Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009

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First Sunday Million of 2009 goes to stoledog

By Sarah Polson

If there were many online poker players out there who resolved to put in less time at the virtual felt for the New Year, you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the action. More than 8,500 players showed up for the first PokerStars Sunday Million of 2009 on Sunday.

With 8,504 participants, the $1.5 million guaranteed prize pool for the Sunday Million was boosted to $1,700,800, with 1,260 getting paid in the event.

The first PokerStars Sunday Million bubble player of the year was tobededope, who left in 1,261st place, while RSRMCA became the first player to cash in the Sunday Million for 2009. The big winner to kick off the year, however, was stoledog.

After a three-way deal that left stoledog with $150,793.55, he went on to defeat Prom Queens and USA_20080920 to pick up the remaining $30,000.

Here's how the money looked after the chop:

• stoledog (40,017,372 in chips) = $150,793.55
• Prom Queens (35,701,174 in chips) = $150,000
• USA_20080920 (9,321,454 in chips) = $108,182.93

USA_20080920 may have been the short stack when the money was chopped, but he was not going quietly. After doubling through stoledog with pocket aces, USA_20080920 was back in the game and it was Prom Queens who ended up taking the third-place position.

By the time Prom Queens was out, USA_20080920 had turned the tables on them and was sitting with the chip lead when heads-up play began.

stoledog chipped up with a few sizable pots and retook the lead. The lead would change a few more times, though, before stoledog finally got the best of USA_20080920.

On the final hand stoledog made an initial raise to $2.4 million, which USA_20080920 countered with $4 million; stoledog called.

They saw a flop of 6 9 A, and USA_20080920 led out with a $5 million bet. stoledog raised to $21.6 million and USA_20080920 shoved all-in.

stoledog made the call with T 9 for middle pair, while USA_20080920 showed A 3 for top pair. However, the J on the turn gave stoledog more outs, and when the T fell on the river, stoledog had two pair for the win.

The final-table results including the chop were:

Place	Name	Prize
1st	stoledog	$180,793.55
2nd	USA_20080920	$108,182.93
3rd	Prom Queens	$150,000
4th	jayvedo	$76,536
5th	bukithepro	$59,528
6th	simon1471	$42,520
7th	The Midget	$29,764
8th	aceskay	$19,559.20
9th	Fold Ü Phish	$11,905.60

For more information about the Sunday Million or other events at the poker site, visit PokerStars.

Related Articles:

• Ip_SakiSaki wins gigantic Sunday Million
• PokerStars to end year with record attempt
• Snowking_85, KopplarJocke win PokerStars events

 

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