After a week on the road with the World Cup of Poker, the PokerStars blog is back at Blog HQ for a few weeks. That means we're back to high-dollar play and the regular Sunday night final table tournament report.

As the final table of Sunday's $350,000 Guaranteed began, the rail loved the man from Iceland, CASINOICE. He had a lot of chips, but he had one big foe to face: a giant ear of Golden Corn.


Click image for full-sized version

With a few small stacks looking ready to bust at any moment, it was little surprise that we lost one player very quickly. With just 130,000 left in chips, MeltonOK got all his chips in the middle pre-flop with 55. J9 of Clubs, with only 300,000 himself, saw fit to call with a suited A7. MeltonOK looked to survive but J9 of Clubs spiked his ace no the flop and sent MeltonOK packing in ninth place for $6009.60

Lee Jones: You did better than OK, Melton - you did great.

J9 of Clubs would lay down another hurting shortly. He pushed all-in from the button for morre than 430,000 in chips and the blinds still at 20,000/40,000. Bill713 called all-in from the big blind with KJo. J9 of Clubs showed QJo. The board was not pretty for bill713. An eight and nine on he flop and ten on the turn gave J9 of Clubs the straight and a sizable chip stack. Bill713 had to settle for eighth place and $9515.20

Lee Jones: Ooh Bill - tough beat, but you made $9500 tonight - good job.

Like the first scene in a bad horror movie, jorwin simply ran into a monster. With more than 760,000 in chips, jorwin saw a smooth call from Golden Corn and a raise to 160,000 from CASINOICE. Looking down at AQ, jorwin pushed all in. Golden Corn got out of the way, but CASINOICE called with AA. The case ace on the flop was just a way to taunt jorwin as he departed in seventh place for $14,022.40

Lee Jones: Hey Jor - you win $14K - nice match!

FastEddie267 was getting low in chips and finally found AK and pushed all-in. CASINOICE found it easy to call with a pair of sevens. The flop brought an ace and FastEddie276 looked to double through. Then a seven fell on on the turn to give CASINOICE a set which eventually became a boat. FastEddie267 left in sixth place for $19,030.40.

Lee Jones: I'm afraid the game is over, Eddie. But you take $19K out of the pool hall.

Having held on this long, ZRobsUSC got all-in from his big blind with KJs. Golden Corn had raised with A6o and made an ace on the flop. ZRobsUSC took fifth place and a healthy $23,036.80.

Lee Jones: Good match Rob - and $23K is a good day's work!

Vdward met a similar fate shortly thereafter, pushing all-in against a raise from CASINOICE. Vdward held QJ to CASINOICE's K3s. CASINOICE made his king on the flop and sent vdward out in fourth place for $29,046.40.

Lee Jones: Good match vdward - there's $29K more in your account now.

The final three players battled back and forth for sometime, with Golden Corn taking a nice lead. J9 of Clubs decided to make a stand with A8o. He ran into Golden Corn's ATo and never improved. The standout player took third place and $37,059.20.

Lee Jones: Hey J9 - Great match! You just won $37K

Golden Corn finally had opened around a 5-1 chip lead against CASINOICE. On the final hand put in a raise and then called a re-raise from his opponent. The flop came down T4T with two hearts. Golden Corn bet out and CASINOICE shoved in the rest of his chips. CASINOICE showed Q8 of spades. GoldenCorn showed QJo with one heart. A six and ten fell on the turn and river. Golden Corn's jack out-kicked CASINOICE's eight and the match was over.

Lee Jones : Excellent match, both players!

PokerStars $350,000 Guaranteed Results 5-22-05

1st--Golden Corn (Hordaland, NO) $100,160
2nd--CASINOICE (Iceland) $60,096
3rd--J9 of Clubs (Richardson, TX) $37,059.20
4th--vdward (Colle Station, TX) $29,046.40
5th--ZRobsUSC (Columbia, SC) $23,036.80
6th--FastEddie267 (Mt. Pleasant, IA) $19,030.40
7th--jorwin (Malmo, SE) $14,022.40
8th--bill713 (Casselberry, FL)$9515.20
9th--MeltonOK (Noble, OK) $6009.60

Congratulations to all the players. This week, the money gets bigger with a $500,000 Guarantee.