A heads-up deal made in the weekend’s PokerStars Sunday Stormhas been generating quite a bit of buzz on Monday. As a poster in a thread on PocketFives explained, “Two Russians, one has a 2:1 chip lead and he’s taking $65K and the other one is getting $75K… The real payouts are $100K for 1st and $61K for 2nd and the chip leader is agreeing to it.”

A transcript of the in-client chat appeared in the same thread, with juice367and KAMINSKOLEG, two Russian PokerStars players, discussing a deal. The former, who was down 2:1 in chips at the time at 155 million to 315 million, typed, “75,625 for me, 65,625 + 20,000 for you.” A Team Online pro representing PokerStars at the time responded by saying the two needed to play it out to determine who would get the extra $20,000; it could not be awarded as part of a chop.

KAMINSKOLEG agreed despite getting a lower payout, which sparked the same Team Online pro to remark, “KAMINSKOLEG, are you aware that usually the player with more chips gets the most money in the deal? KAMINSKOLEG, do you understand that if you make this deal, and juice367 will win, you will get 65,625 and he will get 95,625? Is that fine with you?” KAMINSKOLEG confirmed that he was okay with the deal several times before PokerStars officials typed a series of lines in Russian that included the phrase “chip-dumping.”

According to a translation on Two Plus Two, the “chip-dumping” reference came from a PokerStars Host who was reminding the two competitors that they needed to play on for the title and $20,000. Ultimately, the two players agreed to an even chop at $70,625 apiece and competed for the extra $20,000.

The comments from PokerStars’ camp during the chop came with mixed reviews. On Two Plus Two, for example, one poster argued, “I think it is right that PokerStars assumes some responsibility in ensuring that people do not get taken advantage of in deals, even more so in a huge $11 tournament. Regs who understand or have experience in deal-making can have a huge advantage in these situations.”

A PocketFiver from Connecticut reasoned the other way, saying, “It’s the player’s responsibility if he wants to make a deal. Who is the host to say or comment on if the deal is fair or not? Sure, to normal people, someone down 2:1 chips getting more money in a deal is outrageous, but Stars shouldn’t intervene. If I were the other player, I’d be pissed.”

As far as the possibility of collusion between the final two players, one Two Plus Two poster commented, “I watched the HU. Completely average poker, nothing suspicious and no need for HHs. Juice played a bit too tight for HU and Kamin too loose, bad bet sizing from Kamin (2x pot etc) and raise sizes from both. This was likely their usual style. No weird hands and final hand was a TT-99 cooler for 25 BBs or so. Juice probably had a very small edge, so he obviously got a ridiculously good/unfair deal regardless.”

In the end, KAMINSKOLEG took down the Sunday Storm for $90,625. Here’s how the final table cashed out:

1. KAMINSKOLEG – $90,625
2. juice367 – $70,625
3. xaratello – $47,000
4. acechiller – $37,000
5. marinas131 – $31,000
6. DUTCH223 – $25,000
7. Wischli – $19,000
8. ImTheNuts1 – $14,000
9. pokerronnie – $10,000

You can read the commentary by visiting this PocketFives thread. Let us know what you think about the deal and what went down.

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