As the fifth day of the XL Blizzard unfolds—an exciting 11-day event slated to conclude on January 28—two additional tournaments have taken place. This brings us closer to the midpoint of this series, with 15 out of the scheduled 34 tournaments already completed.
With a whopping prize pool exceeding $2.8 million on the line, the XL Blizzard features events with buy-ins ranging from as little as $5 to as high as $2,100. This year’s lineup is packed with thrilling competitions, including a $2,100 High Roller event with a $250,000 guarantee and a $1,050 Main Event boasting a $1,000,000 guarantee, set to occur on January 28.
Additionally, we're introducing enticing new promotions, which include substantial cash rewards for players who can win multiple events—up to $1,000,000 for those who clinch five victories. Also, there's a special 'Bubble of Bubbles' tournament that grants entry when players end up on the bubble of any other tournament, alongside the return of the esteemed Champion of Champions event.
The Champion of Champions event returns during the XL Blizzard series, providing one fortunate player from 888poker a chance to win a coveted $12,000 package for WSOP in Las Vegas. Each time a player participates in an XL Blizzard event, they accumulate points on the leaderboard. The top 50 players will earn a ticket to compete in the Champion of Champions tournament scheduled for 18:00 GMT on January 30.
Here’s a brief summary of the key events that have transpired in the XL Blizzard so far:
Day 1 – Jans 'Graftekkel' Arends from the Netherlands triumphed in the Opening Event, bagging over $17,000. Titles were also won by 'bygavuga' and 'scellone94'.
Day 2 – 'Jamasutra' and 'Pasha813' both scored wins in Events #4 and #5 respectively.
Day 3 – In a thrilling showdown, Norway’s 'Rekrutt1' clinched victory in Event #6: Crazy 8, earning more than $10,000. Former champions from XL Eclipse, 'NeveGiveUp' and 'msksevart', added their names to the list of XL Blizzard title holders.
Day 4 – During Event #9, the $120,000 Mega Deep, '23NoraB' redeemed himself following a near miss in the XL Inferno Mega Deep. Three ambassadors from 888poker also had significant runs, while Niklas 'tutten7' Åstedt fell short not just once, but twice in his quest for a title.
For more comprehensive information on the XL Blizzard, click here.
'yarik1903' Secures Ukraine’s Second XL Blizzard Title
The $55 buy-in Event #14: $40,000 R&A attracted a total of 414 competitors, who made 308 rebuys and added on 252 times, culminating in a prize pool of $48,700. Cash was awarded to 54 players, and as a result, 'BobLeeSwagga' from the Netherlands, who finished in 55th place, qualified for the 'Bubble of Bubbles' tournament.thNotable players who cashed in included 'Sr.Penes' finishing in 34th place.
After a marathon session lasting 6 hours and 48 minutes, the championship battle came down to Germany's 'hale_bop123' and Ukraine's 'yarik1903'. Ultimately, the Ukrainian player emerged victorious, securing a first-place prize of $9,345.53 and marking his country’s second title at the XL Blizzard.thfor $292.20), “vanPingelen” (24thfor $340.90), “gkap13” (14thfor $535.70), Niklas “tutten7” Åstedt (6thfor $2,069.75), and “emreey90” (3rdfor $5,113.50.)
According to reports from PocketFives, 'yarik1903' has accumulated over $2 million in online winnings throughout his career. His achievements on 888poker include a $1,247 win in an October 22 event with a $2,500 buy-in, a prize of $2,502.77 in the May 4 $10,000 Swordfish, and a $1,960 payout from a $5,000 Hurricane event back in November 2018.
Event #15: $10,000 Mini R&A, with an entry fee of just $5, attracted 1,477 participants, who collectively made 1,638 rebuys and added on 829 times. This resulted in a prize pool of $17,945.20, distributed among the top 162 finishers. 'SMVD1' from Russia just missed cashing, qualifying for the 'Bubble of Bubbles' tournament instead.
“DeltaSpider” Becomes 4thRussian to Win XL Blizzard Title
Among the well-known players who cashed in this tournament were 'moosebadger' (80th place, earning $71.78) and current XL Blizzard leaderboard leader 'Ao1ing' (15th place).
After 'luckypaanch75' and 'moonm1969' secured fourth and third place finishes with respective payouts of $1,220.27 and $1,702.99, the final two competitors reached an agreement for a heads-up deal. 'Agelesss1' from Ukraine walked away with $2,676.23, while 'DeltaSpider' from Russia earned $2,618.41. They then continued to play it out, with the Russian ultimately claiming the title, making him the fourth Russian competitor to win an XL Blizzard championship.thfor $41.27), “Am44nda” (53rdfor $50.24), “ZakkSabbath” (25thTuesday is dedicated to our high roller showdown! The $2,100 buy-in Event #16: $250,000 High Roller will commence at 19:00, with the $215 buy-in Event #17: $100,000 Mini High Roller following simultaneously. Then, at 21:00, the $160 buy-in Event #18: $30,000 Late Night High Roller will complete the day's events.thfor $122.02), and “Kubiszek” (5thfor $888.28.)
Chad Holloway is a recipient of a WSOP Bracelet, awarded in 2013, and has previously served as a managing editor and live reporter for PokerNews.
Coming Up on Tuesday
'yarik1903' Secures Ukraine’s Second Title at the XL Blizzard
