WouldIlieToYOU Denies Martirosian a Sixth Super MILLION$ Title

PokerNews yesterday asked if Artur Martirosian could come back from being eighth from nine in chips at the latest GGPoker Super MILLION$ final table and capture a record sixth title. The answer was ultimately no but the super-talented Russian did finish as the runner-up to "WouldIlieToYOU" of the Netherlands, who secured their second Super MILLION$ victory and a cool $357,739.

GGPoker Super MILLION$ Final Table Results

The first finalist fell within the first ten minutes of action, and Aleksejs Ponakovs was that player. WouldIlieToYou min-raised to 80,000 from under the gun, Ponakovs raised to 340,000 leaving almost the exact same number of chips behind, then called when WouldIlieToYou set him all-in. WouldIlieToYou flipped over ace-king, which had the ace-nine of Ponakovs crushed. The five community cards failed to alter the course of the hand, and Ponakovs crashed out.

Ramiro Petrone found himself on the wrong side of the rail after a clash with Wiktor Malinowski. The action folded to Malinowski in the hijack, and he min-raised to 120,000. Petrone called from the big blind. The jack-eight-seven all-spade flop saw Petrone check, Malinowski bet 60,000, and Petrone check-raise 180,000. Malinowski called. Both players looked on as the queen of clubs landed on the turn. Petrone bet 600,000 of his 623,640 stack before putting those chips in when Malinowski set him all-in. Petrone showed pocket aces with the ace of spades, but Malinowski had flopped a flush with a straight flush redraw with his queen-ten. The river bricked, and Petrone bowed out.

Seventh place went to World Series of Poker bracelet winner Tyler "TheRayGuy" Cornell. Cornell lost all but a handful of big blinds after hitting a straight on the river with ten-nine when Malinowski had flopped a full house with his queen-jack. Cornell doubled-up but then open-shoved for 14 big blinds on the button with ten-nine and lost to Malinowski's king-ten.

The final six became five when "spaise411" of Russia found himself with fresh air where his chips once stood. Spaise411 was down to 11 big blinds when they looked down at ace-ten under the gun and decided to play for stacks. Unfortunately, Martirosian woke up with pocket aces in the cutoff; spaise411 was drawing dead by the turn, although he did collect the Super MILLION$ first six-figure payout.

Start-of-the-day chip leader Roman Novoselov was the next player heading for the exits; he busted after a cruel hand involving Martirosian. From the cutoff, Martirosian min-raised to 160,000, and Novoselov called in the big blind. Novoselov check-called a 135,000 continuation bet on the eight-queen-ten flop, which showed two diamonds. The six of diamonds was the turn card, and Novoselov led for 264,598, and Martirosian called. An offsuit nine completed the community cards, and Novoselov checked. Martirosian bet enough to set his opponent all-in, and Novoselov instantly called off his 1,133,759 chips. Novoselov turned over ace-deuce of diamonds, but Martirosian held a straight flush courtesy of his nine-seven of diamonds. Ouch.

Martirosian added to his stack when he busted Pablo Silva in fourth. Silva min-raised to 200,000 from under the gun, and Martirosian called in the big blind. Both players checked on the king-nine-five flop, leading to a four on the turn. Martirosian bet 650,000 and Silva called. A deuce on the river was greeted by a shove by Martirosian, and an all-in call of Silva's pot-sized stack. Silva showed queen-nine, but the hot-running Martirosian flopped two pair with his king-five.

Heads-up was set when Malinowski was eliminated at the hands of WouldIlieToYou, who limped in the small blind, and Malinowski checked. A seven-five-ace flop saw WouldIlieToYou lead for 100,000, and Malinowski call. A deuce on the turn saw similar action: WouldIlieToYou bet 328.125, and Malinowski call. The six of clubs completed the board, and WouldIlieToYou bet enough to set Malinowski all-in. Malinowski called off his 922,888 chips with queen-seven, not beliving WouldIlieToYou held an ace. WouldIlieToYou did not have an ace, but they did have a pair of tens in the hole, thus sending Malinowski to the showers.

Martirosian held a substantial 12,043,315 to 5,556,685 chip lead over WouldIlieToYou going into heads-up and a sixth Super MILLION$ for Martirosian looked likely. However, WouldIlieToYou had other plans. WouldIlieToYou doubled up after Martirosian ran a bluff with ten-nine when WouldIlieToYou had flopped trip fours, putting the ball in the Dutch star's court.

The final hand occurred during the 70,000/140,000/17,500a level, and saw WouldIlieToYou limp-call when Martirosian ripped in 2,535,177 chips with ace-four. WouldIlieToYou held pocket sixes, which held when the five community cards ran out queen-high.

Martirosian narrowly missed out on becoming the first player to win six Super MILLION$ titles, with WouldIlieToYou securing his second such victory.