On the felts of PokerStars, one PocketFiver, who is also a sponsored member of the online poker room, took down the site’s weekly Sunday 500. Andre aakkari Akkari defeated fellow Team PokerStars Pro member Gavin Griffin heads-up to take home the $91,250 first place prize, helping to push him to over $1 million in lifetime earnings online. Akkari also finished second in the $10,300 buy-in HORSE tournament during the most recent World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) for $200,000. PocketFives.com caught up with the Brazilian to learn about his latest accolade.
There were 995 entrants in the Sunday 500 in late November and, when the smoke cleared in the $530 buy-in event, Akkari stood tall above the rest of the pack. He told PocketFives.com about his ride through the high-stakes Sunday major: “This Sunday, I almost didn’t play in the 500. I had one meeting, but my friends cancelled and so I registered in it. I was short-stacked almost the entire time and when we were down to three tables, I started to be more aggressive and got a nice stack to take to the final table.”
Also at the final table was fellow Team PokerStars Pro member Gavin Griffin, who is the only player ever to capture titles in tournaments on the World Poker Tour, European Poker Tour, and World Series of Poker. Ultimately finishing fourth in the tournament was PocketFiver Steve gboro780 Gross. Akkari commented on his two adversaries, “I know both and they are amazing players. I play with Gross almost every day and both of them reached the final table of the Sunday 500 with large stacks.” Gross’ fourth place finish was worth $37,500.
Akkari has battled against Griffin both online and live. On his colleague’s play, Akkari explained, “I know his game and he is very aggressive. He is one of my favorite players and knows when to be a maniac, like on the bubble in tournaments, and when he has to slow down a little bit, like at the beginning of a final table.” Griffin’s bracelet came by virtue of winning a $3,000 buy-in Pot Limit Hold’em event during the 2004 World Series of Poker.
His largest online win came after finishing second in the $10,300 buy-in HORSE event during the 2008 WCOOP. For his efforts, he pocketed $200,000. Despite his success in the five-game tournament, he maintains that his Hold’em skills reign supreme. He commented, “Hold’em is my best game for sure. This year, I started to play $50-$100 Limit Hold’em and I’ve been doing well. However, I really love No Limit Hold’em tournaments. I am definitely not a cash game player.” He attributes his runner up finish in the HORSE tournament to being “in the right place and right time. I know how to play and I am studying a lot, but HORSE doesn’t come nearly as easily to me as No Limit Hold’em.”
In live play, Akkari scored a pair of wins during preliminary events held as part of the World Poker Tour’s Bellagio Cup II in 2006 for a combined $140,000. He finished second in a €500 buy-in event during the EPT’s Monte Carlo stop in April for $75,000 and finished 97th in the 2008 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, also an EPT tournament, for $16,000. In addition to his WCOOP and Sunday 500 cashes online, Akkari also won the $100 rebuy on PokerStars last month for $17,700.
In his native Brazil, Akkari provides commentary for ESPN Brazil telecasts of the WSOP, EPT, Latin American Poker Tour, and Asia Pacific Poker Tour. On the popularity of poker in Brazil, he told PocketFives.com, “It is getting bigger and bigger every month. After one show two years ago, I received 200 e-mails. This year, I am receiving 800 at least.” A blog that appeared on ESPN’s website generated more than 2,000 comments in two hours.
Still missing from Akkari’s resume is a win in a $10,000 buy-in marquee live tournament such as the ones that you’d find on the major poker tours. He noted that this remains his primary goal in poker: “My dream is to win a $10,000 tournament. I still have to prove myself in live tournaments like the EPT and WSOP. I have a lot of in the money finishes, but no big cashes as of yet.” He added that he’ll play a lot more live tournaments in 2009 than in 2008 due to his affiliation with PokerStars.
Congratulations to Andre aakkari Akkari for taking down the Sunday 500 on PokerStars in late November. We look forward to reporting on more big scores from this Brazilian star very soon.
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