ShareAliaksandr Shylko from Belarus is the new PokerStars Players Champion, taking the title, trophy and $3,121,838 in an enthralling final table battle in the Bahamas.
With 1014 entries at $25k per head, the prizepool reached a staggering $24,843,000, with 175 paid spots, six millionaires guaranteed and more than $4million up top.
Among those who cashed were Chris Moneymaker, fellow WSOP ME winner, Martin Jacobson, Paulina “PokerBunny” Loeliger, Martin Zamani, and last female standing, Nadya Magnus, who fell in 18th spot for $142,100.
By the time the final table of six was set, everyone was a millionaire, but there was plenty of drama still to unfold, and a costly error took centre stage...
Barbero’s luck didn’t improve, hit by a rivered better two pair and then this painful bustout hand...
Barbero: 8♣ 5♦
Pizzari: 5♥ 3♥
Flop: 5♠ 2♦ 3♦
Turn: A♠
River: 7♠
Down to just three, and with the pay jumps massive, Shylko, Menzel and Pizzari lessened the potential pain with an ICM deal...
...the “play-off” sums up for grabs still bigger than all but one of the trio’s previous best combined cashes.
Brazilian Pizzari, short-stacked, fell in 3rd spot to Menzel, but there was still one final dramatic act to come, as Menzel rivered a straight and check-raised Shylko all-in, only to be met with a stunning snap-call...
Menzel: J♣ 9♠
Shylko: 10♥ 5♣
Flop: 8♣ 5♥ 5♦
Turn: 10♠
River: Q♣
Final results
| 1 | Aliaksandr Shylko | $3,121,838* |
| 2 | Max Menzel | $2,859,990* |
| 3 | Philipe Pizzari | $2,524,871* |
| 4 | Nacho Barbero | $1,551,300 |
| 5 | Pedro Marques | $1,251,500 |
| 6 | Niclas Thumm | $1,001,200 |
*Denotes three-handed deal
