Ten weeks ago, on February 21, Israel's DEdgge was sitting at this very final table. From a field of 5,778, DEdgge made the last nine, albeit as a very short stack, and even doubled up in the early going to stay alive. However, he found himself on the wrong end of a coinflip in short order and busted out in seventh place. DEdgge took home over $25k that night and probably never thought he'd get a second shot at the title so soon... but here we are, not even three months later. This time, DEdgge arrived at the final table with a monster chip lead of 18.4 million and really only one challenger, Russia's Skubidu888 with 12.57 million. Between them, they took out the eighth, seventh, and sixth place finishers, before going head-to-head in a monster pot. DEdgge forced a river fold from Skubidu888 and topped 44 million in chips after the hand-- good for 78% of the chips in play. From there, it took only nine hands for DEdgge to clear out his four remaining opponents as he bulldozed his way to the Sunday Million title.

This week's Million drew 5,653 players who created a $1,130,600.00 prize pool. 810 places were paid with $176,828.54 set aside for first place.

Nearly eleven hours after cards went in the air, ten players remained and the blinds were up to 200,000/400,000. The action folded around to Backi65 in the small blind, who moved in for 4.44 million with [Ad][6h]. Most unfortunately for Backi65, chip leader DEdgge woke up with [As][Ah] in the big blind, and the [Jd][8c][7d][2d][3h] board did nothing to change the situation. Backi65 hit the rail in tenth place and the remaining nine advanced to the final table.

Final table chip counts

Seat 1: ViTaMoS (6,866,404 in chips)
Seat 2: Skubidu888 (12,576,770 in chips)
Seat 3: DEdgge (18,403,084 in chips)
Seat 4: ExTy858 (3,165,496 in chips)
Seat 5: Gedis777 (1,719,790 in chips)
Seat 6: 1sag (2,640,756 in chips)
Seat 7: dexter2266 (3,686,488 in chips)
Seat 8: CLEVER666 (3,092,550 in chips)
Seat 9: Anao19 (4,378,662 in chips)

As the final table began, five players were short stacked, holding less than ten big blinds apiece. Among them was ExTy858, who picked up [Qc][Qd] and moved in for 3.08 million from UTG+1. Dexter2266 reshoved from the hijack for 3.64 million and revealed [Kh][Kd] for a classic cooler. ExTy858 didn't get a miracle on the [As][8s][8d][2s][3c] board and went out in ninth place.

Gedis777 was down to his last five big blinds, but got a reprieve when he doubled to 5.2 million through DEdgge, his [Ac][7c] holding up vs. [Kc][6d]. 1sag was not as fortunate. He three-bet shoved for 1.22 million with [Ad][4d], but ran into DEdgge's [Ah][8d]. DEdgge's kicker played on the [Tc][9h][6d][Jd][3h] board and 1sag exited in eighth place.

CLEVER666 had 500,000 of his remaining 1.06 million posted in the big blind when Skubidu888 opened for a min-raise to 1,000,000. CLEVER666 called the small balance, his [5s][9d] up against [7h][7d]. Skubidu888 flopped a set on the [Ac][7s][6d][9c][Kh] board, eliminating CLEVER666 in seventh place.

Shortly thereafter, Gedis777 was in the same spot, with nearly half his chips committed in the 500,000 big blind. The action folded around to DEdgge, who made it 1.12 million to go with [7h][Th] and Gedis777 snap-called all-in with pocket jacks. The jacks held on the [6h][6d][5d][Qh][8d] board and Gedis777 hung on as he doubled to 2.78 million. As six-handed play continued, DEdgge sucked up every chip in sight and moved past 35 million. Skubidu888 was second with 8.1 million and the rest of the field was below 5.6 million.

Anao19 had less than three big blinds when he took pocket fives up against DEdgge's [Jc][9h] in a pre-flop all-in. DEdgge hit a nine on the flip and Anao19 went out in sixth place. Moments later, a game-changing pot brewed between DEdgge and second-in-chips Skubidu888. DEdgge opened for 1.43 million from UTG and Skubidu888 called from the big blind. The flop came down [Ah][5h][4s] and Skubidu888 checked to DEdgge, who bet 968,800. Skubidu888 called. The turn came the [3h] and again Skubidu888 checked. DEdgge fired another 1,511,328 and Skubidu888 called. The river fell the [8s] and Skubidu888 checked a third time. DEdgge made it 3,031,292 to go and Skubidu888 gave up his hand, saving his last 4.9 million in chips. DEdgge raked in the 8.4 million pot and moved up to a monstrous 44 million-- 78% of the chips in play with five players still remaining.

Gedis777 had twice doubled through DEdgge to survive, but in this case the third time was not the charm. DEdgge opened for 10.2 million from UTG, setting anyone to act after him all-in, and Gedis777 answered the call with [As][6c]. DEdgge turned up [7h][7s] and made a ten-high straight on the [Td][9s][8c][4h][6s] board, ending Gedis777's run in fifth place.

Two hands later, the dominoes continued to fall. ViTaMoS open-shoved for 1.51 million from UTG with [As][5c] and dexter2266 called from the big blind with [Js][Ts]. Although ViTaMoS made trip aces on the [Ac][Ad][Qs] flop, dexter2266 spiked the [Kh] on the turn to make a Broadway straight. The river was the [Th] and ViTaMoS hit the rail in fourth place while dexter2266 moved up to second in chips with 6.35 million. Then, on the next deal, DEdgge open-shoved on the button and Skubidu888 called all-in for 2.62 million from the big blind with [Kc][5d]. DEdgge's [Ac][8s] flopped top pair on the [As][Qs][3h][4c][7c] board and Skubidu888 hopped back in the Mystery Machine with third-place cash.

Heads-up chip counts

Seat 3: DEdgge (50,532,532 in chips)
Seat 7: dexter2266 (5,997,468 in chips)

With the gulf between the chip counts this wide, it's no surprise heads-up play lasted only one hand. Dexter2266 moved all-in on the button and DEdgge called.

dexter2266 [Js][Th]
DEdgge [Ks][9c]

DEdgge's king kicked played on the [7d][5s][3d][Qs][Ad] board and he locked up his first Sunday Million title.

Congratulations to Israel's DEdgge on joining the ranks of Sunday Million champions! He banked $176,828.54 for the win while runner-up dexter2266 of Ukraine earned $131,714.90.

4/24/16 Sunday Million ($215 No-Limit Hold'em) results
Entrants: 5,653
Prize pool: $1,130,600.00
Places paid: 810

1. DEdgge (Israel) $176,828.54
2. dexter2266 (Ukraine) $131,714.90
3. Skubidu888 (Russia) $93,104.91
4. ViTaMoS (Ukraine) $63,878.90
5. Gedis777 (Lithuania) $48,050.50
6. Anao19 (Brazil) $36,744.50
7. CLEVER666 (United Kingdom) $25,438.50
8. 1sag (Norway) $14,132.50
9. ExTy858 (Lithuania) $9,044.80

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For Game of Thrones fans they got to see the drama of Jon Snow and Khaleesi (look elsewhere for spoilers) returning after several months wait for the season six premier. For online poker players and fans, the wait for the 2016 Spring Championship of Online Poker is only 14 days away to see if Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier can capture another Player of the Series title with $40 million in guarantees across 165 tournaments. The $425,000 guarantee Sunday Warm-Up will help a few players gather up a bankroll before the race towards those watches. None more than this week's champion, droulis9, who won $70,416.22 after a two-way chop.

Read on below for the full story on droulis9's win.

Matthew "mjw006 Wakeman winner of the Super Tuesday and owner of a World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) bracelet, had eyes set for Sunday Major title nearly eight hours into the Sunday Warm-Up. But, Canibus555 refused to fold a flopped set against Wakeman's unpaired big-slick as Matthew took away $1,435.30 in 23rd place.

Halfway through the eighth hour of play VEK007 would throw in a modest stack with pocket queens staring down at ramondemon77's jacks. When the other two jacks in the deck hit the flop, VEK007 hit the rail in 16th place ($1,713.10).

From there the eliminations picked up quickly as the population was trimmed from 16 to hand-for-hand play in 15 minutes and the last to leave before the final table would wait until after the break.

Unlike the rash of players leaving the tournament ship, it would take a solid ten minutes after the break to determine the final table lineup. With the blinds at 50K/100K ante 10K Canibus555 took aim at staying alive by shoving for 902K as johnnyCASH90 called with pocket eights [8d][8c]. Canibus555 turned up big slick [As][Kc] which blanked on the [3d] [8s] [2d] [Qh] [9s] board starting up the final table below:

Seat 1: ajetopatamat (2788508 in chips)
Seat 2: girlyjack (1588956 in chips)
Seat 3: droulis9 (2187320 in chips)
Seat 4: ramondemon77 (1660793 in chips)
Seat 5: Peter9900 (3197497 in chips)
Seat 6: Bushman (2631819 in chips)
Seat 7: johnnyCASH90 (5290235 in chips)
Seat 8: gorgona66ret (625860 in chips)
Seat 9: ivanvilchez8 (3179012 in chips)

The starting nine itched to get the party going on the first hand. Holding one of the larger stacks ajetopatamat would raise to 230K from UTG as ramondemon77 tried to scare off anyone else by shoving for 1.65 million with pocket eights [8s][8c]. A pair held for johnnyCASH90, would they hold against ajetopatamat's big slick [Kd][As]? They did until the turn [5s] [2h] [2c] [Kh] [3d] as ramondemon77 was forced to cash out in ninth place ($3,935.50).

JohnnyCASH90's stack would continue to grow in the early goings of the final table. Shortly after the break gorgona66ret would shove for 469,860 hoping to score some easy blinds. Instead the chip leader, johnnyCASH90, would make the big stack call with [5s][Js]. Gorgona66ret's pocket fours [4d][4s] would be the second straight pair to lose to overcards on the turn [2h] [9d] [Ts] [5d] [8d]. Gorgona66ret's Sunday Million final table last year ended in eighth place and so would this one earning $6,713.50.

JohnnyCASH90 would min-raise from middle position as girlyjack tried to squirm out of the depth of having under three BBs and called all-in. Both the blinds joined in the party as johnnyCASH90 followed through on the [2h][Qs][7c] flop with only droulis9 staying in. Both would check the turn [8h] as droulis9 bet out 1.25 million on the paired river [7d]. JohnnyCASH90 had too much to say no and called as droulis9 showed deuces full [2s][2c]. Neither johnnyCASH90 nor girlyjack could match the boat, sending girlyjack home in seventh place ($11,343.50).

Five hands later with the blinds moving up to 125K/250K ante 25K Bushman would raise to 625K as ajetopatamat shoved for 1.8 million from the small blind. Bushman holding only 53K left tossed it in holding [Jd][Th]. Not a bad hand facing pocket kings [Kd][Kc] but only one ten [Td] [3c] [6d] [7h] [8s] would show up as Bushman carried away $15,973.50 in sixth place.

Five minutes later with droulis9 now holding over half the chips in play, former chip leader johnnyCASH90 would shove for 2.1 million as droulis9 looked to increase that lead by re-shoving for 10.4 million. Peter9900 wisely folded in the big blind as droulis9 showed [Jd][Ah]. JohnnyCASH90's dominated [Ks][Jh] did not dig out of that pre-flop hole [2h] [Jc] [5h] [9s] [6d] shipping $20,603.50 in fifth place.

Despite the weight of droulis9's stack it would take nearly 15 minutes until ajetopatamat broke the silence. With the blinds moving up to 150K/300K ante 30K ajetopatamat would shove 3.8 million from the button as Peter9900 called all-in for 1.77 million in the big blind with [5h][Ac]. A slight advantage over ajetopatamat's [Ad][3h] but a flopped wheel [2c] [5d] [4c] [7c] [4h] changed all that as Peter9900 earned $27,085.50 in fourth place.

Two hands later ivanvilchez8, fresh off a Super Tuesday win in March, would shove 2.97 million from the button as droulis9 was waiting to call in the big blind with [Ac][3h]. Ivanvilchez8 held [Js][Ts] and was two players away from adding a Sunday Major title. But, ivanvilchez8 could not get past the [9c] [7d] [9d] [4h] [6h] board receiving $39,355.00 for another great run in third place.

Before the first hand of heads-up play ajetopatamat wanted a sidebar for chop discussions which droulis9 agreed. After a productive five minutes and due to the 16.9 million to 6.2 million chip-lead, they nailed down the deal below (leaving $8K for the winner):

droulis9: $62,416.22
ajetopatamat: $57,681.99

Droulis9's lead was too much for a comeback as this heads-up battle would conclude in only eight minutes. With the blinds up to 200K/400K ante 40K and 3.4 million chips already in the pot with the board showing [9c][5d][6d][4h] ajetopatamat checked as droulis9 shoved. Ajetopatamat holding top pair plus straight and flush draws [9d][7d] made the call. With all the draws ajetopatamat was only slightly behind droulis9's queens [Qs][Qc]. The [Th] on the river was not an out for ajetopatamat making droulis9 this week's Sunday Warm-Up champion earning $70,416.22!

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results (04-24-2016)

Entrants: 2,315
Prize pool: $463,000.00
Places paid: 342

1. droulis9 (Greece) $70,416.22*
2. ajetopatamat (Czech Republic) $57,681.99*
3. ivanvilchez8 (Argentina) $39,355.00
4. Peter9900 (Denmark) $27,085.50
5. johnnyCASH90 (Germany) $20,603.50
6. Bushman (Canada) $15,973.50
7. girlyjack (United Kingdom) $11,343.50
8. gorgona66ret (Greece) $6,713.50
9. ramondemon77 (Romania) $3,935.50

* Reflects the results of a two-way deal that left $8,000 in play for the winner

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We're giving you the chance to win a share of $120,000 every week by completing new Knockout Poker Challenges. 

You'll find daily and weekly challenges to play and enjoy between April 22 and May 12, 2016. To complete them your job is simple - "knockout" players by playing Sit & Go knockout tournaments. You'll find them listed under the "KO Poker" tab in the PokerStars client. 

There are two ways to pack a punch:

Daily Challenges

Each day you can win a seat to a $10,000 GTD All-in Shootout event. Win one of these to be automatically registered into the corresponding All-in Shoot-out tournament, running each day at 11:58 ET between April 24 and May 14. 

Weekly Challenges

Meanwhile complete your weekly challenge to win a $50,000 added MTT entry. These tournaments take place on Saturdays - April 30, May 7 and May 14 at 13:30 ET. If you win one of these tickets be sure to register for the event yourself, as it's not automatic this time. 

Finally, if you want to KO the competition without paying a single buy-in, make a deposit of $15 or more using bonus code "KOPOKER2016" before 23:59 ET on May 12 to get a bundle of five 36-max $1 Sit & Go Knockout poker tickets as a bonus.

So does all this mean the gloves on or off? Actually we're not sure, but good luck regardless. Get all the details on the KP Poker homepage.

"What is a 3x-Turbo?"

That's a question that we've been asked more times than I care to remember over the years. From the time that the first x-Turbo was created (in September 2007, as a satellite to the 2007 WCOOP Main Event), the naming convention of this special and very important satellite type has never quite fit perfectly.

When the first 2x-Turbo was created, it was named something like "$8.80+R NLHE Turbo (1-Hour Rebuy Period) to the WCOOP Main Event." That was way too long and unwieldy, though...so we thought about it, considered that the rebuy period was twice (2x) as long as a normal turbo rebuy, that the starting stack was twice (2x) as large as a normal turbo rebuy...and "2x-Turbo" was born. Over time, a turbo rebuy type with a 90-minute rebuy period was created and became the 3x-Turbo, and within the last couple of years a 120-minute rebuy period satellite was created, giving life to the 4x-Turbo. The names made less sense than ever.

We've discussed this issue many times over the years, kicking various potential solutions around: 2x-Rebuy Period, 60-Minute Rebuys, etc. We never came to an agreement on what to do, and the issue died down as other things came to the forefront of the day's work. Recently, it was brought up again, and one of us brought up the Saturday Splash and the idea that we should use a name that people could associate with splashing a lot of chips around for a long time in a turbo rebuy, which is the essential nature of the tournaments in question. After some discussion, we reached agreement. See the following examples of how these tournaments will be shown in the PokerStars client...

Satellites:

SCOOP-54-M [Main Event] Sat: $7.50+R NLHE [Little Splash], 5 Seats Gtd (formerly 2x-Turbo)
SCOOP-54-M [Main Event] Sat: $7.50+R NLHE [Splash], 5 Seats Gtd (formerly 3x-Turbo)
SCOOP-54-M [Main Event] Sat: $7.50+R NLHE [Big Splash], 5 Seats Gtd (formerly 4x-Turbo)

Regular Schedule:

Little Splash, $8K Gtd (formerly 2x-Turbo)
Splash, $8K Gtd (formerly 3x-Turbo)
Big Splash, $8K Gtd (formerly 4x-Turbo)

We realize, of course, that "Splash" doesn't necessarily mean anything in terms of immediate recognition in a title any more than "x-Turbo" does, however it doesn't confuse players in the way that "2x-Turbo" does. Many players (especially new players) often think that the "2x" prefix is a modifier of the "Turbo" suffix, meaning that the tournament is a Turbo which is twice as fast, etc. That's one big issue we're fixing with this change.

We have a special branded rebuy tournament, the Saturday Splash (90-minute rebuy period, 3K starting stack, 30K add-on stack), which will keep its current name (unchanged). It's our hope/belief that this change in naming convention of our other turbo rebuy tournaments which have extended rebuy periods and higher than normal stacks will result in players catching on quickly in terms of knowing what to expect when they see 'Splash' in tournament titles.