Nothing is nicer than wiping away 2015’s problems and red ink with a Sunday Major win. The $425,000 guarantee Sunday Warm-Up provided the platform for 69sBigLick to stay patient at a final table dominated by VGurina and claim the first Sunday Warm-up title of 2016, earning $80,422.00.

Keep reading to find out how 69sBigSlick was able start 2016 with a bang.

One final table in Sunday Major is worth a pat on the back for most players as not all can afford the buy-in, work their ways through a satellite, or the toughest part… getting through the field of pros and hungry amateurs. Saitek00 recently banked $25K after making the Sunday Million final table, finishing in seventh place out of a 5,704.

The same luck and skill would not get Saitek00 to the final table in this one (even after moving safely pass 2,534 players. Holding K♣ A♠ Saitek00 was pleased to get 1.2 million chips in the middle, with the blinds up to 65K/130K ante 13K, after menglong shoved for slightly more on a blind versus blind steal. But, menglong’s 5♠ 7♠ managed to grab a couple more sevens on the 7♦ 9♥ 10♣ 7♣ 10♠ board to deny Saitek00 a second Sunday Major final table in three months and open up the final table below:

Seat 1: staszeq (1416326 in chips)
Seat 2: tvtotaliwin (1143984 in chips)
Seat 3: menglong (2925232 in chips)
Seat 4: robinho (2340168 in chips)
Seat 5: 69sBigLick (6489408 in chips)
Seat 6: MarcusG22 (771916 in chips)
Seat 7: Machiavelli3 (1472215 in chips)
Seat 8: FYYDNZAA (1509474 in chips)
Seat 9: VGurina (7381277 in chips)

VGurina and 69sBigLick would come in with the big stacks and the best chance at claiming the $80,422.00 sitting up top. Only ten minutes would elapse before Machiavelli3 would put an end to someone’s tournament. With the blinds up to 80K/160K ante 16K tvtotaliwin shoved pocket fives 5♠ 5♣ for 1.68 million from middle position as Machiavelli3 called out of the big blind holding big slick K♠ A♣ . Unlucky for Saitek00, but enough for Machiavelli3, as the 7♦ K♦ 9♦ A♠ A♥ board shipped Machiavelli3 3.5 million tournament chips and tvtotaliwin received $4,326.50 in real cash for ninth place.

As mentioned with Saitek00, tvtotaliwin was trying notch a victory after making a Major final table in both the TCOOP 2014 and WCOOP 2015 series.

MarcusG22 started the final table on life support holding under six BBs. Mission accomplished on moving up the pay ladder as the short stack did not win a hand going out quietly in eighth place ($7,380.50).

“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both”. Machiavelli3, like most poker players, are not striving for love or friendship at a big final table but rather putting fear into their opponents with hopes of a large score. Fear came in the form of a button shove for 2.96 million chips holding A♠ 10♦ but VGurina’s pocket sevens 7♣ 7♥ were up to the challenge flopping a set 7♠ J♥ Q♠ 4♠ 8♦ and loved watching Machiavelli3 leave with $11,961.50 in seventh place.

The action stayed hot as three hands later shortstacked robinho three-bet shoved for 1.6 million holding 7♥ A♣ . The 2013 TCOOP Event #37 champ was looking for another PokerStars Major title but robinho would need to wait for another shot after staszeq called with A♦ K♦ and received no help on the 9♣ 5♦ Q♠ 5♣ J♠ board finishing in sixth place ($17,051.50).

Shortly after the tenth hourly break, VGurina now with the only eight figure stack, and nearly double the chips of second place staszeq, would find even more. With the blinds up to 100K/200K ante 20K FYYDNZAA found a popular hand late in this tournament K♥ A♥ and after a three-bet shove by the chip leader, FYYDNAA made the call to flip against VGurina’s queens Q♣ Q♥ . Big slick was not able to catch up to the ladies 2♣ J♦ 10♠ J♠ 8♥ as FYYDNAA took away $22,141.50 in fifth place.

For the next five minutes, the other three players: 69sBigLick, staszeq, and menglong would trade double-ups but all staying alive with the blinds moving up to 125K/250K ante 25K and VGurina now holding half the chips in play.

Finally, the musical chairs of chips would end as a seat was taken away. VGurina continued to press the huge lead by shoving from the cutoff for 15.7 million as shortstacked menglong called for 1.05 million holding A♦ 9♥ . Slight kicker problem for VGurina’s 5♣ A♥ but the board was nice enough to shove a five in the doorway 5♦ K♥ 6♥ 8♦ 10♠ ending menglong’s tournament in fourth place ($29,771.41).

That would be the last highlight for VGurina as 69sBigLick would get hot at the right time.

A few minutes after menglong’s departure, 69sBigLick would double-up off staszeq, claim a 4.1 million chip pot off the chip leader, then two hands later make it to heads-up play. With the blinds up to 150K/300K ante 30K, staszeq down to 2.48 million would shove from the small blind with 6♥ K♠ . 69sBigLick’s K♦ 4♣ was enough for a call and the four on the turn 5♠ 2♦ 9♣ 4♠ 9♠ was enough to send staszeq off with $42,756.00 in third place.

Thanks to the late push, 69sBigLick heads-up deficit was manageable (10.1 million to 15.2 million) with plenty of play left (blinds at 150K/300K ante 30K.

It would only take six hands for 69sBigLick to turn things around after getting A♦ 9♣ all-in preflop against VGurina’s A♠ 7♣ and the superior kicker finally holding on the 9♦ K♦ J♠ 2♦ 8♠ board to earn the 17.8 million chip double-up.

Then, five hands later VGurina would be at risk for the first time at this final table shoving Q♠ A♣ . But, 69sBigSlick was up for the challenge calling and turning over pocket fours 4♠ 4♥ . The newly minted Sunday Warm-Up champ was the only one to touch this 2♣ 9♥ 5♥ J♠ 4♣ board earning $80,422.00!

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results (01-03-16)

Entrants: 2,545
Places paid: 378
Prize pool: $509,000.00

1. 69sBigLick (Malta) $80,422.00
2. VGurina (Ukraine) $60,062.00
3. staszeq (Poland) $42,756.00
4. menglong (China) $29,771.41
5. FYYDNZAA (China) $22,141.50
6. robinho (Sweden) $17,051.50
7. Machiavelli3 (Sweden) $11,961.50
8. MarcusG22 (Canada) $7,380.50
9. tvtotaliwin (Switzerland) $4,326.50

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