Battle of the Planets: Numero Uno, Mikel Unanue wins $12K and August freeroll title

Showing the flags of cultural diversity at tonight's Battle of the Planets monthly $50,000.00 Triple Shootout freeroll. All nine players were from different countries: Mexico, Slovakia, Canada, Sweden, Ireland, Finland, Belgium, Russia, and Germany all represented on the final leg of the triple shootout. But, it was Mexico's Mikel Unanue walking away after nearly five hours of play with $12,000 after defeating Slovakia's WWO16 heads-up.

Approximately an hour and forty minutes into the primary round of the triple shootout only rium 6♠T♠3♦ flop. rium 3♥6♥. rium 5♦T♥ didn't catch at the J♦ turn or 4♠ river to finish the freeroll at the money bubble in 82nd place.

cmonk33 and entim would capture the primary two seats to the general table with $12,000.00 sitting up top for the winner of the third leg of the shootout. cmonk33 was there before taking home a chopped $8,500.00 runner-up check back in September 2011 after falling to jorjorreal heads-up.

A regular within the weekly $1,050 buy-in Super Tuesday event, WhEADa was coming off a $56K score after taking third within the 07/30/13 Super Tuesday that was won by Craig McCorkell. Today WhEADa held the paranormal key to open up the Battle of the Planets third round facing off against wormsdron at the last open table. Holding a 10,435 to 3,065 chip lead, WhEADa would min-raise from the button with the blinds at 125/250 ante 25 as wormsdron made the decision. 5♦J♠4♣ at the flop got wormsdron to test as WhEADa bet 425. Holding bottom pair 4♦Q♣ wormsdron check-raised all-in as WhEADa was not folding top pair top kicker A♠J♥. The 5♥ turn and river J♦ sent the remainder 6,130 chips to the Finn putting in place the overall table below:

Seat 1: WWO16 (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: Mr.Aatto (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: cmonk33 (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: Suffmeier (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: Mikel Unanue (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: omba (1500 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 7: entim (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: Kleo Wyatt (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: WhEADa (1500 in chips)

Through the primary level an active chatbox tried to fan the flames of a nine-way chop which might net the players slightly under $4K a work. The banter would come to a screeching halt after the blinds moved from 10/20 to 15/30 as all nine players survived until the 25/50 blind level.

Nearly an hour to bust

After nearly hour of play and all nine final tablist still in we'd finally have the primary elimination. Just about the turn into the 75/150 blind level, Suffmeier would open shove a shortstack of 813 from the button as Mikel Unanue re-shoved from the small blind. omba folded the massive blind as Mikel Unanue turned up pocket nines 9♦9♣ with a greater than average shot of winning over Suffmeier's A♣8♣. No card over a seven at the 4♣ 7♥ 3♣ 3♠ 6♠ board and Suffmeier suffered the primary knockout from the general table in ninth place ($775.00).

Up go the blinds, down goes Kleo Wyatt

Three hands later with the blinds moving as much as 75/150 WWO16 would min-raise UTG as Kleo Wyatt shoved 1,546 chips from the small blind. Covering, WWO16 made the decision with pocket jacks J♣J♦ racing against the suited Q♦A♦ of Kleo Wyatt. An ace at the 4♥A♥9♣ put Kleo Wyatt firmly within the lead. The turned T♠ was of no consequence however the two-outer at the river J♠ sent Kleo Wyatt packing in eighth place ($1,200.00).

Almost made it to the break

Just two hands before the hourly five minute intermission with the blinds moving as much as 100/200 Mr.Aatto tried adding a shortstack by open shoving from the small blind for 875 total. Holding a pretty good and suited ace T♣A♣ cmonk33 made the decision. Suited in diamonds J♦8♦ Mr.Aatto would watch the A♥ 2♣ 5♠ 6♦ 3♥ board only produce one sending Belgian off with seventh place cash ($1,700.00).

WhEADa waits no more

Fighting for tournament life after doubling up Mikel Unanue and left with 206 before the break, WhEADa would only last the primary hand after the five minute interlude. Watch below because the shortstack becomes a no-stack:

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Dominated before the flop holding T♥Q♣ to Mikel Unanue's A♦T♦ and dominated after the river K♠ 5♠ 8♥ 6♥ 2♠ WhEADa took away $2,200.00 in sixth place.

entim's time is up

Still within the 100/200 blind level and 4 hands after entim surrendered a double-up to omba, the microstacked entim held just 95 chips after paying the large blind and called all-in for less after Mikel Unanue three-bet a min-raise by WWO16. The unique raiser folded as Mikel Unanue turned up Q♣A♣ clearly dominating the 2♦A♠ of entim. The bookends of queens Q♠ T♣ 7♠ 9♥ Q♥ weren't necessary but named entim the fifth place finisher ($2,735.00).

A peaceful defeat

"It is health that may be real wealth and never pieces of gold and silver" - Mahatma Gandhi

With Gandhi because the avatar for omba, it'd be a relaxed defeat for the Swede because the blinds held at 100/200, omba would shove 1,436 from the small blind holding Q♣9♦. WWO16 quickly called from the large blind with J♣A♠ and was greeted by an ace at the door A♥ 7♠ 4♥ J♠ Q♠ to send $3,350.00 in wealth to omba in fourth place. omba certainly improved at the eighth place finish here last month, creating a rare back-to-back final table appearances.

Denied a shot on the title

As mentioned, cmonk33's last trip to the Battle of the Planets final table ended with a runner-up finish. Today cmonk would fall one place shy of that feat. Because the blinds still remained at 100/200 Mikel Unanue raised to 440 from the button as cmonk33 shoved from the large blind for 2,463. Mikel Unanue had no problem making the decision with pocket queens Q♥Q♣ as cmonk33 went attempting to find a king or spades K♠Q♠. One spade, one king, and... unfortunately for cmonk33 the fourth queen hit the 4♥ Q♦ 3♠ K♦ 8♦ board ended the day for cmonk33 in third place ($4,500.00).

Mikel reigns

Despite taking a 9,414 to 4,086 chip lead going into heads-up play, Mikel Unanue's road to victory was not a smooth path. WWO16 would claim the primary five hands in a row, including a double up at the fifth hand to take the lead 9,872 to 3,628.

But three minutes later, Mikel Unanue would strike back with a double up after pocket kings held off WWO16's A♠3♥ at the 3♣ Q♦ 4♠ 2♠ J♣ board to retake the lead for good.

Seven minutes later with Mikel Unanue holding a 8,028 to 5,472 chip lead they might get the entire chips into the center preflop. Watch below for the $12,000.00 flip:

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WWO16's pocket fives 5♣5♦ couldn't get past the flopped pair of jacks T♥ J♦ 7♦ 3♥ 6♦ for Mikel Unanue's J♥A♠. That pair of jacks was worth $12,000.00 as Mikel Unanue became the August Battle of the Planets $50,000 Triple Shootout champion!

PokerStars Battle of the Planets $50,000 Triple Shootout freeroll results (08-25-13):

Players entered: 499
Places paid: 81
Prizepool: $50,000.00

1. Mikel Unanue (Mexico) $12,000.00
2. WWO16 (Slovakia) $7,500.00
3. cmonk33 (Canada) $4,500.00
4. omba (Sweden) $3,350.00
5. entim (Ireland) $2,735.00
6. WhEADa (Finland) $2,200.00
7. Mr.Aatto (Belgium) $1,700.00
8. Kleo Wyatt (Russia) $1,200.00
9. Suffmeier (Germany) $775.00

David Aydt is a contract contributor

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Battle of the Planets]