"trojanmouse" is Champion of Champions, “Enigmasility” Wins ME, & More Super XL Series VII Highlights

A week and a half ago, the seventh edition of 888poker’s Super XL Series got underway. There was $5,000,000 in guaranteed prize pool spread across 63 events, each of which featured a Main, Mini and Turbo version of each tournament. A massive turnout made it the largest Super XL Series in history and ensured much more than $5 million was dispersed to players.

Given players showed their support for the Super XL, we decided to call an audible midway through the series by awarding players with increased prizes in the Champion of Champions, which saw the top 18 finishers on the Super XL Series Leaderboard compete for a full package, valued at $12,500, to the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event.

We upped the ante by also offering both the runner-up and third-place finishers a trip to Vegas. The former was slated to win a $3,000 WSOP Crazy 8’s package and a $1,050 WSOP Main Event qualifier ticket, while the latter would earn him or herself a $3,000 WSOP Crazy 8’s package. The other 15 were guaranteed a $160 tournament ticket, meaning there was $22,830 in prizes up for grabs.

Below, we take a look at the biggest and best highlights from the Super XL Series VII, which included the Champion of Champions, the High Roller, and of course the Main Event. We also touch upon some significant wins, including those by 888 Ambassador and EPT and World Series of Poker Europe champ Adrian “ADRI_ATM” Mateos.

“trojanmouse” is the Super XL Champions of Champions

On Tuesday, the top 18 finishers on the Super XL Series Leaderboard battled it out in the Super XL “Champion of Champions.” In the end, "trojanmouse," who finished third in the Super XL Opening Event and seventh in the Mini Quarterback, bested 17 tough players to win a seat into the 2017 WSOP Main Event.

"trojanmouse" got off to a good start when he scored a double knock out in Level 2 (20/40). It happened when “b.szaszko” moved all in for 641 and "trojanmouse" called. Finland’s “MrBester” then moved all in over the top from the button and "trojanmouse" called that too.

"trojanmouse": K♥K♦

“MrBester”: Q♦Q♥

“b.szaszko”: A♣5♥

The board ran out 2♦10♠2♣9♥8♠ and "trojanmouse" sent to players to the rail, both of who were awarded a $160 tournament ticket.

"trojanmouse" went on to make it to heads-up play holding a 2:1 chip lead over Belarus’ “GoFighTer.” In what was the final hand of the tournament, which took place in Level 14 (350/700/85), "GoFighTer" moved all in with the Q♦J♦ and "trojanmouse" called holding the K♣10♣.

The 10♦3♥6♥ flop gave "trojanmouse" top pair, but the 9♦ turn made things interesting as "GoFighTer" picked up an open-ended straight flush draw. The last card of the Super XL Series was the 3♣, and "trojanmouse" held to become the Champion of Champions.

Super XL Champion of Champions

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 31
Buy-in: Freeroll
Players: 18
Duration: 3h 41min

“Enigmasility” Wins Main Event for $262,200

The $1,050 buy-in Event #7: $1,500,000 Super XL Main Event drew 1,096 players who accounted for 344 rebuys, which brought the total field up to 1,440 runners. Among them were 888poker ambassadors Dominik “888Dominik” Nitsche, Bruno “brunof0ster” Foster, and Natalie “888natalieH” Hoff. All of them managed to cash, but it was Hof who made the deepest run finishing 51^st for $4,350.

Another player making a deep run was Uruguay’s Fabrizio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez, who finished in 17^th place for $8,250 and barely missed out on his fourth final table of the Super XL VII series.

At the final table, Belarus’ “Enigmasility” caught fire to pull out to a large chip lead. In the final hand of the tournament, which took place in Level 34 (100,000/200,000/25,000), Poland’s “GoMore21” shoved the button for 3,824,240 holding the 10♥7♥ and “Enigmasility” called with the Q♣10♠.

“GoMore21” was dominated, and he failed to get lucky as the board ran out 5♦8♣3♦4♣10♦. “GoMore21” added $190,500 to his bankroll for finishing runner-up, while “Enigmasility” claimed the title and $262,200 first-place prize.

Event #57 $1,500,000 Super XL – Main Event

Date: Sunday, Jan. 29
Buy-in: $1,050
Players: 1,096 (344 rebuys)
Duration: 12h 26min
Prize Pool: $1,500,000
Places Paid: 144

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s “fNx_R” topped a field of 2,191 total entries to win the $160 buy-in Event #58: Mini Main Event for $55,508.98, while Brazil’s “waffles10” bested 5,029 players to take down the $5 buy-in Event #59: Micro Main Event for $3,203.47.

Finally, in the $109 buy-in Event #62: Turbo Main Event, which drew 461 players. It took just three hours and 53 minutes for Switzerland’s “skylin007” to emerge victorious for $8,759.

Jonathan “chut_up” Van Fleet Wins High Roller for $87,290

On Day 6 of the latest Super XL Series, Jonathan “chut_up” Van Fleet topped a field of 203 players to win the $2,100 buy-in Event #28: $350,000 GTD High Roller, which surpassed the advertised guarantee by creating a $406,000 prize pool.

The tournament drew some of the biggest names in the game including Chris “NigDawg” Brammer, Ole “olekonjole” Schemion, and Nicolas “PKaiser” Fierro, just to name a few.

For the win, which took him more than 10 hours to accomplish including a heads-up match against the aforementioned Fabrizio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez, Van Fleet was awarded $87,290.

Heads-up play began with Van Fleet holding a 3-1 chip lead over Gonzalez, but a double by the latter evened the stacks. In what was the final hand of the tournament, as reported by PokerNews, blinds were 30,000/60,000/7,500 when Gonzalez limped and then called off after Van Fleet shoved from the big blind.

Van Fleet: K♥7♣
Gonzalez: Q♦J♠

According to the 888poker Odds Calculator, Van Fleet was a 54.9% favorite to win the title while Gonzalez had a 44.5% chance of doubling. The 10♠A♦3♦ flop gave Gonzalez a gutshot, but he still saw his chances of winning drop to 39.6%.

The 3♣ turn was no help to Gonzalez, and neither was the 2♦ river. Gonzalez had to settle for second place and a $62,930 consolation prize, while Van Fleet captured one of the most prestigious titles of the series.

Event #28 $350,000 Super XL – High Roller

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 24
Buy-in: $2,100
Players: 204
Duration: 10h 20min
Prize Pool: $406,000
Places Paid: 27

Online Poker’s Most Accomplished Tournament Player Captures First Super XL Title

888poker Ambassador is online poker’s greatest tournament player. He’s won nearly every title under the sun, but until Day 8 of the series, he didn’t have a Super XL title.

A week after finishing ninth in Event 1: $80,000 Super XL Opening Event, a tournament that drew 1,033 players who accounted for 535 rebuys, Moorman topped a field of 667 players to win Event #38: $50,000 R&A to win $16,453.12.

“Shipped it for $16k and change after a marathon heads-up match that lasted longer than the rest of the final table [combined] #chickendinner #88SuperXL,” Moorman tweeted after the historic win.

Event #38 $50,000 Super XL – R&A

Date: Thursday, Jan. 26
Buy-in: $55
Players: 667
Duration: 9h 20min
Prize Pool: $87,750
Places Paid: 90

Spain’s Adrian Mateos Continues Poker Legacy with Mega Deep Win

One of the biggest tournaments on Sunday, January 22 was the $215 buy-in Event #13: $150,000 Mega Deep. There was a $191,800 prize pool up for grabs after 959 players jumped into action, and after nearly 14 hours, it was Adrian “ADRI_ATM” Mateos, who would later finish ninth in the Main Event, that walked away with the title and $34,524 top prize.

Mateos, who currently sits second on Spain’s all-time money list with more than $6.3 million in live lifetime earnings, is known to most as the winner of the 2013 World Series of Poker Europe for $1,351,661. He did that at the young age of 19 years old. Two years later, Mateos won the EPT11 Grand Final Main Event for $1,214,161, and then last summer he captured a second bracelet by winning the 2016 WSOP Event #33: Sumer Solstice for $409,171.

Winning an 888poker Super XL title is the latest accomplishment for the young Spaniard.

Event #13 $150,000 Super XL Mega Deep

Date: Sunday, Jan. 22
Buy-in: $215
Players: 959
Duration: 13h 53min
Prize Pool: $191,800
Places Paid: 126

Congratulations to all the winners in our latest Super XL Series, which is sure to return later in 2017. Be sure to check back right here at 888poker for updates on that and more!