It’s fitting that the first Sunday Warm-Up after another successful World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) series would be won by a bracelet holder. As Stephen Bartley reported on the 2014 series success, guarantees getting crushed to the tune of $61 million in prize money distributed over 66 events, one player in tonight’s $500,000 guarantee Sunday Warm-Up has been part of that success before. Brryann earned $44K for winning Event #31 in 2010 then did it again the next year’s Event #17 for $16K. But, Brryann’s paycheck for claiming tonight’s win would eclipse both of those bracelet winning performances earning $97,059.31.

Halfway through the ninth hour play, Poland’s pyszalek would be one of the 18 players left to occupy a seat in this Sunday Major with a chance to win nearly six-figures. pyszalek has been close before hitting the final table of the Sunday Warm-Up in 2012 and scoring $31K for fifth place and a sixth place finish in the 2012 SCOOP series Event #2 for $80K.

After three quick eliminations in ten minutes another player’s name with major final table experience popped up. Two-time MicroMillions champ D PitcherAK would be looking to add a Sunday Warm-Up win to victories in MicroMillions 3 Event #43 and MicroMillions 6 Event #45.

Closing in on the ninth hourly break, rany01 would narrowly miss out on another Sunday Major final table in 14th place ($2,874.63) after taking fourth in the Sunday Million in 2012. A few minutes later on the last hand before completing the ninth hour of play, gaudas12 would also collect $2,874.63 in 13th place as 12 players took their final break before the spotlights would appear.

pyszalek would narrowly miss out on another chance under those spotlights after a shortstack push with 9♠ 2♠ failed to get lucky against golf9336’s K♠ 10♦ and sending pyszalek out in 12th place ($3,801.93). The MicroMillions champ would follow closely behind in 11th place as ciccio123 scooped up those chips with big slick against D PitcherAK’s ace-nine bringing up hand-for-hand play.

A series of unfortunate (or fortunate for the final table participants) events would land eight people not nine at the last stop before crowning a Sunday Warm-up champion this week. With the blinds up to 65K/130K ante 13K. First, golf9336 fresh off taking out pyszalek in the previous blind level, would not be able to build off those chips while grinding down to 213,746 chips. Those scraps would be shipped from the hijack seat as ciccio123 re-raised to isolate from the button. The isolation worked as ciccio123 showed A♦ 3♦ and golf9336’s tournament life needed help from 6♠ Q♣ . Despite flopping a queen, golf9336 watched the third diamond hit the turn K♠ Q♦ 7♦ 4♦ 10♠ earning $3,801.93 in tenth place.

While the diamonds were falling on one table, another player’s last board was being spread. demondoink would open shove 1.52 million from the small blind as Brryann made the call with A♥ 10♥ from the big blind. demondoink’s dominated 7♣ A♦ would not catch up on the 5♣ A♠ 8♦ 10♣ 4♦ board sending eight not nine players to the final table below:

Seat 1: arknight87 (1102149 in chips)
Seat 2: lotsofmoney (2766195 in chips)
Seat 4: gilcoe (4718844 in chips)
Seat 5: DSmunichlife (2936789 in chips)
Seat 6: ciccio123 (7675862 in chips)
Seat 7: don freetje (3188864 in chips)
Seat 8: Brryann (3927453 in chips)
Seat 9: -AAAABJAAAA- (4593844 in chips)

Sleeps with the fishes

Despite several of all-ins and a call within the first ten minutes of the final table, all eight players kept their seats with a chance at the $97K sitting up top. Then with the blinds moving up to 80K/160K ante 16K, DSmunichlife tried to play bully by shoving 5.7 million from the button as don freetje made the call for 1.8 million from the big blind with 10♥ A♦ . The ten kicker would dwarf DSmunichlife’s trey A♣ 3♦ until the three of hearts hit the flop J♥ K♥ 3♥ 5♦ 9♠ . After the rest of the board remained heart-free don freetje drifted away with $7,727.50 in eighth place.

Still lots of money

A bit strange but chip chop talks started early in the chat box with seven remaining but some dissents would table those negotiations for later. One player would not have a chance to participate in those talks after this hand concluded. With the blinds up to 100K/200K ante 20K Brryann would min-raise from early position as lotsofmoney shoved 2.7 million from the cutoff. Not to be outdone, gilcoe would do the same from the button for four million as Brryann did not wish to get in the middle of this argument and folded. gilcoe would turn up pocket kings K♠ K♥ as lotsofmoney needed lots of help holding A♠ 7♠ . Four tens on the Q♣ 3♥ 10♠ 10♣ 10♥ board would have done it, but not three as lotsofmoney settled for $13,909.50 in seventh place.

Sunset for arknight87’s run

Four hands later with the blinds remaining the same, arknight87 would raise to 407,899 as DSmunichlife three-bet to 885,798 from the cutoff. arknight87 made the call to see a jack-high flop 8♣ J♥ 4♦ . arknight87 checked as DSmunichlife bet 627,895 chips and arknight87 check-raised to 1.37 million. DSmunichlife four-bet to 5.43 million as arknight87 called confidently all-in for two million holding top pair top kicker J♦ A♣ . Confidence does not win the hand however as DSmunichlife showed the overpair of kings K♣ K♦ . Neither jacks nor aces on the 4♠ turn and Q♠ river would send arknight87 home in sixth place ($20,091.50).

Another major title?

Brryann would wrestle away DSmunichlife’s chip lead after getting it all-in preflop with ace-jack against DSmunichlife’s queens and rivering an ace for an 11.7 million chip pot. Three minutes later with the blinds up to 125K/250K ante 25K the two-time WCOOP champ was looking strong to add a Sunday Major to those bracelets. Brryann would apply pressure from the small blind by shoving the 12.9 million chip leading stack as -AAAABJAAAA- found an ace in the big blind A♣ 9♦ and made the call for 2.27 million. Unfortunately, Brryann held the better kicker K♦ A♦ while turning a pair 6♦ 2♣ 7♠ K♠ 10♦ sending $26,465.14 to -AAAABJAAAA- in fifth place.

Bully-be-gone

With each elimination ciccio123 seemed to get more amped up for cutting up a deal but the players forged onward with the $97K up top still in play. Then, six minutes later, ciccio123’s stack would receive a bit of a boost. The blinds held at 125K/250K ante 25K as DSmunichlife tried to snag a quick swipe of the blinds by shoving 3.6 million from the small blind holding 4♦ J♦ . But, ciccio123 was ready to call with K♣ Q♥ for 3.3 million and was rewarded with a king on the flop 3♣ 10♥ K♦ J♥ 9♦ to take down the 7.3 million chip pot. Left with 29,243 chips DSmunichlife would survive one all-in but not two as the German earned $35,546.50 in fourth place.

No deal, no extra money for ciccio123

Finally ciccio123 would get the tournament clock stopped for a deal discussion. However, with Brryann firmly in the chip lead and gilcoe wanting a little more than Brryann was willing to part with, no deal would be cut. So, Team Online’s George “Jorj95” Lind III would fire up the dealer once again without a deal in place. The first hand back ciccio123 would raise to 670,000 from the small blind as Brryann called to see a 10♦ J♥ 8♠ flop. Brryann would check-call 707,500 and check-call again for 1.41 million chips after the 4♥ turn. 9♠ on the river got ciccio123 to shove 4.04 million all-in as Brryann could not hit the call button quick enough holding the nut straight K♦ Q♥ . ciccio123’s pair of jacks 3♠ J♣ would walk off the stage in third place ($51,310.60) setting up heads-up play.

A feather to the cap

Brryann would start with a 25 million to 5.88 million chip advantage but on the third hand of heads-up play gilcoe scored a double up prompting another shot at making a deal. But, once again the two players agreed to disagree leaving all the cash on the table for tonight’s champion. On the tenth hand of heads-up play, the two-time WCOOP bracelet holder would claim that Sunday Major title. With the blinds now up to 150K/300K ante 30K and Brryann’s lead trimmed to 18.3 million to 12.6 million gilcoe would min-raise from the button as Brryann made the call. A couple of jacks on the J♥ K♥ J♠ flop got Brryann to check-raise 1.45 million gilcoe’s follow-through bet as gilcoe just made the call. Brryann took the offensive on the turned 2♦ and led for 2.45 million as gilcoe called once again. 8♣ on the river and Brryann shoved the rest of those chips in as gilcoe was eager to call with one of the two jacks left in the deck 10♥ J♦ . The ten kicker was good until the river as Brryann showed the last jack and the winning full house 8♥ J♣ earning $97,059.31 while claiming this week’s Sunday Warm-Up title!

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results (10-05-14)

Entrants: 3,091
Places paid: 450
Prize pool: $618,200.00

1. Brryann (Netherlands) $97,059.31
2. gilcoe (Brazil) $72,329.40
3. ciccio123 (Australia) $51,310.60
4. DSmunichlife (Germany) $35,546.50
5. -AAAABJAAAA- (Denmark) $26,465.14
6. arknight87 (Singapore) $20,091.50
7. lotsofmoney (United Kingdom) $13,909.50
8. don freetje (Netherlands) $7,727.50
9. demondoink (United Kingdom) $4,945.60

David Aydt is a freelance contributor

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