with only a 29 percent chance to win. The turn was the K, giving RandALLin a flush draw and top pair, but actually decreasing his chances of winning to just 20 percent (his straight draws now would only result in chopped pots). Luck was with him when the 2 came on the river to give him a flush to take down the pot and eliminate no1TK in third ($18,500).
The elimination put RandALLin even further in the lead with $1.5 million versus stallion pt3's $353,000. After less than 10 minutes of heads-up play, the stacks remained only barely changed. In the final hand, RandALLin called from the small blind preflop, with the big blind at $16,000, and stallion pt3 checked his option. The flop came Q 9 4 and stallion pt3 checked. RandALLin bet $16,000 and stallion pt3 pushed all in for $233,000. RandALLin called and showed Q 4 for two pair and stallion pt3 was behind with J 7 for a flush draw (a 35 percent chance to win the hand). The turn was the J and the river brought the 6 and stallion pt3 was eliminated in second place ($28,000). RandALLin got a $46,000 payday for his first-place finish.
The final standings were:
1) RandALLin – $46,000
2) stallion pt3 – $28,000
3) no1TK – $18,500
4) PoppyG46 – $13,000
5) MHBSchwab2 – $11,000
6) sonofred – $9,000
7) pdawg86 – $7,000
8) gocavs1 – $5,000
9) Kona21 – $3,500
*10) a_thekevlar_2 – $2,000
* a_thekevlar_2 was never technically at the final table due to being eliminated during a double-elimination hand on the final-table bubble.
Bodog $100,000 Guarantee
The Bodog $100,000-guaranteed tournament had 747 players, despite the Super Bowl. Bodog did, however, have to put up a $25,300 overlay to match its guarantee. The previously scheduled $200,000-guaranteed tournament at Bodog was downgraded to $100,000 this week, likely due to the Super Bowl. However, the downgrade may be permanent, as next Sunday's tournament is currently registering as a $100,000 guarantee.
HaNkYDahANky was the chip leader entering the final table and was one of three players to have broken into the $300,000s in chips with $379,000. LokTakWah and kingkai were in second and third with $351,000 and $316,000, respectively. LokTakWah was eventually sent packing in fifth ($5,500) when his pocket fives were cracked by the A K of HaNkYDahANky.
HaNkYDahANky carried his stack to three-way play with kingkai and Roshambro. HaNkYDahANky had $964,000 and was followed relatively closely behind by Roshambro, with $721,000. Kingkai was well in the back with $147,000. Kingkai quickly brought his stack to $399,000 before pushing all in preflop against a raise from Roshambro. Roshambro quickly called and showed pocket queens versus kingkai's K 10. A king on the turn shipped the pot to kingkai to put his stack up to $801,000 and put Roshambro down to just $262,000.
Roshambro took his short stack and pulled into the chip lead after 15 minutes and a few key hands, eventually breaking into six figures. HaNkYDahANky, the chip leader throughout most of the final table, was now the short stack. He pushed all in preflop for $229,000 and was called by Roshambro, who showed pocket queens. HaNkYDahANky turned over A J and needed help. The flop came K 8 4, giving HaNkYDahANky the nut-flush draw along with his ace draw and a 46 percent chance to win the hand. The turn was the 8 and the river the 10 and Roshambro won the hand with two pair, queens up, to eliminate HaNkYDahANky in third ($9,200).
Roshambro now had $1.4 million going into heads-up play. Kingkai wasn't in terrible shape with $514,000. The final hand came just one minute later. Roshambro raised to $117,000 from the small blind, with the big blind at $40,000, and kingkai reraised up to $410,000. Roshambro pushed all in over the top and kingkai called all in and showed A 3. Roshambro held pocket nines for the lead. The board ran out K K 10 5 6, further improving neither player, aside from the board pairing, and Roshambro raked in the pot to win the tournament. Roshambro earned $25,000 for his victory in the event.
The final standings were:
1) Roshambro – $25,000
2) kingkai – $14,300
3) HaNkYDahANky – $9,200
4) pinnie – $6,900
5) LokTakWah – $5,500
6) PlayNBarredUp – $4,500
7) watash20 – $3,500
8) Brady Hawks – $2,500
9) PokerJones – $1,600
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