There were 13 more events, and 13 more winners on Monday during Day 2 of MicroMillions 17, among them three players who each won more than $5K for just a few bucks.

Just like on Sunday’s Day 1, all 13 of the events on Day 2 saw large turnouts with the guarantees eclipsed in every single one of them. In fact, in several cases the prize pool nearly doubled — or more than doubled — those guarantees.

MicroMillions winners having a (five-plus) grand time

One example of the guarantee being more than doubled was in the day’s marquee tournament, Event No. 16 ($3.30 NLHE, Progressive KO), which sported the day’s largest $50K guarantee.

The 34,860 total entries made a whopping $102,488.40 prize pool, and in the end winner “xjotapoker1” of Brazil took the biggest share, claiming $5,821.07 between the first-place prize and bounties collected.

As noted, there were a couple of other winners who earned more than $5K yesterday as well — “slideby” of the UK who won $5,342.48 for taking down Event No. 13 ($5.50 NLHE), and Russia’s “Steellette” who earned a cool $5,432.71 after finishing first in Event No. 18 ($5.50 NLHE, 8-Max).

A rush of Russians take titles

Speaking of Russia, Steellette was one of four Russians who won MicroMillions events yesterday, the most of any country on Monday and pushing Russia into the overall lead in the early going.

The others were Event No. 10 ($3.30 NLHE, Progressive KO) winner “ev[gen1y]b,” Event No. 15 ($1.10 NLHE, 8-Max, Hyper-Turbo) winner “worm590,” and Event No. 11 ($1.10 NLHE, 6-Max, Turbo) winner “xezra.” 

Winner ‘xezra’ talks Event No. 11 triumph

“I was very glad that I was able to get around such a large number of rivals,” said “xezra” — a.k.a. Andrey Shamanov — after his big win in Event No. 11. Indeed, Shamanov had a huge 10,765-entry field to contend with — and he was able to do it on just one entry himself!

At one point Shamanov was down to just eight big blinds when he was dealt pocket queens. “As you know, this hand most often loses,” he joked. But in this case it did not, and he survived. Then he got queens again and won, and a third double with ace-king soon after helped set him on the path to victory.

An IT equipment salesman, the 36-year-old Russian has been playing poker for 15 years, although more so back in the day than now. “I dabble occasionally,” he explained, noting how he’d deposited $15 to play MicroMillions events while describing his usual approach as “gambler style.”

Perhaps the best part, Shamanov’s family was at his side throughout the tournament. “So they heard every word and every emotion,” he said, including the joy of his winning that last hand and taking down a MicroMillions title.

Congrats to “xezra”!

‘Steellette’ rides out storm to win Event No. 18

When we asked “Steellette,” winner of Event No. 18 ($5.50 NLHE 8-Max), for his reaction upon winning, the Russian player waxed poetic:

Thank you oh Lord for the white blind light
Thank you oh Lord for the white blind light.
A city rises from the sea I had a splitting headache
From which the future’s made.

Speaking of prayers being answered, “Steellette” cites a big hand in which his ace-nine cracked an opponent’s pocket queens at the final table to take the chip lead as the most memorable and most crucial.

“I love 6-max,” he says. “It is not so boring as 8-9 max.” He sat down to play Event No. 18 “with just an intention to have some fun that evening,” and several hours later ended up having a lot more fun than expected and earning a better than $5K first prize as well.

He says he’s been playing poker since he was a child, the game serving as a way for his father to provide some teaching at home.

“Played with my father (who was a physician). He tried to explain to me some math formulas that way when I was in first or second grade.”

These days “Steellette” is still doing a lot of math as a corporate banker and project finance manager, or at least he was until the pandemic threw a lot of our lives into uncertainty at present. “Now I am just a rider on the storm, as many of us,” he says.

Best of luck, “Steellette,” and well done weathering that huge Event No. 18 to capture a MM title!

MicroMillions 17 winners – Day 2

*final-table deal
**includes bounties

MicroMillions Day 3 highlights

There are 14 events (!) on today’s schedule, up from 13 thanks to the late-added Badugi event (No. 101). Some Tuesday highlights:

• MicroMillions 101 (11:15 ET) – $3.30 PL Badugi, $4K Gtd.
• MicroMillions 29 (13:00 ET) – $5.50 NLHE, $50K Gtd.
• MicroMillions 31 (16:00 ET) – $1.10 NLHE (8-Max, Win the Button), $5K Gtd.

Click here to view the entire 101-event schedule.

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PREVIOUS MICROMILLIONS 17 COVERAGE: DAY 1

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