Brazilian Takes Down $100K Opening Event as XL Winer Series Explodes Into Action

January 18 noticed the primary numbered occasions of the XL Winter Sequence shuffle up and deal at 888poker. 13 XL Winter Sequence tournaments have already topped their champions, together with the $100,000 Opening Occasion Rakeless. Brazil’s “preTu.ras” got here out on high in that individual occasion, turning their $109 funding right into a bankroll-boosting $9,601.

Day 1 of the $100,000 Opening Occasion drew in 926 entrants. Normally, this-sized crowd would have resulted in an overlay, however not this week. It is because all $109 of the buy-in went into the prize pool, with 888poker taking no rake. The tip outcome was a $100,934 prize pool.

The primary of two days concluded when “Oddiseyes” busted in ninth place, setting the ultimate desk. These eight finalists returned to their seats on the night of January 19, the place they battled it out for the title beneath the watchful eyes of the 888poker Twitch Stream. 888poker ambassadors Nick “eastyyy22” Eastwood and Josh “JoshManleyPoker” Manley have been the commentary workforce for the cards-up closing desk motion.

$100,000 Rakeless Opening Occasion Closing Desk Chip Counts

It did not take too lengthy for the primary finalist to fall by the wayside. “Blondefox777” sat down on the closing desk with solely 10 huge blinds, however was right down to solely 3.5 huge blinds after they made a transfer. “Blondefox777” shoved from center place with ace-jack of diamonds, and “M.Baranov” referred to as from the massive blind with nine-eight of golf equipment. The latter improved to a straight, and “Blondefox777” was culled.

Suited ace-jack misplaced towards and value a participant their event life. “saveno4ek” min-raised on the button with pocket tens, “CurrD” three-bet all-in for 12.5 huge blinds with ace-jack of spades from the massive blind, and the preliminary raiser shortly referred to as. The tens held and “CurrD” crashed out, though they’ve constructed themselves a high 10 stack within the $500,000 assured Rakeless Thriller Fundamental Occasion, so look out for his or her title in future XL Winter Sequence updates.

The ultimate six grew to become 5 when “Fl4tbush20” busted in merciless circumstances. “preTu.ras” min-raised on the button with ace-six earlier than calling the ten.5 huge blind jam “Fl4tbush20” created from the massive blind with ten-nine. An ace-ten-nine flop seemed to have rescued “Fl4tbush20,” however the flip and river have been a seven and an eight, gifting “preTu.ras” an unlikely straight and the pot.

Malta’s “Hyper_” grew to become the fifth-place finisher after a conflict with “preTu.ras” did not go to plan. Having doubled by “preTu.ras” simply earlier than the break, “Hyper_” three-bet all-in for 13.3 huge blinds with pocket nines after “preTu.ras” had opened on the button. The preliminary raiser snap-called and revealed pocket queens. A queen on the flip left he all-in participant drawing useless, and solely 4 gamers remained within the hunt for the title.

These 4 grew to become three when Ukraine’s “M.Baranov” bowed out on the hand of their fellow Ukrainian “saveno4ek.” “M.Baranov” determined to play their pocket kings sneakily, limping on the button. This led to “saveno4ek” finishing the small blind with four-deuce, and “preTu.ras” checking their choice with queen-ten. “saveno4ek” led, having flopped a straight, “preTu.ras” folded, however “M.Baranov” jammed all-in for 12.4 huge blinds. Clearly, “saveno4ek” immediately referred to as. There was no miracle run out, and “M.Baranov” busted.

The $100,000 rakeless Opening Occasion progressed to heads-up after the premature demise of “saveno4ek.” They misplaced a collection of pots, together with an all-in conflict with ace-eight towards the ace-king of “jhstaygler,” the latter leaving them with a shade over eight huge blinds. Their closing participation on this occasion was to shove with queen-ten of spades and lose to the dominating queen-jack of “jhstaygler” when the latter’s jack-kicker performed.

Though they crashed out in third place, “saveno4ek” was the largest winner on this event. They pulled $12,946 in bounties earlier than busting, together with the $10,000 jackpot bounty, for a complete haul of $17,403.

That hand gave “jhstaygler” a 67.6 to 31.6 huge blind benefit going into heads-up. The chip led modified arms a number of instances over the subsequent hour of one-on-one motion, however the closing hand went “preTu.ras”‘manner, and so they grew to become the champion.

The ultimate hand noticed “jhstaygler” limp on the button with queen-ten earlier than calling a elevate that “preTu.ras” made with king-queen of spades. A king-jack-jack flop was greeted by a continuation wager from “preTu.ras.” “jhstaygler” jammed all-in with their open-ended straight draw, and “preTu.ras” seemed them up. Neither the flip nor river altered the trail of the hand, and “preTu.ras” grew to become the $100,000 rakeless Opening Occasion champion.

$100,000 Rakeless Opening Occasion Closing Desk Outcomes

888poker XL Winter Sequence Outcomes

Broaden the desk under to see the outcomes of the primary 13 XL Winter Sequence occasions.

Remaining XL Winter Sequence Numbered Occasions

The XL Winter Sequence continues till January 27, supplying you with ample alternatives to observe within the footsteps of “preTu.ras.” In fact, the spotlight of the remaining schedule is the $250 buy-in Rakeless Thriller Fundamental Occasion, which ensures a $500,000 prize pool.

Day 1s for the Fundamental Occasion can be found every day. Thus far, 1,026 gamers have purchased in, with 116 progressing to Day 2. Germany’s “FBarbarotto” is the present chip chief, having completed their respective flight with a 268,168 stack.

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the UK, and has labored within the poker business since 2008, and labored for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he grew to become the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from stay reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his function of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.