The final events of the 888poker The Festival Online concluded on August 1, including the eagerly anticipated Main Event. Some 813 players bought into the Main Event and created a guarantee-busting $162,600 prize pool, but only nine of those starters navigated their way to the final table, which was streamed on the 888poker Twitch channel on August 1.
Commentators Nick Wealthall and David Tuchman relayed all of the action, which was fast and furious from the get-go. It took just over an hour for Argentina's "Pbustos14" to accumulate all the chips in play, and become The Festival Online Main Event champion, and receive a wallet-filling $26,552 in prize money.
The Festival Online Main Event
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pbustos14 | Argentina | $26,552 |
| 2 | vpedote | Brazil | $19,349 |
| 3 | IOwnU888 | n/a | $14,194 |
| 4 | MindgaugasKR | Lithuania | $10,438 |
| 5 | Jerry "Perrymejsen" Odeen | Sweden | $7,723 |
| 6 | DantonGomes | Brazil | $5,723 |
| 7 | xFink_Ploydx | Canada | $4,260 |
| 8 | Mr.Exploiter | Montenegro | $3,170 |
| 9 | skirdan | Lithuania | $2,406 |
"Pbustos14" was the shortest of the nine finalists but their ace-seven of diamonds cracked the pocket aces of "x_Fink_Ploydx" after turning a flush to give himself some breathing room.
"skirdan" of Lithuania was the first player heading to the rail, doing so with a $2,406 prize in tow. skirdan open-shoved for a shade more than 8.5 big blinds with pocket nines from the small blinds, and Pbustos14 looked them up in the big blind with ace-king of diamonds. An ace on the turn sent skirdan to the rail and Pbustos14 into second in chips.
Montenegro's "Mr.Exploiter" was the chip leader at the start of eight-handed play, yet they were still the next player to bust. First, they lost with ace-ten versus the pocket kings of "IOwnU888" before getting their last 12.5 big blinds into the middle with ace-jack against the dominating ace-king of "MindgaugasKR" one hand later. Eighth place came with $3,170.
Seventh place and $4,260 went to xFink_Ploydx, who never recovered from having their aces cracked. They open-shoved for 4.5 big blinds from the cutoff with ace-five, and IOwnU888 called from the big blind with queen-jack. The ace-five remained the best hand right up to the river, which is where the queen of clubs made an appearance and reduced the player count again.
The final six became five with the untimely demise of Brazilian "DantonGomes." "vpedote" min-raised with ace-queen in the cutoff, DantonGomes ripped in their 12.6 big blinds from the button with ace-jack, only for Pbustos14 to also move all-in for 19.3 big blinds with ace-queen. The original raiser ducked out of the way and looked on as the community cards ran out with four clubs, with Pbustos14 holding the ace of clubs. DantonGomes headed into the night with $5,723 for their efforts.
Sweden's Jerry "perrymejsen" Odeen got his hands on the $7,723 fifth place prize after a clash with Pbustos14 did not go to plan. Odeen raised seven of his 13.8 big blinds with suited king-jack before calling the shove of Pbustos14, which was made with the superior ace-jack. A jack on the flop and ace on the river sent the dangerous Odeen to the sidelines.
The surviving four players were now guaranteed a five-figure score, and it was MindaugasKR who collected the first of them, namely $10,438. The hot-running Pbustos14 open-shoved for 10 big blinds effective from the small blind, and MindaugasKR called off their stack. It was ten-eight versus ace-nine, and an eight on the river was a cruel way to end MindaugasKR's participation.
Heads-up was set soon after that last elimination, with IOwnU888 crashing out in third place for $14,194. Pbustos shoved from the small blind with pocket deuces, and IOwnU888 called off their 13 big blind stack with ace-nine. It was a classic coinflip scenario. However, there was only ever going to be one winner. The deuces held, IOwnU888 busted in third, and Pbustos14 took a 65.8 big blind to 15.5 big blind chip advantage into the heads-up clash with vpedote.
Unsurprisingly, Pbustos14 ran out the winner, and it was quite fitting that they won The Festival Online Main Event with pocket aces after coming from behind on several occasions on their way to victory. The final hand saw Pbustos14 min-raise with pocket aces, and vpedote defend with queen-six. The queen-jack-five flop saw vpedote check-call a 1.5 big blind bet. A nine on the turn saw vpedtoe check again, then call off their last 7.3 big blinds when they were shoved on. The river was a brick and it was all over. Vpedote banked $19,349 for their runner up finish, leaving Pbustos14 to scoop the title of champion and $26,552 in prize money.
Final The Festival Online Champions Crowned
Two other The Festival Online events crowned their champions, bringing the curtain down on what has been an excellent series. Lithuania's "TheAudrius" won the $525 buy-in Texas High Roller Finale, outlasting 106 opponents to scoop $14,739, while "fanatmalini" took down the $109 Afterparty and got their hands on $4,685.
