The winner of this week’s Sunday Million — holy h3ll of Israel — raised a lot of hands on the final table, and raised a lot of h3ll, too, by being responsible for all but one of the final table knockouts on the way to the win to earn a $170,000 payday following a three-handed deal.

It was a big field of 6,426 that holy h3ll topped to earn the victory, a group that built a prize pool of $1,285,200 (more than the $1 million guarantee). It took about five hours for the cash bubble to burst, with Team PokerStars Pro Andre Akkari one of the last unfortunate players to fall shy of the money with a 993rd-place finish. With 990 players left and in the money, Light Aide sat atop the counts though there was a long way to go.

About five more hours later Light Aide had been knocked out in 111st to cash for $1,066.71, and with 18 players left holy h3ll held the top spot with more than 12.5 million, well ahead of nearest challenger honestpolicy’s 6.7 million.

asdf78 (18th), tezmoney (17th), and King MicNuts (16th) next went out, each earning $3,598.56. LORDCLC (15th), Plutex10 (14th), and rvca42 (13th) followed, taking away $5,397.84 apiece. Then Fabio “F1oba” Pereira (12th), HENNERS986 (11th), and celloman91 (10th) fell, with each of them collecting $7,197.12 for their efforts.

the shrakher had pulled into the chip lead ahead of holy h3ll — both playing from Israel — to start the final table.

Seat 1: Jolton73 (Sweden) — 2,917,468
Seat 2: yukeepplayin (Canada) — 2,822,510
Seat 3: Robertino “Maestro Shao” Greco (Argentina) — 10,654,965
Seat 4: the shrakher (Israel) — 13,071,478
Seat 5: Alexander_lv (Russia) — 3,673,224
Seat 6: Budoa2 (Netherlands) — 5,930,539
Seat 7: MRCOLLE (Brazil) — 3,718,292
Seat 8: holy h3ll (Israel) — 11,765,115
Seat 9: honestpolicy (United Kingdom) — 9,706,409

On just the third hand of the final table, it folded around to MRCOLLE in the small blind who open-pushed for nearly 3.2 million (about eight big blinds) with J♠ 4♠ and got called by holy h3ll in the big blind with A♥ 9♣ . The flop brought an ace and by the turn MRCOLLE was drawing dead to finish in ninth.

Soon holy h3ll was getting involved again, raising 2x to 800,000 from the hijack seat. It folded to yukeepplayin who called all in with the 65,042 left after posting the small blind, and Robertino “Maestro Shao” Greco called as well from the big blind. The flop came 6♦ 4♥ Q♥ and after checking to holy h3ll who bet, Greco folded. holy h3ll then showed 10♠ 9♠ while yukeepplayin was ahead with A♦ 7♠ , and after the 2♦ turn yukeepplayin appeared about to triple up. But the river was the 9♣ to pair holy h3ll’s hand and knock yukeepplayin out in eighth.

Soon the shrakher opened with a 2x raise to 1 million from late position, Budoa2 reraised all in for about 2.2 million total from the big blind, and the shrakher called. Budoa2 had K♠ 8♣ and the shrakher A♦ 3♥ . The flop came A♥ K♣ 10♥ to pair both players, then the 8♠ turn put Budoa2 in front with two pair. But the river brought the 3♣ to pair the shrakher once more, giving the latter the better hand and ending Budoa2’s run in seventh.

Just two hands later holy h3ll min-raised to 1 million from the button, Jolton73 three-bet all in to just under 1.8 million from the big blind, and holy h3ll called. Jolton73 had two live cards with 8♥ 6♣ versus holy h3ll’s 10♥ 9♦ , but the board hit neither while bringing a ten for holy h3ll, and Jolton73 was knocked out in sixth.

Next it was Alexander_lv open-raising all in for just over 3.2 million from the small blind and holy h3ll calling from the big blind. Alexander_lv had K♠ 3♦ and holy h3ll A♦ 10♣ , and five cards later — 7♠ 5♦ 8♦ 7♣ Q♥ — they were down to four.

They reached the next scheduled break, with holy h3ll leading the final four with about 28.8 million, the shrakher next with just over 15.9 million, honestpolicy was third with about 11.5 million, and Robertino “Maestro Shao” Greco fourth with a bit more than 7.9 million.

A little while later Robertino “Maestro Shao” Greco open-shoved a stack of about 6.85 million (a little over 11 BBs) from the button with J♠ 10♦ and it was holy h3ll yet again calling from the big blind with A♥ 9♦ . No community cards helped Greco who hit the rail in fourth.

The final three played further, with holy h3ll first increasing the lead, then the shrakher doubling through the leader to even things between them before honestpolicy doubled a small stack through the shrakher. The three then stopped the tourney to discuss a possible deal with holy h3ll in first with about 24.9 mllion, the shrakher next with a little more than 24.6 million, and honestpolicy sitting with about 14.7 million.

“Chip chop” numbers were presented, with both holy h3ll and the shrakher responding with requests for more. honestpolicy was amenable, and after giving up a little to each a deal was made.

A few minutes after the deal a hand arose that saw holy h3ll open-raise all in from the small blind, then honestpolicy think just a few seconds before calling all in from the big blind for about 14.6 million (about 18 BBs). honestpolicy had a preflop edge with A♠ 5♠ versus holy h3ll’s Q♦ J♠ . But the flop came 6♦ 7♣ J♥ to give holy h3ll a pair of jacks. The K♣ turn changed nothing, then after the Q♥ river holy h3ll ended with two pair and honestpolicy was out in third.

That gave holy h3ll the lead with almost 37.7 million versus the shrakher’s almost 26.6 million, and on the next hand holy h3ll opened with a 2x raise to 1.6 million. the shrakher three-bet to 4.8 million, then holy h3ll shoved all in and the shrakher called.

the shrakher: A♣ J♠
holy h3ll: K♣ 10♥

Again holy h3ll was behind, but the K♦ 3♣ 3♠ flop changed the situation by hitting holy h3ll’s king. The 3♥ on the turn improved holy h3ll to a full house, then the 10♣ sealed it — holy h3ll had won.

Congratulations to holy h3ll for topping a field of 6,426 including knocking out seven of eight opponents at the final table to win this week’s Sunday Million and a $170K first prize. Kudos also to the shrakher and honestpolicy for making it to the three-way deal as well.

2/1/14 Sunday Million ($215 No-Limit Hold’em) results
Entrants:  6,426
Prize pool: $1,285,200.00
Places paid: 990

1. holy h3ll (Israel) — $170,000.00*
2. the shrakher (Israel) — $150,000.00*
3. honestpolicy (United Kingdom) — $122,884.33*
4. Robertino “Maestro Shao” Greco (Argentina) — $70,686.00
5. Alexander_lv (Russia) — $53,978.40
6. Jolton73 (Sweden) — $41,126.40
7. Budoa2 (Netherlands) — $28,274.40
8. yukeepplayin (Canada) — $15,422.40
9. MRCOLLE (Brazil) — $9,960.30

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

Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

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