Ramon Colillas from Spain wins the record-breaking PokerStars PSPC for $5.1 million.

In a storybook ending to the historic PokerStars Players NL Hold’em Championship, Platinum Pass winner Ramon Colillas defeated WSOP bracelet winner Julien Martini to become the first-ever PSPC champion, earning $5.1 million.

“A lot of players were saying that this was the most important tournament in history,” Colillas said in the afterglow of the victory. “So now, it’s only about happiness and enjoying the moment.”

But before the Spaniard was able to celebrate, Colillas, as a Platinum Pass winner, needed to navigate a difficult final table full of seasoned pros.

The final table of the largest $25,000 tournament of all time took only five-and-a-half hours to play to a winner. However, it took roughly an hour and a half before the first player hit the rail.

Talal Shakerchi and France’s Julien Martini were the first to clash in a battle of big hands. The action started as Marc Rivera opened, only to be three-bet by Martini who was holding the AsQs. Farid Jattin, holding a pocket pair in the small blind, found a fold, however Shakerchi woke up with the AhAc in the big blind. Shakerchi moved all in and was called by Martini. The flop came 3cKs2h, giving little life to Martini. However, the Ts on the turn opened a number of backdoor outs for the Frenchman. The river provided Martini the flush as the 5s completed the board. Shakerchi’s run ended in eighth place for $509,000.

Marc Perrault was sitting on roughly two big blinds, which made the next elimination so surprising. In the hijack seat, Martini opened holding the AhKc. Jattin looked down at the AsJs and went deep into the tank. Finally, he decided to shove over Martini, allowing Perrault to get out of the way in the small blind. Start-of-day chip leader Scott Baumstein folded the 8s8c and Martini snap-called. Jattin, all in and at risk, was dominated, but the flop provided some life. It came 6s5s2d, giving Jattin a wealth of additional outs. The Qd arrived on the turn and the Tc on the river closed the door on Jattin’s tournament. Jattin earned a career-high cash of $746,000 for his seventh-place run, propelling him to more than $3.5 million in total live earnings.

After the hand, Martini pulled away from the field to hold nearly three times as many chips as anyone left.

With six players left and running on fumes, it was finally time for Perrault to make his stand. After laddering two spots, he found himself all in and at risk holding the 6c3d against Colillas’ KhKc. The board QhJc4s8c4h ran out clean for Colillas. Perrault, who started the day as the shortest stack, ended his day as a millionaire. The Canadian turned his $25,000 entry into $1,012,000 for his sixth-place finish.

Jason Koonce had been picking his spots, but after being forced to fold in a hand right before the first break of the day he found himself on a short stack. On one of the first hands after the break, he made his move by shipping his stack on the button holding the Td7d. Colillas called him from the big blind holding 5s5h. Koonce needed to catch, but when the board ran out 2c4s9h4c6d, it provided him with no help. The Colorado sports memorabilia aficionado’s dream run ended in fifth place with a $1,304,000 “consolation prize.” His previous career live earnings were just over $6,000.

Shortly thereafter, Martini continued to gain momentum after a clash with Baumstein. Martini opened under the gun with the KdQc and when it folded back to Baumstein, he shipped his short stack in the middle with the Ah9d. Martini made the call and Baumstein was at risk. The flop of Ks8h3h favored Martini and left Baumstein looking for an ace or backdoor hearts. The turn was the 4s and the river fell the Ts. Baumstein, the longtime New York pro, was rewarded with a career-best $1,657,000 score for his fourth-place finish.

With three players left, Martini held a comfortable chip lead over both Colillas and Rivera, the remaining Platinum Pass winners. The three played roughly six orbits before Rivera made his final stand.

Martini, with his large chip lead, opened the button with the AdKh and Rivera pushed in his 16-big blind stack with the As3d. Martini snap-called and Rivera needed some serious help. The flop had none for him as it came Qs7h2d. The Ts on the turn left Rivera searching or a three. The river was the last of Rivera’s tournament, it came the Td, and sent the Platinum Pass winner to the rail in third place with a massive $2,168,000 score.

Headed into heads-up play Martini held a roughly 2:1 chip lead over Colillas.

After Colillas began to close in Martini the pair played what would be the pivotal hand of the heads-up match. Martini opened holding the 9h6h and Colillas called with the Qc5s. The flop was perfect for Martini, Ah4hQh for the flopped flush. Colillas with flopped middle pair called Martini’s bet. The turn was the Qd improving Colillas to trips. Martini placed a large bet, Colillas called. The river turned out to be one of the most pivotal cards of the tournament – the 5d giving Colillas a backdoor full house to Martini’s flopped flush. Colillas checked, Martini shoved, Colillas snapped and secured a massive double up reducing Martini’s stack to roughly 20 big blinds.

In the end, after his stack had trended downwards, Martini made a stand on the button with the Jc9c and Colillas made the call with Ad5s. The flop came Ah9d8h giving both a pair but putting Colillas in position to secure a historic victory. The turn was the 2c. Colillas and Martini then saw the championship card of the 5d fall. Colillas was the champion and Martini’s PSPC dream run ended in second place for $2,974,000.

Ramon Colillas made his way to his rail and was quickly engulfed by supporters. The Platinum Pass winner, with $10,000 in recorded live cashes according to his Hendon Mob page, became the inaugural PSPC champion, earning the life-changing sum of $5.1 million for the victory.

PSPC Final Table Payouts

  1. Ramon Colillas – $5,100,000
  2. Julien Martini – $2,974,000
  3. Marc Rivera – $2,168,000
  4. Scott Baumstein – $1,657,000
  5. Jason Koonce – $1,304,000
  6. Marc Perrault – $1,012,000
  7. Farid Jattin – $746,000
  8. Talal Shakerchi – $509,000