Whether they’re born of pure confidence, sensational reading ability, or the alignment of the stars themselves, there’s no denying streaks exist in tournament poker. Witness George Danzer’s three 2014 WSOP bracelets, Rob Tinnion’s twin Sunday Million wins, and tonight’s final table to name just a few examples. We could hardly believe our eyes when we noticed Mads “Mr Longhit” Bertelsen, had made the final table of the Million in consecutive weeks. And right across from him, Georgios “GeoManousos” Sotiropoulos was going for another major online title only four months after taking down the Super Tuesday and barely two weeks removed from a $1k side event victory at the EPT Deauville. Bertelsen improved upon last week’s ninth-place finish by coming in fifth this time around, but tonight Sotiropoulos stole the show. Sitting on less than ten big blinds with four players left, “GeoManousos” scratched and clawed his way to the top, rejecting two deals along the way, and came away with his second major online title since October.

Oscar night didn’t stop 7,034 players from entering this week’s Million, bringing the prize pool up to $1,406,800.00. 1,080 places were paid with $211,024.92 up top.

Blinds were up to 125,000/250,000 with ten players remaining and crazyyhorses was the short stack with 2.15 million. HC_68 made it 500,000 to go out of the small blind and crazyyhorses defended. HC_68 led out for 330,000 on the Q♣ 10♠ 8♦ flop, crazyyhorses shoved, and HC_68 called, his Q♦ Q♠ crushing crazyyhorses’s 10♣ 5♥ . The 2♦ turn left crazyyhorses drawing dead and the A♥ river sent him to the rail on the final table bubble.

Final table chip counts

Seat 1: Gil3000 (3,824,365 in chips)
Seat 2: Fizhh (15,427,007 in chips)
Seat 3: PJCT DK (3,077,636 in chips)
Seat 4: HC_68 (15,760,880 in chips)
Seat 5: AussieXXX (5,083,743 in chips)
Seat 6: Mr Longhit (10,225,532 in chips)
Seat 7: AverageGreg (8,604,810 in chips)
Seat 8: GeoManousos (5,078,295 in chips)
Seat 9: PIIKAACHU (3,257,732 in chips)

PJCT DK moved in on the first hand of the final table, but unfortunately, his A♠ Q♣ did not improve against AussieXXX’s pocket sevens. PIIKAACHU followed him out the door a short time later after calling GeoManousos’s button shove. PIIKACHU’s K♣ 10♣ didn’t get any help on the board against GeoManousos’s A♥ 7♣ and he exited in eighth place.

Chip leader Luis “Fizhh” Montaño solidified his position when he picked up a 25.2 million pot from HC_68. After four-betting preflop, Fizhh led out for 3,129,493 on the A♥ 8♠ 3♥ flop. HC_68 called. Both players checked the K♥ turn, but when the 5♥ rivered Fizhh made it another 5,695,678 to go. HC_68 looked him up, but Fizhh took down the pot with A♣ Q♥ for the nut flush. The hand took Fizhh up to 32 million while HC_68 was left with only 3.52 million.

HC_68 got a reprieve, doubling through GeoManousos when his pocket nines held up against pocket sevens. GeoManousos was left with only 2.58 million and turned it into 5.66 million when his 7♠ 8♦ rivered a pair of sevens against Fizhh’s Q♠ 10♣ . HC_68 hung on until the 300,000/600,000 level, when he moved in his last 2.44 million with A♦ Q♦ . GeoManousos called from the big blind with 7♥ 8♥ . GeoMenousos flopped a seven and rivered trips, ending HC_68’s run in seventh place.

Moments later, AverageGreg picked up pocket tens and three-bet shoved for 5.2 million over Fizhh’s UTG min-raise. However, GeoManousos woke up with Q♣ Q♠ in the big blind and reshoved. AverageGreg didn’t get a miracle on the A♠ 6♥ 2♠ 9♣ A♣ board and went out in sixth place.

Down to 2.46 million with the blinds up to 400,000/800,000, Mr Longhit open-shoved with 6♥ 8♥ but GeoManousos looked him up with A♣ 7♣ . Although Mr Longhit caught a ray of hope with a gutshot straight draw on the turn, GeoManousos rivered an ace-high flush on the 3♣ 5♣ Q♠ 9♥ 4♣ board. For fifth place, Mr Longhit took home $57,678.80, good for a two-week Sunday Million haul of $67,998.70.

Four-handed play slogged on until AussieXXX broke the monotony and doubled through Fizhh, his A♥ J♣ turning a pair of jacks vs. Fizhh’s A♣ K♣ . At that juncture, all four agreed to pause the action and discuss a potential deal. Here’s how they stacked up at the time:

Fizhh 28,731,957
AussieXXX 25,026,534
GeoManousos 9,931,608
Gil3000 6,649,901

Fizhh was looking for at least $170k, almost $14k more than the ICM share he was offered. No one was willing to give up that much coin, even when fizhh dropped his asking price by $5,000. GeoManousos was also looking to raise his $119k share to $130k and with neither Gil3000 nor AussieXXX willing to budge from the ICM numbers, negotiations reached a standstill and action resumed.

Only a few hands after cards went back in the air, Gil3000 open-shoved for 6.54 million from the cutoff and AussieXXX reshoved from the small blind. AussieXXX’s 10♦ 10♠ held up against Gil3000’s pocket deuces and he hit the rail in fourth place.

As play turned three-handed, Fizhh held the chip lead with 32.4 million, AussieXXX was right behind him with 31 million and GeoManousos was the short stack with 6.9 million. GeoManousos made a few shoves that got through and chipped up to 13.6 million before making a small blind shove with K♣ J♦ . Fizhh called with A♣ 10♠ in the big, but GeoManousos flopped a jack and doubled to 28.2 million. Once the dominant chip leader, Fizhh was now the short stack with only 12.2 million.

The final three took another run at making a deal, but were unable to come to terms when GeoManousos asked for a guaranteed $175k– almost $12k more than his chip chop share. Although AussieXXX was willing to give up $5k, Fizhh would not agree to chip in the balance.

Then, on the first hand back, AussieXXX opened for a min-raise to 2.4 million from the small blind and GeoManousos called from the big. The flop fell A♠ A♦ 2♦ and AussieXXX made a 2,580,000 continuation bet. GeoManousos called. The turn came the K♥ and AussieXXX checked over to GeoManousos, who bet 5,869,600. AussieXXX raise to 11,739,200 and GeoManousos smooth-called. The river was the 8♦ and AussieXXX moved in for his remaining 11,777,235. GeoManousos called and turned over A♥ 9♦ for trip aces. AussieXXX’s K♣ 9♥ went up in flames and he ended his run in third place.

Heads-up chip counts

Seat 2: Fizhh (12,080,349 in chips)
Seat 8: GeoManousos (58,259,651 in chips)

GeoManousos had almost a 5 to 1 chip lead to start heads-up play, but Fizhh went a long way toward closing the gap when he doubled to 20 million, his K♣ 7♣ improving to sevens and deuces vs. GeoManousos’s 8♣ 10♦ . GeoManousos went back on the offensive and whittled Fizhh back down to 14.2 million, but he doubled again when his A♠ 7♦ made trip aces against GeoManousos’s K♦ J♦ .

The two were about to pause play and take a third run at making a deal when GeoManousos opened for 2.4 million and Fizhh three-bet to 4.9 million. GeoManousos called and they saw a 9♦ 5♦ 5♣ flop. Fizhh led out for 4.11 million and GeoManousos called. When the A♣ turned, Fizhh moved in for his last 16.5 million and GeoManousos called, revealing 4♦ 5♠ for trips. Fizhh had nothing but air with Q♥ 8♠ and the river 7♠ locked up GeoManousos’s Sunday Million title.

Georgios “GeoManousos” Sotiropoulos

Congratulations to Georgios “GeoManousos” Sotiropoulos on yet another major victory! He banked $211,024.92 for the win while runner-up Luis “Fizhh” Montaño earned $155,268.51.

PokerStars Sunday Million results for 2-22-2015

Players: 7,034
Prizepool: $1,406,800.00
Places paid: 1,080

1. Georgios “GeoManousos” Sotiropoulos (Austria) $211,024.92
2. Luis “Fizhh” Montaño (Mexico) $155,268.51
3. AussieXXX (Australia) $112,544.00
4. Jonathan “Gil3000” Gill (United Kingdom) $74,560.40
5. Mads “Mr Longhit” Bertelsen (Denmark) $57,678.80
6. AverageGreg (Canada) $43,610.80
7. HC_68 (Austria) $30,246.20
8. PIIKAACHU (Norway) $16,881.60
9. PJCT DK (Portugal) $10,902.70

Kristin Bihr is a freelance contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

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