Anton Suarez won the partypoker MILLIONS UK for $1,000,000
Anton Suarez won the partypoker MILLIONS UK for $1,000,000 (photo: partypoker)

Anton Suarez usually makes his living playing cash games live or online. For the last five days, however, the Swedish poker pro has been unable to do so as he splashed around on the tournament side. He’ll be able to get back to his day job on Monday, however, and he’ll have an extra $1,000,000 to work with after beating out the 529 other players to win the partypoker MILLIONS UK Main Event.

While 12 players returned for the final day, the final table actually started eight-handed after Alex Lindop busted in 10th and Jamie O’Connor went out in ninth on the same hand.

Maria Lampropulos, who won the inaugural partypoker MILLIONS at Dusk Till Dawn in 2017, started the final table as the short stack and managed to last just 30 minutes. From the cutoff, Jack Hardcastle raised to 3,500,000 with 9d9s before Lampropulos moved all-in for 19,100,000 with AcQc and Hardcastle called. The board ran out JhTd3d3h6d to give Lampropulos a short sweat before eliminating her in eighth place.

Hardcastle’s stay only lasted another 45 minutes. From UTG+1 the young Brit raised to 4,500,000 with KdTd. Action folded to Christian Rudolph in the cutoff and he re-raised to 11,000,000 with QcQh. Hardcastle called to send both players to a Jd9h3d flop. Hardcastle checked, Rudolph bet 9,000,000, and Hardcastle moved all-in for 43,700,000. Rudolph called. The turn was the 6c and the river was the Ts to miss all of Hardcastle’s outs and eliminate him in seventh.

A blind-versus-blind battle lead to the end of the road for Weijie Zheng. Action folded to Zheng in the small blind and he moved all in for 38,400,000 with 7s5d. Rudolph called from the big blind with Ah8d after using two of his time extensions. The Td9d6c flop gave Zheng a gutshot straight draw. The Ac turn gave Rudolph top pair and left Zheng drawing to one of three eights. However, the river was 3d and Zheng was sent to the rail in sixth place.

An hour later, the other Swedish player at the final table was eliminated. Fredrik Andersson looked down and Ad9d in the hijack and moved all-in for 30,500,000. Suarez called from the button with AhTd before James Romero folded AsQh from the big blind. THe Jc5h3c2d5d runout couldn’t save Andersson and he was eliminated in fifth.

The Dusk Till Dawn rail lost one of their own just a few hands later. Suarez called from the small blind with 9h4h and James Clarke checked with [5]d4d. The 6h4c4s flop gave both players trip fours. Suarez checked, Clarke bet 2,500,000, and Suarez called. The turn was the Th and Suarez bet 12,500,000 before Clarke moved all-in for 71,000,000 and Suarez called. The Qh river gave Suarez a flush and forced Calrke to settle for a fourth place finish.

Three-handed play lasted nearly an hour before Suarez found another victim. Rudolph folded the button, Suarez called from the small blind with 2c2s and Romero checked with KdJd. The KcQd2h flop gave Suarez bottom set and Romero top pair. Suarez bet 3,000,000 before Romero made it 10,000,000 and Suarez called. The turn was the 8d and Suarez check-called Romero’s 20,000,000 bet. After the 5s river, Suarez checked, Romero moved all-in for 42,000,000 and Suarez called to eliminate Romero in third and send the tournament to heads-up with stacks nearly dead even.

Each player took turns as the chip leader over the next two hours before Suarez took the chip lead for good. Down to just 10 big blinds, Rudolph moved all-in from the big blind with 7h4h after Suarez completed from the button with Ad8h. Suarez called and then watched the Kc9d2dAs9c runout eliminate Rudolph in second place and give Suarez his first major title.

partypoker MILLIONS UK Final Table Payouts

  1. Anton Suarez – $1,000,000
  2. Christian Rudolph – $620,000
  3. James Romero – $420,000
  4. James Clarke – $311,000
  5. Fredrik Andersson – $230,000
  6. Weijie Zheng – $170,000
  7. Jack Hardcastle – $130,000
  8. Maria Lampropulos – $100,000
  9. Jamie O’Connor – $80,000