The UK's Endrit Geci wins the 2021 partypoker MILLIONS Online Main Event for over $774K. (photo courtesy: PokerStars)

After three full days of play in the partypoker 2021 MILLIONS Online $5,300 Main Event, UK grinder Endrit Geci outlasted the 1,084-entry field to take home the title and a career-high online score of $774,838.27.

Geci started the day with an overwhelming chip lead as the only player to have more than 200M in chips, a full 23 big blind advantage over the rest of the field. However, even with a healthy lead headed into the final table, his path to victory would not be an easy one with some exceptional poker talent including Daniel Dvoress, Dzmitry Urbanovich, Christian Rudolph, and fellow UK grinder Jonathan Proudfoot all earning a seat for Day 3.

Once play got underway, it didn’t take long for the fireworks to start. Roughly thirty minutes into the day, Geci went to work and put in a raise under the gun with his TsTh. The UK’s former #1-ranked pro Jonathan Proudfoot then three-bet holding AhQh. Geci promptly four-bet enough to put the short-stacked Proudfoot all-in. Proudfoot made the call and board ran out 4d3h3s5sKh, shipping the pot to Geci and taking out Proudfoot in ninth place for $72,260.

Geci was back at it a few minutes later when he raised in early position with the AsAc. Martin Brinkmann then three-bet shipped his roughly 10 big blind stack holding QdJd. Geci quickly called and the flop came AdKd4c giving Geci top set and Brinkmann a flush, straight and straight-flush draw. The turn was the Ks bringing Geci a full house and leaving Brinkmann looking for just the Td. But the river was the 6h adding to Geci’s growing stack and sending Brinkmann out in eighth for $91,542.

Canada’s Richard Mullen had fewer than 10 big blinds when he moved all-in from early position with the QcJc. On the button, Christian Rudolph made the call holding the As9s. The flop came 8h7c3c giving the at-risk Mullen extra flush draw out and when the Th hit the turn he picked up a gutshot straight draw as well. However, the river was the 8s giving shipping the pot to Rudolph’s ace-high kicker and sending Mullen home in seventh for $115,425.

Not long after busting Mullen, it was Rudolph’s turn to put his tournament on the line. Rudolph raised from under the gun with the AhKc and when it folded back to Geci in the big blind, he three-bet enough to cover Rudolph with ThTc. Rudolph committed the rest of his chips and the board rank out 9h2h2dJdTd giving Geci another full house. For the second time in an all-in situation, Geci’s pocket tens won the flip and that sent Rudolph to the rail in sixth place for $146,300.

After an early position raise from Daniel Dvoress holding 8s8h, Brazil’s Hermogenes Gelonezi moved all-in with his 7s7d When folded back to, Dvoress called with his dominating pair and Gelonezi was left looking for help. The 8c5h4d flop gave Dvoress a set, but brought some additional straight outs for Gelonezi. The turn was the As and the river was the 2d ending Gelonezi’s tournament in fifth place, good for $189.320.

The momentum for partypoker ambassador Dzmitry Urbanovich had been trending upwards and at one point, he climbed into second in chips. But shortly after the third break, after taking a bit of a hit to his stack, that momentum came to a halt when he and Dvoress clashed in a cooler. Dvoress put in a raise from under the gun with QcQd and Urbanovich, with slightly fewer chips, three-bet shipped his AdQs. The flop came Qh8h3h, giving Dvoress top sent and when the 2s hit the turn, Urbanovich was drawing dead to the 9h river. The partypoker pro fell in fourth place and added $276,128 to his over $3.2 million in career online earnings.

At three-handed, Dvoress assumed the chip lead. However the three stacks were bunched together and when Dvoress lost a flip to Geci, he found himself short. Eventually, he put in a raise holding TdTs and Francisco Correia called him in the big blind with the QcTh. The flop came Jd9h7d and the action checked through. The turn was the 8s giving both players a straight. Correia led out and Dvoress called. The river was the Jh, lifting Correia’s hand to a queen-high straight and he shoved, having Dvoress covered. Dvoress eventually made the call and ended up at the third-place finisher, earning $422,422.

As heads-up play started, Correia and Geci tried to negotiate a heads-up deal. They couldn’t agree so they played on. As their stacks grew closer together, they tried again and finally agreed. The deal awarded Correia $731,960 and Geci locked up $724,838 with $50,000 be left to the winner.

After the deal, Geci went on a run and took back the chip lead he started the day with. This time, he didn’t let it go. On the final hand, Geci limped the button holding AsKs and Correia checked his option with the TsTs. The flop came Ad6s3s and both players checked. The Tc fell on the turn and after Correia checked, Geci put out a bet which Correia called. The river came the Kd and Correia checked again. With this top two pair, Geci shoved and after taking his time, Correia made the call. Correia finished as the runner-up and took home the $731,960 he negotiated in the deal.

Endrit Geci collected the additional $50,000 set aside for the winner and became the 2021 partypoker MILLIONS Online champion, earning a total of $774,838.

partypoker MILLIONS Online Main Event Final Table

1. Endrit Geci – $774,838.27*
2. Francisco Correia – $731,959.84
3. Daniel Dvoress – $422,421.80
4. Dzmitry Urbanovich – $276,127.53
5. Hermogenes Gelonezi – $189,320.45
6. Christian Rudolph – $146,300.43
7. Richard Mullen – $115,424.85
8. Martin Brinkmann – $91,542.10
9. Jonathan Proudfoot – $$72,259.60