By
Dan
The PokerStars Sunday Million is the premiere recurring poker tournament, regularly attracting the biggest names in online poker and some of the best all-around players in the world. This past weekend, PocketFivers atimos and apestyles dominated this event, finishing an astounding first and second, respectively, out of more than 2,800 entrants. Atimos took home over a quarter million dollars, while runner up apestyles cashed for around $135,000. It was the second time in the month of November that two PocketFivers clashed heads up in the Stars Sunday Million.
“I suppose it hasn't hit me yet; I almost feel indifferent to the money,” said atimos. “I was more proud of the accomplishment and my play than monetary gain.” Atimos entered final table play second in chips behind apestyles, who had a commanding chip lead. “I was confident entering the final table sitting 2nd in chips with an above average stack, but I quickly lost some pots and tightened up my game when I realized that apestyles would correctly be playing back at me, and would not allow me to mow down the weak players from position.”
After dropping several pots early, atimos fell out of second place, but battled his way back. Atimos had won the last six times he reached heads up play in no limit multi-table tournaments before the Sunday Million and it took one hand to get him back in contention: “I raised three times the big blind on the button, and apestyles called. The flop came 8-8-10 and we both checked. On the turn, apestyles bet 800,000, and I raised another 1.2 million to 2 million. Apestyles instantly re-raised me to 4 million, I pushed all in for about 8.6 million total, and he folded, putting us almost even in chips.”
It was atimos’ largest tournament cash ever, coming off a $54,000 showing in the Full Tilt Online Poker Series Main Event just a week before. “Before my two big wins, I had already decided that after this semester of college ends I will take a break to play online poker full-time, because poker is something I'm really passionate about.” PocketFives is confident that atimos will remain a force in the online poker world long after his big win.
PocketFiver apestyles, after leading wire to wire at the final table through heads up play, claimed, "In the heat of the moment, I was upset that I lost heads up because poker is more about playing well and competition to me. However, I woke up with a smile on my face the next day and am very happy with the money I made.” Apestyles cashed for $135,000, the largest single cash in his young poker career by nearly $100,000. "I watch the final table of the Sunday Million every week wishing I was there. It still hasn't really set in for me."
Critical to apestyles heading into heads up play versus atimos with a 2:1 chip lead was his big stack play: “Atimos was the second biggest stack, so every time he raised, I re-raised him. He was put in uncomfortable spot. He had to adjust to that and ended up playing well versus me in the end. When people did play back at me and I had to call them, my hand normally held up.”
Apestyles’ take on the potential chop heads up: “Everyone has been asking me about the chop. I like to go for the win. Heads up, I had respect for his play, but I don’t think anyone’s going to beat me when I have a 2:1 chip lead.” He did not regret not pushing for chop in the end, which would have resulted in the two PocketFivers battling for around $40,000. His plans for the $135,000: “I’m going to invest the money. I live pretty simply now and my goal is to have a million dollars before I start grad school. This win is going to make me free to travel more.”
The PokerStars Sunday Million is a $215 event that occurs weekly at 4:30pm ET. This weekend, the buy-in was $530. PokerStars constantly runs satellites for it, so check out PokerStars for more details.