The PokerStars $5 Million Guaranteed Sunday Million, one of the largest poker tournaments held in online history, concluded a few days ago, with TrondeheimAAA winning the event.
The tournament concluded the PokerStars December Festival, and this particular tournament represented a prize pool that was five times the normal $1 million guarantee.
For this tournament, however, the buy-in remained $215 and as a result, a whopping 31,439 players turned out to create a prize pool in excess of $6 million. TrondheimAAA, who hails from Norway, won the event after 14 grueling hours, taking home $489,130.
Marathon Pace of Play
With a field of 31,439 players and standard blind levels, it was a safe guess this was going to be one of the longest- running Sunday Million events in history.
After five hours of play, the entire field was cut down to about 5,300 players. At the 10-hour mark, the field was down to the final 100. At the 12-hour mark, the tournament only had 18 players left, with the eventual winner, TrondheimAAA, leading the way.
When the tournament came down to the final nine, he held a massive chip lead, which was more than double what the next competitor had. Eventually, after 14 hours of play, TrondheimAAA emerged the victor.
Final Table
During the time that play was held from two tables (18 players) down to one (nine players), TrondheimAAA kept increasing his lead. Heading into final table play, it was clear he was the man to beat.
The final table seating was as follows:
Seat 1: EVITS_AK (Brazil) — 14,520,139
Seat 2: straßenjupp (Germany) — 50,229,068
Seat 3: alwaysdegen (India) — 21,539,136
Seat 4: manipulatoor (Poland) — 38,044,510
Seat 5: Tiago “tgassen” Gassen (Brazil) — 33,429,112
Seat 6: TrondheimAAA (Norway) — 103,613,318
Seat 7: Aditya “Donkab0mber” Sushant (India) — 12,510,944
Seat 8: Zarmil (Austria) — 32,122,376
Seat 9: Ivan Barros (Brazil) — 8,381,397
Chop Discussed Among Final Six
When the final table was whittled down to the final six, the players mutually agreed to pause the tournament to discuss a deal. While TrondheimAAA was the overwhelming chip leader, the other players were all within the same range.
The tournament director then presented two deals which both had about the same amount of money going to each player, specifically a “chip chop” and ICM-based figures. Both offers kept $50,000 in the pot to play for. After some negotiating, the ICM model was chosen.
Final Six Play for $50,000 After Deal
Once the deal was struck, it only took minutes for a few players to be eliminated.
First, it was straßenjupp open-shoving with T-7 offsuit, which was bested by manipulatoor’s A-5 offsuit. Only three hands later saw TrondheimAAA take out EVITS_AK with K-J versus Q-T.
Then, minutes later, Gassen open-shoved with Q-J suited and was called by TrondheimAAA’s K-Q. With a couple of kings hitting the board, Gassen was eliminated in fourth. Two minutes after that, straßenjupp had his pocket deuces put a bad beat on Zarmil’s pocket sixes when he spiked a two on the river, sending Zarmil out in third place.
Heads-Up Play and Final Results
TrondheimAAA held a 2-to-1 advantage starting heads-up play, and after 10 hands, it would be all over. On the fateful final hand, TrondheimAAA opened for the minimum and straßenjupp called. The flop came K-7-T two spades and straßenjupp checked. TrondheimAAA bet, straßenjupp raised 3x the amount, and Trondheim re-raised to put his opponent all-in, who called.
TrondheimAAA showed K-7 for a flopped two pair, while straßenjupp showed T-5 suited for middle pair and a flush draw. With the turn bringing an 8c and the river a 4c, TrondheimAAA won the extra $50,000 and the title. Here are the final results:
12/28/14 Sunday Million ($215 No-Limit Hold’em) results
Entrants: 31,439
Prize pool: $6,287,800.00
Places paid: 5,2201. TrondheimAAA (Norway) — $489,130.83*
2. straßenjupp (Germany) — $268,725.21*
3. Zarmil (Austria) — $325,775.16*
4. Tiago “tgassen” Gassen (Brazil) — $265,743.51*
5. EVITS_AK (Brazil) — $275,802.74*
6. manipulatoor (Poland) — $241,074.70*
7. alwaysdegen (India) — $96,014.70
8. Ivan Barros (Brazil) — $71,177.89
9. Aditya “Donkab0mber” Sushant (India) — $52,754.64
*= reflects the results of a six-way deal that left $50,000 in play for the winner
