^

The chip counts were heavily polarized as this week's Sunday Million final table kicked off. On one end was myownNICK, his 1.77 million representing only seven big blinds. On the other was timvn2008, his 25.2 million nearly double the chips of second-place KungFuDonk. Timvn2008 took his massive chip stack and wielded it like a machete, maintaining the lead for nearly the entire final table before locking up his first Sunday Million title and over $187,000.

7,495 players entered this week's Sunday Million, the prize pool topping out at $1,499,000.00. 1,080 places were paid with first place set to earn $224,850.00. Fifteen Red Spades joined the field including Andre Akkari, Maxim Lykov, Henrique Pinho, Joe Cada, Martin Hruby, and Nacho Barbero. Two finished in the money-- Team Online's George "Jorj95" Lind III (1,059th) and Mickey "mement_mori" Petersen (152nd).

Blinds were up to 125,0000/250,000 with ten players remaining. Short stack akshay21 found [Qd][9d] in the cutoff and shoved for 2.29 million. FNessy called on the button with [5s][5h]. The pocket pair won this coinflip, the board running out [Js][6s][6c][8c][2c] to eliminate akshay21 on the final table bubble.

Final table chip counts

Seat 1: peterwhooo (4,593,562 in chips)
Seat 2: P0lak (3,006,864 in chips)
Seat 3: A.C.A.B 8708 (4,928,927 in chips)
Seat 4: vatser (8,141,450 in chips)
Seat 5: KungFuDonk (13,885,391 in chips)
Seat 6: Sifosis (4,958,996 in chips)
Seat 7: Timvn2008 (25,269,370 in chips)
Seat 8: myownNICK (1,773,048 in chips)
Seat 9: FNessy (8,392,392 in chips)

Early eliminations

MyownNICK hung on for a couple of orbits before moving in for 1.44 million with [Ad][9h]. Vatser called from the small blind with [3s][3d] and hit two pair on the [Kh][4s][4c] flop. MyOwnNICK needed to catch an ace or nine but got the [6s] and the [8h] instead and hit the rail in ninth place ($11,617.25).

Peterwhooo stumbled early, losing half his stack to KungFuDonk, but doubled back up to 5 million when his [Js][Jh] held up against A.C.A.B. 8708's [Ac][Tc]. A.C.A.B 8708 sunk to 1.6 million until he picked up [Ad][Tc] and open-shoved from the hijack. Mega-stack Timvn2008 called with [Ts][Th], but had his pocket pair snapped off on the [As][2s][2d] flop. A.C.A.B 8708 doubled to 3.5 million, barely denting Timvn2008's stack.

A.C.A.B 8708's double-up left peterwhooo as the table short stack. With the blinds up to 150,000/300,000, peterwhooo found [Kd][Js] and open-shoved for 2.3 million. Sifosis called from the big blind with [As][Ts]. Peterwhooo hit top pair on the [Kc][Th][5d][2s][Qs] board and doubled to 5 million, leaving Sifosis on only 1.3 million.

However, on the next deal, P0lak opened for a min-raise to 600,000 and Timvn2008 shoved from the big blind. P0lak called, his [Jd][Jc] up against [Kc][Jh]. Timvn2008's hot streak continued as he hit a king on the flop to snap off pocket jacks. P0lak did not recover and was eliminated in eighth place ($17,988.00).

KungFuDonk takes out two

Two hands later, A.C.A.B 8708 opened for a min-raise to 600,000 and KungFuDonk three-bet to 1.2 million. A.C.A.B 8708 shoved for 3.13 million total and KungFuDonk called, his [7h][9h] in bad shape vs. [Ac][Js]. KungFuDonk, however, made an open-ended straight draw on the [Qh][Tc][8d] flop and filled it when the [Jd] turned. The river was the [3d] and A.C.A.B 8708 hit the rail in seventh place, good for $32,228.50.

Still hanging on with less than 4 BB, Sifosis opened for 1.05 million UTG and vatser called from the small blind. Vatser set Sifosis all-in with a min-bet on the [Th][4c][2s] flop and Sifosis called, turning up [Qd][Ts] for top pair. Vatser's [Ah][5h] did not catch up on the [5c] or the [Js] river and Sifosis doubled to 2.75 million.

Vatser lost more ground when he doubled up FNessy, his [Ac][Tc] running into pocket aces. Left with only 4 million, vatser open-shoved from UTG+1 with [Ac][Qc] and KungFuDonk called with [Kd][Qh]. KungFuDonk hit a king and turned two pair on the [Kh][7c][6h][6d][9c] board, ending vatser's run in sixth place ($46,469.00).

No deal!

With five remaining, all but one player were willing to discuss a deal; Timvn2008 wanted to wait until the action was four-handed to look at numbers. Play continued and the blinds rose to 200,000/400,000 before peterwhooo made a 3.3 million shove from UTG with [As][3h]. Timvn2008 called from the small blind and turned up a dominating [Ad][7h]. Timvn2008's hand held up on the [9c][8h][2s][Ac][6c] board, sending peterwhooo home in fifth place ($61,459.00).

The field now down to four, Timvn2008 was willing to discuss a deal and the action was paused to run numbers. Here's a look at how they stacked up at the time:

Timvn2008 - 34,960,970
KungFuDonk - 21,871,242
FNessy - 10,162,132
Sifosis - 7,955,656

ICM figures were presented, but short stack Sifosis wasn't happy with his proposed share.

Sifosis: I dont wanna be greedy guys
Sifosis: But I really think I have a big edge here
Sifosis: And is gonna need 130k to make a deal

Additionally, Timvn2008 declared he'd need another $10,000 to close the deal. With the other players unwilling to give up any money, cards went back in the air.

Chop it three ways!

FNessy hit a rush during four-handed play, taking back-to-back pots off Timvn2008 to move up to over 20 million in chips. However, KungFuDonk snagged some of those chips when he doubled through FNessy, his unimproved [Ad][Ks] holding up against an open-ended straight draw.

Sifosis had ground his stack up to 12.5 million when FNessy opened for a 1.3 million raise. Sifosis looked down at [Ac][Jd] and shoved, FNessy calling with [Ks][Jc]. Sifosis kept the lead on the [9h][5s][3c] flop, but FNessy hit the [Kh] on the turn to make top pair and wrest away the lead. The river was the [3s] and Sifosis was eliminated in fourth place, earning $79,447.00 for his run.

The final three decided to take another run at making a deal. Here's a look at their stacks when the action paused for a second time:

FNessy - 32,396,546
Timvn2008 - 27,450,970
KungFuDonk - 15,002,484

This time, everyone quickly agreed to an ICM chop. With $20,000 still in play for the winner, cards went back in the air.

FNessy rides the roller coaster

Moments later, FNessy opened for a 3x raise to 1.8 million from the small blind and KungFuDonk called from the big. FNessy led out for another 1.8 million on the [7d][7h][5s] flop, KungFuDonk raised to 3.6 million and FNessy called. Both players checked the [3c] on the turn. The river was the [Ts] and FNessy made it 9 million to go. KungFuDonk called all-in for 8.6 million and rolled over [Ad][7s] for trips. FNessy was on a stone bluff with [4s][8c] and fell to 22.1 million while KungFuDonk doubled to 28.2 million.

The chip counts stayed pretty closely bunched together until Timvn2008 check-raised a [Jh][6c][3h] flop and was met with a three-bet to 7 million straight from FNessy. Timvn2008 shoved for 23.2 million and FNessy relinquished his hand. Timvn2008 moved back into the chip lead with 32 million while FNessy fell to 14 million.

Two orbits later, KungFuDonk limped in on the button and FNessy moved all-in for 12.5 million from the big blind. KungFuDonk called, his [Js][Tc] trailing FNessy's [Ac][Qs]. FNessy's hand held up and he doubled to 25.6 million while KungFuDonk slipped to 12.6 million.

timvn2008 takes it home with a double KO

This tournament didn't make it to heads-up play; the winner was decided in a three-way pre-flop all-in, Timvn2008 holding pocket queens while having both his opponents covered:

Congratulations to timvn2008 on a dominating performance. He took home $187,699.94 for his first Sunday Million win while runner-up FNessy earned $176,482.04.

PokerStars Sunday Million results for 1-26-2014

Players: 7,495
Prizepool: $1,499,000.00
Places paid: 1,080

1. timvn2008 (Russia) $187,699.94*
2. FNessy (Brazil) $176,482.04*
3. KungFuDonk (Montenegro) $146,032.65*
4. Sifosis (Denmark) $79,447.00
5. peterwhooo (Brazil) $61,459.00
6. vatser (Belgium) $46,469.00
7. A.C.A.B 8708 (Switzerland) $32,228.50
8. P0lak (Germany) $17,988.00
9. myownNICK (Sweden) $11,617.25

*= reflects the results of a three-way deal that left $20,000 in play for the winner

Kristin Bihr is a freelance contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

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