THE PartyPoker Championship (PPC) Winter Edition crowned its last series champion after the biggest PartyPoker tournament of the year so far concluded on January 17. The $530 buy-in $500,000 Guaranteed PPC Winter Main Event was this tournament, and Rytis Strigunas is the man who struck gold, bloated his bankroll with a huge score, and still has the right to be called the PPC Winter Main Event champion.
In the six starting flights, 1,089 PartyPoker players took to the virtual felt, ensuring the $500,000 guarantee was blown out of the water thanks to the creation a prize pool of $544,500. Only 164 of those players who started out with high hopes made it through to Day 2, each locking up at least one min-cash for their efforts.
The Day 2 field looked like a who’s who of the poker world, such was the prestige of the PPC Winter Main Event. Elio Fox, Antoine Saut, Jans-Arendsand ours Matthew Staples were among the first casualties on Day 2.
Former MILLIONS Online Champion Benjamin Chalot, Samuel Vousdenswedish star Niklas Astedt, Thomas BoivinAnd Diego Ventura also saw a return on their investments of $530 but did not reach the nine-handed final table; Ventura came excruciatingly close, breaking in 11th place.
Final table set
The nine finalists returned to their places on January 17, knowing they were only eight eliminations away from glory. All but two of the PartyPoker grinders who sat at the final table walked away with a five-figure prize for their efforts.
Brazilian Ramon KropmansHis time at the PPC Winter Main Event final table was short-lived as he was the first finalist heading to the exits. Ninth place came with $7,213. Fabien Schmidt fared a bit better, taking eighth place for an addition of $9,146 to his PartyPoker bankroll before Jesus Martinez Ucero bowed out after landing in seventh place, a finish worth $11,540 for the Estonia-based star.
The pay jumps widened with each elimination, adding another layer of excitement to the proceedings. Simon Beckman was eliminated in sixth place for $14,635, Dalton Holbold collected $18,947 for fifth place, while Hristo Dimitrov received $27,649 when his PPC Main Event run ended in fourth place.
The warning was set when the UK-based Irishman Daniel Wilson crashed. Wilson, a former long-term champion Irish Open Main Eventhad to settle for the $42,314 prize for third place, an always welcome score.
With the prize money difference for first and second place weighing in at nearly $28,000, it was no surprise to see Rytis Strigunas And Victor Oliveira Girao Pause the tournament clock and strike a deal to soften the blow of falling at the final hurdle. The deal saw Girao officially finish in second place for $72,827 ($61,571 originally), leaving Strugunas to earn $78,160 ($89,415 upfront payout) and claim the PPC Winter Championship title. Main Event.
PPC Winter #01 Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rytis Strigunas | Ireland | $78,160* |
| 2 | Victor Olvieira Girao | Brazil | $72,827* |
| 3 | Dan Wilson | United Kingdom | $42,314 |
| 4 | Hristo Dimitrov | Bulgaria | $27,649 |
| 5 | Dalton Hobold | Brazil | $18,947 |
| 6 | Simon Beckman | Austria | $14,635 |
| 7 | Jesus Martinez Ucero | Estonia | $11,540 |
| 8 | Fabien Schmidt | Austria | $9,146 |
| 9 | Ramon Kropmans | Brazil | $7,213 |
* Reflects heads-up agreement
Da Silva Crowned PPC Winter Mini Main Event Champion
The PPC Winter Mini Main Event only had a mini name thanks to the incredible support of you, our loyal PartyPoker players. Some 2,730 players showed up in force and created a prize pool of $136,500, more than a third more than the advertised guarantee of $100,000.
Henrique Miguel Santos Da Silva was the main beneficiary of this juicy prize pool as he was the last player standing. Da Silva beat the Czech Republic Petr Marek to become worthy champion of the Mini Main Event, an accolade that came with an impressive $20,284 for his $55 buy-in. Although disappointed not to take the win, Marek must still be thrilled to have picked up a second prize that tipped the scales at $13,767.
PPC Winter #02 Mini Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henrique Miguel Santos Da Silva | United Kingdom | $20,284 |
| 2 | Petr Marek | Czech Republic | $13,767 |
| 3 | matt lee | United Kingdom | $9,386 |
| 4 | Fabiano Teixeira | Brazil | $6,217 |
| 5 | Alice Samalikova | Slovenia | $4,225 |
| 6 | Bruno Sampaio | Brazil | $3,218 |
| 7 | Douglas Ferreira | Brazil | $2,488 |
| 8 | Leonidas Vogiatzoglu | Greece | $1,970 |
| 9 | Raphael Nunes | Brazil | $1,532 |
PPC Winter Numbered Event Results
Denmark should be mentioned Jonathan Skovsonwho excelled in the PPC Winter editions of Great. Skovson emerged victorious in the first The Grand event, outlasting 94 opponents and taking home $19,968. He won The Grand again a week later, sailing past 105 opponents to clinch the top prize of $23,448. Watch out for Skovson’s The Grand this Sunday, where you can win your seat from just $0.01!
| Event | Membership | Attendees | Jackpot | Champion | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #01 Main Event | $530 | 1,089 | $544,500 | Rytis Strigunas | $78,160 |
| #02 Mini Main Event | $55 | 2,730 | $136,500 | Henrique Miguel Santos Da Silva | $20,284 |
| #03 Omaha PKO Championship | $109 | 411 | $41,100 | Ricardo Moreira | $6,788* |
| #04 Mini Omaha PKO Championship | $22 | 938 | $18,760 | Emilie Maher | $3,084* |
| #05 The Great | $1,050 | 95 | $100,000 | Jonathan Skovson | $19,968 |
| #06 The Big Game | $530 | 68 | $40,000 | Georgios Damianidis | $10,324 |
| #07 PKO Championship | $215 | 958 | $191,600 | Kenny Hallaert | $24,937* |
| #08 Mini PKO Championship | $33 | 2,541 | $76,230 | Diogo Miranda | $7,867* |
| #11 Omaha Championship | $109 | 303 | $30,300 | Christian Jäger | $5,766 |
| #12 Mini Omaha Championship | $22 | 711 | $15,000 | Timo Ruotsalainen | $2,591 |
| #13 The Great | $1,050 | 106 | $103,845 | Jonathan Skovsen | $23,448 |
| #14 The Big Game | $530 | 67 | $40,000 | Bengt Sonnert | $10,324 |
| Total | $1,337,835 |
*includes bonuses
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