'Hightroler' denied Michael Addamo a win in this week's $10K GGPoker. Super MILLION$

It looked like Michael Addamo was going to cruise to his fifth GGPoker Super MILLION$ title in record time. However, after dominating the bulk of the final table, Addamo clashed with satellite winner ‘Hightroler’ in an hour-long heads-up match that saw the Super MILLION$ newcomer battle back from multiple massive chip deficits to take out the poker superstar and take home the title and the $420,536 first-place prize.

It helped that ‘Hightroler’ started the final table with a healthy chip lead. But as is customary at Super MILLION$ final tables, no one makes it to the end without going through some top-tier talent. This week, joining ‘Hightroler’ and Addamo was Russia’s Anatoly Filatov, Samuel Vousden, and two-time Super MILLION$ champ Joakim Andersson.

It was an early exit for Belarusian grinder Dmitry Yurasov, who started the day on the short stack. With the blinds at 25,000/50,000 (6,000 ante), Yurasov opened to 100,000 from middle position with TdTh. The action folded to Joakim Andersson in the big blind, who defended with Ah8h and just barely had Yurasov covered. When the flop came QhTc9h, there was no getting away for either player. Andersson checked his nut flush draw over to Yurasov who put out a tiny bet with his set of tens. Andersson countered with a shove and Yurasov snap-called. The turn was the Js, bringing Andersson a straight. The Ad on the river sent Yurasov home in ninth place for $52,567.

A few hands later, ‘AreYouAhead’ had his question answered by Andersson, and they didn’t like what it was. From middle position, ‘AreYouAhead’ opened to 110,000 holding AsKh and was called by Anatoly Filatov in the cutoff with 5d5h. When it folded to Andersson, once again in the big blind, he raised it up to 435,000 with AcAd. After a short tank, ‘AreYouAhead’ moved all-in for another 1.5 million and after Filatov folded, Andersson called for slightly less. The board ran out KsQs2cTh4d shipping the pot to Andersson and leaving ‘AreYouAhead’ with two big blinds. Two hands later, they were out in eighth for $68,171.

The final seven players settled in as nearly two levels passed without an elimination. With the blinds at 35,000/70,000 (8,500 ante) Addamo, who had surged into the chip lead, opened from the cutoff to 140,000 with AdTc. In the big blind, Samuel Vousden looked down at Ah4d and with 20 big blinds remaining, moved all-in. Addamo quickly called with the dominating hand and hit top pair on the Ts5c2c flop. Vousden was looking for a three to hit the gutshot straight, but the turn came 8d and the river the 4s sending Vousden out in seventh for $88,407.

A few hands later, Andersson found himself short and moved all-in from under the gun with the KdQs. It folded to Filatov in the small blind and he made the call with his AdJh. The Ah6d3d flop put Filatov in control and when the turn came the 7s, Andersson was drawing dead to the 9d river. Andersson’s sixth place finish and latest Super MILLION$ cash was good for $114,649.

By this point, Addamo’s chip lead was enormous, having four times that of his next competitor. Raising with impunity, with the blinds at 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante) Addamo made it 160,000 with the worst hand in poker, 7d2c. In the small blind ‘d7777’, three-bet shoved his final four big blind with JhTd and when it got back to Addamo he called with the seven-duece. The flop came 7s5h4s, giving Addamo the lead and ‘d7777’ never caught up as the turn came the 8h and the river 7h. ‘d7777’, eliminated in fifth place, earned $148,682 for the deep run.

Addamo kept up the aggression, in the next level with blinds 50,000/100,000, he opened to 200,000 with Qc4h. When the action hit Chris Frank in the small blind with just six big blinds left, he shipped his stack holding the Ah3s. With it being just four more big blinds, Addamo made the call. The Js7h3c flop kept Frank ahead, and the Ks turn had it looking like Addamo might actually lose a hand. But Addamo spiked the Qs on the river and Frank was felted in fourth for $192,817.

At this point, FIlatov had 3 million, ‘Hightroler’ had 2.5 million and Addamo had more than 14 million. Addamo was continuing his aggressive ways and when ‘Hightroler’ folded their button, Addamo open-shipped on Filatov with the Ks5s. Filatov didn’t waste any time snap-calling with his AdJs. But as had been the theme of the day, Addamo caught his card on the Kc7c2h flop. The 2s turn and the 8d river changed nothing and Filatov ended up in third place for $250,052.

While Addamo seemingly wrecked the rest of the final table, ‘Hightroler’ was determined to put up a fight. The heads-up battle wore on, and 45 minutes in, ‘Hightroler’ wrestled the chip lead away from Addamo building a three-to-one lead. But Addamo mounted a comeback of his own, doubling and doubling again.

With the stack effectively even, the most important hand of the tournament took place. With the blinds up to 100,000/200,000 (25,000) ’Hightroler’ raised from button to 400,000 with 8c8d, with a small chip lead, Addamo three-bet to 1.5 million with his AcTc. ‘Hightroler’ four-bet shipped his stack and Addamo called for the win. The flop came Ah9h8s, giving Addamo top pair but bringing a set for ‘Hightroler’, the turn was the 3c and the river was the 8h, giving ‘Hightroler’ quads for good measure. After the hand, Addamo was down to six big blinds and ‘Hightroler’ had the biggest chip lead of the tournament.

Two hands later, it was all over, the pair were all in preflop. Addamo with the Jh8h and ‘Hightroler’ holding 8c4c. The board ran out Qc5d2c4h3h shipping ‘Hightroler’ the pot and the win. Addamo just missed out on his fifth Super MILLION$ victory, instead settling for second place and $324,278.

‘Hightroler’ turned his $525 satellite victory into his first Super MILLION title and the $420,536 first-place prize.

Super MILLION$ Final Table Results (9/7)

  1. ‘Hightroler’ – $420,536
  2. Michael Addamo – $324,278
  3. Anatoly Filatov – $250,052
  4. Chris Frank – $192,817
  5. ‘d7777’ – $148,682
  6. Joakim Andersson – $114649
  7. Samuel Vousden – $88,407
  8. ‘AreYouAhead’ – $68,171
  9. Dmitry Yurasov – $52,567