^

Tim "blumenkind53" Ulrich knows just a little something concerning the Sunday Million final table. Back in August 2010 he won it, but as a result of a four-way deal, the $160,781 he took home that night wasn't the most important share of the prize pool. Since then, Ulrich has won two Super Tuesday titles and tonight he got the risk to make it a double within the Million to boot. Sporting a considerable chip lead with three players remaining, Ulrich was hesitant to barter a deal at this final table, but if Running Goot started to live as much as his name, winning an immense coin flip to double up, Ulrich changed his tune. Blumenkind53 locked up $180,000 within the deal only to be dealt an enormous cooler moments later. Blumenkind53 didn't win his second Sunday Million crown tonight-- those honors went to liv hbk-- but he did come away with over $15,000 greater than the winner. Who says there is not any karma in poker?

7,439 players bought in to this week's Million, pushing the prize pool as much as $1,487,800.00. 1,080 places were paid with first place set to earn $223,174.92. Twenty-one Red Spades were scattered in the course of the field including Liv Boeree, Jake Cody, Marcel Luske, Andre Akkari, Joe Cada, George Danzer and the brothers De Meulder. Two finished within the money-- Martin Hruby (874th) and Andre Coimbra (226th).

Blinds were as much as 125,000/250,000 with ten players remaining and PoKAaGuurl was all the way down to only 1.2 million. With the action folded to him within the small blind, PoKAaGuurl shoved with [Js][4h] and Balda23 called with [Qc][2c] within the big blind. Balda23 flopped a queen and PoKAaGuurl flopped a four, but PoKAaGuurl didn't improve any more and was eliminated at the final table bubble.

Final table chip counts

Seat 1: Madcandle (6,738,196 in chips)
Seat 2: orba88 (3,276,826 in chips)
Seat 3: m0ura0886 (3,906,101 in chips)
Seat 4: blumenkind53 (11,366,772 in chips)
Seat 5: Balda23 (12,112,281 in chips)
Seat 6: DonkingDonks (8,851,176 in chips)
Seat 7: Running Goot (9,607,826 in chips)
Seat 8: liv hbk (6,696,640 in chips)
Seat 9: 1mDonuts (11,834,182 in chips)

One down to be had #1

The first hand of the overall table produced its first elimination. With 3.9 million behind, m0ura0886 opened for a 3x raise to 750,000 from UTG and Balda23 shoved for 12 million from middle position. M0ura0886 called, his [5c][5d] racing with [Ad][Kd]. M0ura0886 survived the [Qs][Td][8h] flop in addition to the [8d] turn, however the [Ac] spiked at the river to provide Balda23 the win. M0ura0886 was eliminated in ninth place, earning $11,530.45.

Balda23 busts in eighth

As the blinds rose to 150,000/300,000, short stack orba88 caught a break. All-in for 2.7 million, orba88's pocket queens flopped top set vs. Balda23's [Ah][8h], good for a double-up to 5.93 million. However, Balda23's chips soon ended up in liv hbk's stack. After blumenkind53 opened for a min-raise, Balda23 three-bet to 1.75 million from middle position and liv hbk shoved from the large blind. Blumenkind53 folded and Balda23 called, his [Ts][Th] up against [Kc][Qd]. However, liv hbk flopped a king and turned a queen to win the 16.3 million pot, leaving Balda23 below 5 million in chips.

A few minutes later, DonkingDonks opened for 888,000 UTG and Balda23 shoved for 4.65 million from the massive blind. DonkingDonks called, his [As][Kh] dominating Balda23's [Ah][Ts]. The ace-king held, the board running out [9h][9s][5c][7d][Js] to eliminate Balda23 in eighth place ($17,853.60).

orba88 ousted, liv hbk wants a deal

One orbit later, the action folded around to orba88 within the small blind. Orba88 found pocket sevens and moved all-in for 4.4 million only to run into blumenkind53's [As][Kc] within the big blind. Blumenkind53 hit a king at the flop and ended orba88's run in seventh place, good for a $31,987.70 payday.

Running Goot got a lift when he doubled through liv hbk, his [Ah][Qh] winning a race against [7s][7h]. Liv hbk was left with only 4.2 million but got lucky against DonkingDonks a couple of hands later. All-in with [Ah][Td] against [Jd][Jc], liv hbk hit a [Th][Tc][9s] flop and doubled to a more well-off 13.2 million.

Back in safer territory, liv hbk polled his opponents in regards to a possible deal.

liv hbk: as much as tim
Madcandle: i've it ticked
Madcandle: cant hurt to seem
blumenkind53: once we glance i ll say its not enough after which would be the greedy guy, so it doesnt make sense lets play on
Running Goot: yeah its all good

blumenkind53's back-to-back bustouts

1mDonuts was the last player below 10bb and when he three-bet shoved for 5.1 million, blumenkind53 was all too happy to name with [Kh][Kd]. 1mDonuts's [Ad][Js] didn't improve and he hit the rail in sixth place, collecting $46,121.80.

On the very next deal the actio coded to Madcandle at the button. He moved all-in for 10.4 million and blumenkind53 reshoved for 16.4 million from the small blind. Blumenkind53's [As][Qh] had Madcandle's [Ac][8s] crushed, and he made a Broadway straight as well at the [Kc][Jc][4c][Td][Th] board. For fifth place, Madcandle took home $60,999.80.

Madcandle burns out

Two hands after Madcandle's elimination, Running Goot three-bet shoved from the small blind with [Th][Td] and initial raiser DonkingDonks called with [Ad][Qh]. This time the coin fell with the pair and DonkingDonks was crippled to lower than 2 million in chips. Blumenkind53 finished him off a couple of hands later, his [8h][9h] rivering a ten-high straight vs. DonkingDonks's [Ah][Jc].

We have a deal!

At long last, all three players agreed to pause the action and view numbers. Here is a take a look at how they stacked up on the time:

blumenkind53 - 32,418,811
Running Goot - 26,324,895
liv hbk - 15,646,294

Liv hbk requested ICM figures, but upon seeing them, blumenkind53 deemed his share too small.

HostPeterZ (Administrator): blumenkind53:$171,726.00
HostPeterZ (Administrator): Running Goot:$165,412.48
HostPeterZ (Administrator): liv hbk:$149,268.92
HostPeterZ (Administrator): Left To Play for place 1: $20,000.00

blumenkind53: ok i am unable to go under 180k so I WANT 8.3k from the two of you
liv hbk: i'll provide you with 4
Running Goot: ill top you as much as 180k
Running Goot: w/ the chip chop

After a bit nipping and tucking our trio came to a consensus, locking up the next shares:

HostPeterZ (Administrator): blumenkind53:$180,000.00
HostPeterZ (Administrator): Running Goot:$161,412.48
HostPeterZ (Administrator): liv hbk:$144,994.92
HostPeterZ (Administrator): Left To Play for place 1: $20,000.00

blumenkind53 eliminated in third place

No sooner had cards gone back within the air did liv hbk and blumenkind53 get right into a pre flop raising war. Blumenkind53 five-bet shoved for 32.2 million with [Jd][Js] only to run into liv hbk's [Ah][Ad]. Liv hbk's aces held and blumenkind53 plummeted to fourteen million in chips.

Blumenkind53 chipped back as much as 23 million, but again bumped into liv hbk with a monster hand. Blumenkind53 made another five-bet shove, this time with [Ah][Jh], and liv hbk looked him up with [Ad][Kh]. Liv hbk's dominating hand-held and blumenkind53's run at a second Sunday Million title came to an lead to third place. However, blumenkind53 took the biggest share of the prize pool at $180,000 way to the three-way deal.

Heads-up chip counts

Seat 7: Running Goot (26,039,240 in chips)
Seat 8: liv hbk (48,350,760 in chips)

Running Goot did just that, doubling up at the first hand of heads-up play. In a three-bet pot, Running Goot fired the flop, turn, and river on a [Th][3c][2c][Kd][6h] board, liv hbk calling down the entire way with [Ac][2h]. Running Goot's top pair with [Kh][7h was good and he doubled to 52 million.

Liv hbk went back to work and chipped up from 22.3 million to 32.4 million. With the blinds as much as 400,000/800,000, liv)hbk three-bet pre flop to 4 million, then checked the [Ah][5h][2c] flop. Running Goot checked behind. The turn came the [8h] and liv hbk bet 4.25 million. Running Goot called and so they went to the river, the [9d]. Liv hbk fired another 6.55 million and Running Goot folded, surrendering the chip result in liv hbk.

Sporting a 7 million lead over Running Goot, liv hbk went for the touchdown at the next hand... and scored!

Congratulations to Romania's liv hbk on winning the Sunday Million! He banked $164,994.92 for the win while runner-up Running Goot earned $161,412.48.

PokerStars Sunday Million results for 11-17-2013

Players: 7,439
Prizepool: $1,487,800.00
Places paid: 1,080

1. liv hbk (Romania) $164,994.92*
2. Running Goot (Canada) $161,412.48*
3. Tim "blumenkind53" Ulrich (Germany) $180,000.00*
4. DonkingDonks (Canada) $78,853.40
5. Madcandle (Finland) $60,999.80
6. 1mDonuts (Malta) $46,121.80
7. orba88 (Israel) $31,987.70
8. Balda23 (Czech Republic) $17,853.60
9. m0ura0886 (Portugal) $11,530.45

*= reflects the result of a three-handed deal that left $20,000 in play for the winner

Kristin Bihr is a contract contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Sunday Million]