With everyone showing up to the final table with more then 20 big blinds and a slow structure this is sure to be a lengthy battle for an incredible prize pool that is completely funded by Frequent Players Points (FPPs). Only grinding out those FPPs on the cash, sit and go, and multi-table tournaments will get you into this massive event. 11,962 either bought in with the 5,000 FPP entry fee or managed to weave thru the many satellites that are offered daily to reach this event that paid out in 4,000 places with $100,000 going to our winner tonight. A tough hand of KK vs. AA for sjemmy from Rotterdam and our final table of nine was set.

Seat 1: riffery (4893590 in chips)
Seat 2: HipsterDufes (1801996 in chips)
Seat 3: kipa58 (5752600 in chips)
Seat 4: roybaauw (4932239 in chips)
Seat 5: nsewell4 (7700895 in chips)
Seat 6: gambler2k4 (2240724 in chips)
Seat 7: jitterbug777 (1868552 in chips)
Seat 8: Badboy Orrie (3107026 in chips)
Seat 9: papa333 (3588378 in chips)

Riffery made the first big move of the final table after tabling pocket Kings to dominate nsewell4’s AKo. After a board of blandness, riffery’s newly acquired nine million chip stack was good enough for a solid lead over second place kipa58 early in the final table with blinds at $50,000/$100,000 ante $10,000. Almost like watching a well oiled hockey power play, the disks of money were moving swiftly across the felt for nearly the first hour of the final table the chips merely shifted from side to side as riffery’s stack was depleted a little, then roybaauw who got several chips from riffery placed those newly acquired chips in the stack of gambler2K4 and HipsterDufes on back-to-back all ins preflop.

Sometimes the best hand pre-flop does win but takes a little while longer to get there. Riffery’s under the gun raise was called by roybaauw while everyone else got out of the way. A flop of Qd 3s 6s got riffery to check to roybaauw who calmly put out a $600,000 chip bet leaving $2.8 million behind. Aggressive the entire final table riffery answered with all-in shove for his chip leading stack of $7.4 million. But, roybaauw saw thru the huge check raise and found his QcJs well ahead of riffery’s AcJc. The seven of diamonds on the turn left just three cards to dodge, but roybaauw’s agility to dance around those outs on the river wasn’t good enough as the Ace of the diamonds spiked and added to riffery’s chip lead. $5,500.00 for FPPs is points well-spent by our ninth place finisher roybaauw.

Gambler2K4 was slowly acquiring chips in the first hour as he called raise from kipa58 with KcQc. The 2s Kd 7s flop found no one’s attention as they both checked. The Queen of spades on the turn gave Gambler2K4 top two pair, and when kipa58 checked to him a $400,000 bet went into the middle. Kipa58 answered with a check-raise all-in which gambler2K4 quickly called only to see the one-outer on the turn hit for kipa58’s pocket queens. Still alive with two kings left in the deck, gambler2K4 watched the four of diamonds fall and left us with ten grand in his bankroll for poker, craps, roulette, or whatever gambler2K4 chooses to make his next wager on while finishing in eighth place.

The massive stacks of kipa58 and riffery pushed the other players to jockey for position among themselves. HipsterDufes tried to breach the solid wall of chips having riffery on his right and kipa58 on his left by push his remaining $1.8 million in chip with blinds at $80,000/$160,000 ante $16,000 into kipa58’s big blind. HipsterDufes’ Kh9h wasn’t thrilled to see the call sign flashing as kipa58 turned over pocket threes for a race. Two hearts on the flops looked great, but a closer look told a sad tale as the three of hearts gave kipa58 a set of threes and a commanding lead. No flush filled on the turn and river and HipsterDufes will have an extra $15,000 in seventh place to keep up with the latest fashion trends.

Out of the shorter stacks nsewell4 has made the biggest moves to challenge the big stacked players to his right. His efforts were helped after racing pocket Tens versus the all-in from Badboy Orrie (Boston Bruins fan in the Netherlands perhaps?) who held AKo. A coordinated flop of 6s 7h 8d helped no one, two of spades on the turn had nsewell4 looking further up the pay scale, and the Queen of clubs on the river sent Mr. Orr flying to the ice but alas no goal this time as in a highlight reel shot shown time and time again on Sportscenter. Badboy Orrie gets $20,000 for his efforts in sixth place tonight.

Dancing is not a forte of mine, but Jitterbug777 literally tap danced his up the pay ladder with steals and catching a few double ups with his short stack. All songs end eventually and the sweet footed Jitterbug777 had to face the music with big slick versus kipa58’s pocket twos all-in pre flop with his remaining $1.5 million in chips and blinds at $90,000/$180,000 ante $18,000. With a board of 9c Js Jh Qs, Jitterbug had several outs to counterfeit kipa58’s deuces but the 3d hit the river and his great short stack play earned him $25,000 in fifth place.

With less then ten big blinds papa333 found Ah6h in the small blind pushing his remaining $938,396 in chips with only riffery standing in his way of gathering some much needed chips pre-flop. But, the cagey riffery held pocket fours to make the easy call. Much like the previous bust-out hand the pocket pair withheld a minefield of outs as 5h 3h 8s was laid out on the flop. But, papa333 could not find any help to give the kids in his hand on the turn and river. $32,500 in fourth place money is good for a year or two of college for papa333’s kids at home, depending on the new dorm room costs of course.

Then the two big stacks became one. Several preflop raising wars broke out during three handed play with kipa58 coming over the top of riffery and visa versa. Finally riffery decided to stand up to the other chip bully and they played the biggest pot of the tournament after some preflop betting and all the money into the pot on the turn of 7c 8d 7d Th

Riffery: Qs Qc
Kipa58: Kh Td

Riffery dodged the trips and two pair outs on the river and banked the massive $21 million chip pot. Later they would tangle again, but this time the money went in preflop as kipa58 shoved his remaining $6.4 million in chips holding AJo and riffery made the call with pocket tens. It’s the night for pocket pairs as riffery’s hand held up and he would take a 6:1 chip advantage into heads-up play against nsewell4. The third place finisher, kipa58, will enjoy $40,000 for his play tonight.

With blinds at $150,000/$300,000 ante $30,000 nsewell4 managed to double up off riffery and chopped his large chip lead down to 2.5:1 but riffery’s constant button raises and re-raises have made this heads-up battle seemingly one-sided. One stretch saw the chip leader take down nearly ten hands in a row with only two of those even seeing a flop. Riffery’s aggression would gain all the chips lost during the double up, and then some while expanding his lead to a 10:1 margin.

Nsewell4 was down to his last $3 million in chips while finding big slick all ready to do battle as he shoved his remaining chips against riffery’s big blind. Riffery called with KsQc but the huge chip lead could take the wound. First aid was not needed as the flop showed 6s Qd Th turning nsewell4 into the player needing three outs. The inside broadway straight never filled and Nsewell4 will receive a sizable $60,000 as a consolation prize. Showing once again that aggression wins tournaments, riffery goes to valuetown and receives $100,000 for his PokerStars Million Dollar Turbo Takedown win!

PokerStars $1 Million Turbo Takedown Final Table Results

1. riffery (Netherlands) $100,000.00
2. nsewell4 (United States) $60,000.00
3. kipa58 (Latvia) $40,000.00
4. papa333 (United States) $32,500.00
5. jitterbug777 (United States) $25,000.00
6. Badboy Orrie (Netherlands) $20,000.00
7. HipsterDufes (Canada) $15,000.00
8. gambler2k4 (United States) $10,000.00
9. roybaauw (Netherlands) $5,500.00