This past weekend, the fifth edition of the 888poker Super XL Series wrapped up. The series featured 40 events -- there was a Main, Mini and Turbo version of each tournament -- from May 14-22 and culminated with a $1,050 buy-in, $1,000,000 guaranteed Main Event on Sunday.
We already highlighted some of the notable winners from the first 14 events, which you can read about by clicking here, and we thought we'd follow it up by taking a look at some of the big winners from the past week.
"eat1ngandwin" Takes Down High Roller for $117,261
One of the most anticipated events on the Super XL Series schedule was Event #15 $2,100 High Roller, a tournament that crushed its $400,000 guarantee by attracting 303 players and creating a $606,000 prize pool. After nearly 11 hours of play, the UK's "eat1ngandwin" walked away with the title and a $117,261 first-place prize.
Among the notables to cash the event, but fail to make the final table, were Goran "mandza17" Mandic (43rd - $3,636), Jonas "T3amEdward" Mackoff (42nd - $3,636), Nick "chilenocl1" Yunis (18th - $6,060), and online poker's most accomplished tournament player Chris "WhatWudJSay" Moorman (14th - $7,575).
Interestingly, the final table was graced by Angelina Rich, who some may recall as the 2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian champ. Rich, the tour's first female champ, topped a field of 1,964 entries last summer to win $215,815. Rich, the better half of poker pro Alexander Lynskey, ultimately bowed out in eighth place for $14,544.
Event #15 $400,000 High Roller
- Date: Tuesday, May 17
- Buy-in: $2,100
- Players: 303
- Duration: 10hr 51min
- Prize Pool: $606,000
- Places Paid: 45
| 1st: | "eat1ngandwin" | (UK) | $117,261 |
| 2nd: | "j0hnmccl3an” | (Czech Republic) | $87,870 |
| 3rd: | Ivan "nomoney4ever" Banic | (Croatia) $66,660 | $66,660 |
| 4th: | "KIZILLLLL" | (Russia) | $49,995 |
| 5th: | "DEOSONER" | (Australia) | $34,542 |
| 6th: | "IggyGak" | (N/A) | $26,664 |
| 7th: | Angelina "wangleypang" Rich | (Australia) | $20,604 |
| 8th: | "123_THC" | (Canada) | $14,544 |
| 9th: | "wushutm" | (Latvia) | $10,605 |
Meanwhile, Brazil's Rafael "keybr" Watanabe do Prado topped a field of 839 players to win Event #16: $215 Mini High Roller – which surpassed its $100,000 guarantee by creating a $167,800 prize pool. As for Event #17: $160 High Roller – a tournament that attracted 455 players and beat the $40,000 guarantee by creating a $68,250 prize pool – Lithuania's "selinantis" walked away with a $12,967.50 first-place prize after just three hours and 50 minutes of play.
"dondraper444" Finds Redemption; Takes Down Event #24: Super XL – R&A
On Sunday, May 16, " dondraper444," who was playing from Mexico, finished runner-up in Event #12: $15,000 Snap Multi Chance for $2,704.75. Three days later, he was at another final table, and this time he got the job done.
It happened in Event #24: $40,000 Super XL – R&A, a tournament that attracted 648 players who accounted for 547 rebuys and 527 add-ons. That created an $86,100 prize pool – more than double the advertised guarantee – that was distributed to the top 81 players.
"dondraper444," who topped a field of 241 players to win the 888poker $3,000 Guaranteed Deep Stack back on April 10 for $1,152.35 and then a week later finished third for $14,553 in the $120,000 Mega Deep, emerged victorious after eight hours of play to capture a $16,624.29 first-place prize.
Meanwhile, Artem "veeea" Vezhenkov, who back in February was the #1 ranked player in the world according to PocketFives Worldwide Rankings, placed fourth for $6,543.60.
- Event #24: $40,000 Super XL – R&A
- Date: Thursday, May 19
- Buy-in: $55
- Players: 648 (547 rebuys; 527 add-ons)
- Duration: 8h 14min
- Prize Pool: $86,100
- Places Paid: 81
| 1st: | "dondraper444" | (Mexico) | $16,264.29 |
| 2nd: | "s4lb31p3st0" | (Germany) | $11,795.70 |
| 3rd: | "morewater" | (N/A) | $8,696.10 |
| 4th: | Artem "veeea" Vezhenkov | (Russia) | $6,543.60 |
| 5th: | "kozirok_bel" | (Belarus) | $4,597.74 |
| 6th: | "amaze1" | (Germany) | $3,659.25 |
| 7th: | Jeff "YoungSuprmcy" Hakim | (Lebanon) | $2,798.25 |
| 8th: | "patientzer0" | (Russia) | $1,937.25 |
| 9th: | "msksevart" | (Russia) | $1,291.50 |
In addition, Brazil's "matheussulz" topped a field of 783 players, who accounted for 683 rebuys and 543 add-ons, to win Event #25: $5,000 Super XL – Mini R&A for $1,677.36.
"ILovePancake" Wins Event #35: Mega Deep, But "moccastube" Gets Most Money
Sunday was chock full of big events, including Event #35: $150,000 Super XL – Mega Deep, a tournament that surpassed its guarantee by attracted 1,143 players and creating a $228,600 prize pool.
That was distributed to the top 144 players, and among those to walk away with a payday were Jeff "YoungSuprmcy" Hakim (101st - $457.20), the reigning XL Series Main Event champ "jnevanli" (75th - $525,78), and Christopher "nigdawg" Brammer (20th - $960.12), just to name a few.
The tournament ultimately resulted in a four-way deal in which Josh "moccastube" Hart locked up the most money, but Brazil's "ILovePancake" actually walked away with the title.
- Event #35: $150,000 Super XL – Mega Deep
- Date: Sunday, May 22
- Buy-in: $215
- Players: 1,143
- Duration: 14h 9min
- Prize Pool: $228,600
- Places Paid: 144
| 1st: | "ILovePancake" | (Brazil) | $27,456.14* |
| 2nd: | "ChipsFool" | (UK) | $27,109.14* |
| 3rd: | Josh "moccastube" Hart | (UK) | $29,166.76* |
| 4th: | "linda_h" | (Russia) | $23,117.04* |
| 5th: | "grisildur" | (Sweden) | $11,430 |
| 6th: | "bktrdr" | (Norway) | $9,144 |
| 7th: | "thrust." | (Bosnia & Herzegovina) | $6,858 |
| 8th: | "koenigskebap" | (Austra) | $4,572 |
| 9th: | "Riffa_Kriffa" | (Netherlands) | $2,628.90 |
*Denotes four-handed deal
Sweden's "Gr33nApples" Wins Main Event After Three-Way Chop
The fifth edition of the Super XL Series, and the first ever to run in the spring, culminated Sunday night with Event #36: $1,050 Main Event, a tournament that boasted a $1 million guarantee. Thanks to a massive turnout of 1,268 players, that guarantee was crushed as a $1,268,000 prize pool was on tap.
That was distributed to the top 162 players, and some notables to claim a portion of it were Brazil's Rafael "keybr" Watanabe do Prado (162nd - $1,775.20), who earlier in the week won Event #16: $215 Mini High Roller; Jimmy "123_THC" Molloy (93rd - $2,662.80), Sebastian "iknowmybody" Saffari (41st - $3,930.80), and Jason "jadedjason" James (12th - $11,158.40).
The top three finishers ended up making a deal with first-place finisher, Sweden's "Gr33nApples," taking home $183,869, and "BOLAGET.NU" and "Vocaaas" locking up $159,691.28 and $150,832.46 respectively.
- Event #36: $1,000,000 Super XL – Main Event
- Date: Sunday, May 22
- Buy-in: $1,050
- Players: 1,268
- Duration: 12h 28min
- Prize Pool: $1,268,000
- Places Paid: 162
| 1st: | "Gr33nApples" | (Sweden) | $183,869.46* |
| 2nd: | "BOLAGET.NU" | (Sweden) | $159,691.28* |
| 3rd: | "Vocaaas" | (Czech Republic) | $150,832.46* |
| 4th: | "macgyver888" | (Netherlands) | $86,224 |
| 5th: | "Sb|Iuz" | (Sweden) | $62,766 |
| 6th: | "sahibsab" | (Kuwait) | $50,086 |
| 7th: | "Uncall" | (N/A) | $37,406 |
| 8th: | "TheMulletman" | (Sweden) | $24,726 |
| 9th: | "LGMosley" | (Germany) | $13,694.40 |
888 Pro Dominik Nitsche Wins Event #37: Mini Main Event for $36,541.50
The mini version of the Main Event proved to be an exciting affair as poker superstar and 888poker Ambassador Dominik Nitsche not only made the final table, he defeated some stiff competition while streaming live on Twitch to win the tournament for $36,541.50.
Among those Nitsche had to overcome where "niftinger," who at the end of April won the 888poker $10,000 Swrodfish for $2,253.38; Russia's "linda_h," who at the same time was going deep in Event #35: $150,000 Super XL – Mega Deep, ultimately finishing fourth in that event; and Tobias "bale_11" Garp, who won Super XL 1 — $88,888 Crazy 8 Super XL Kickoff back on May 14.
"Took down the XL Series mini main live on stream," Nitsche tweeted after the win. "Nice warm up before Vegas. Thanks for hanging out everyone."
- Event #37: $150,000 Super XL – Mini Main Event
- Date: Sunday, May 22
- Buy-in: $160
- Players: 1,433
- Duration: 10h 17min
- Prize Pool: $214,950
- Places Paid: 162
| 1st: | 1st: Dominik "888Dominik" Nitsche | (UK) | $36,541.50 |
| 3rd: | "noob3r1337" | (Bulgaria) | $20,398.75 |
| 4th: | "linda_H" | (Russia) | $14,616.60 |
| 5th: | Tobias "bale_11" Garp | (Sweden) | $10,640.02 |
| 6th: | "RiverWorr" | (Canada) | $8,490.52 |
| 7th: | "SoyToWapens" | (Malta) | $6,341.02 |
| 8th: | "Jaque7755" | (Germany) | $4,191.52 |
| 9th: | "barwen1899" | (Poland) | $2,321.46 |
Romania's Julian "guido9fawkes" Krist Wins Micro Main Event
Meanwhile, Romania's Julian "guido9fawkes" Krist topped a field of 4,167 players to win Event #38: $15,000 Super XL – Micro Main Event. The $18,959.85 prize pool was distributed to the top 600 players, and after just over seven hours, Krist defeated Germany's "iloosetomuch" in heads-up play to capture a $2,654.37 first-place prize.
Krist previously topped a field of 418 players to win the 888poker $500 Guaranteed SNAP Turbo Event back on May 2, 2015. When it comes to Micro events, the Romanian is a man to be feared.
- Event #38: $15,000 Super XL – Micro Main Event
- Date: Sunday, May 22
- Buy-in: $5
- Players: 4,167
- Duration: 7h 13min
- Prize Pool: $18,959.85
- Places Paid: 600
| 1st: | Julian "guido9fawkes" Krist | (Romania) | $2,654.37 |
| 2nd: | "iloosetomuch" | (Germany) | $1,990.78 |
| 3rd: | "Thundy100" | (Russia) | $1,459.90 |
| 4th: | "Guuadania" | (Greece) | $1,099.67 |
| 5th: | "Leonardhor" | (Russia) | $758.39 |
| 6th: | "Angmar26" | (UK) | $530.87 |
| 7th: | "ricochi_91" | (Peru) | $341.27 |
| 8th: | "punk_47" | (Russia) | $189.59 |
| 9th: | "VegyyPoker" | (Finland) | $144.09 |
In addition, Germany's "dnvz23" won Event #39: $30,000 Super XL – Turbo Main Event, a tournament that attracted 434 players and created a $43,400 prize pool. "dnvz23" took home $8,246 for his efforts. Interestingly, back in February, "dnvz23" won the Super XL Series Event #25: $150 Knockout for $6,753.15 and $369 in bounties.
Finally, the last event on the schedule, Event #40: $15,000 Super XL – Super Turbo Main Event, saw 225 players pony up the $75 buy-in and battle it out for a mere 107 minutes. At the end of that time, the Dominican Republic's Francis "ImFranC" Cruz finished as the last man standing, good for a $4,105.33 top prize.
