Vanessa "Niffller" Kade Wins the Sunday Million 15th Anniversary ($1,514,920)
Canada's Vanessa "Niffller" Kade has forever etched her name in online poker history after defeating "Talibenes" in heads-up play to win the Sunday Million 15th Anniversary at PokerStars. Both the top two players snagged more than a million with Kade banking $1,514,920 and "Talibenes" taking home $1,035,358.
Kade is a well-known poker streamer and more recently is also known as a women's advocate. Now she can add record-holder to this list as the $1.5 million she won is the largest single prize for any Sunday Million Anniversary winner and only the second time in the 11 years it has run, that it didn't end with a deal.
Kade described today as "the best day of my life" to her Twitter fans after winning the event.
In addition to Kade and many other poker players that went deep in the Sunday Million 15th Anniversary, PokerStars has something to be proud of as well with the nearly 70,000 entrants generating a $13,975,200 for the second largest in Sunday Million Anniversary event history.
PokerStars Sunday Million 15th Anniversary Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanessa "Niffller" Kade | Canada | $1,514,920 |
| 2 | Talibenes | Poland | $1,035,358 |
| 3 | PanchoVetin | Bulgaria | $707,640 |
| 4 | Transylvanian | Romania | $483,652 |
| 5 | peu3ep | Russia | $330,564 |
| 6 | malinga | Norway | $225,930 |
| 7 | ikkedus | Netherlands | $154,416 |
| 8 | kefirchik106 | Russia | $105,538 |
| 9 | Vvlankov | Russia | $72,132 |
Final Day Recap of the PokerStars Sunday Million 15th Anniversary
The final day began with just 65 hopefuls remaining, each guaranteed a payout of at least $10,757 with their eyes on much more. Romania's "Transylvanian" began the day with the chip lead with Kade near the top of the pack in 13th place.
Less than three hours into the action, "Talibenes" eliminated a short-stacked "VladHunter21" in 10th place for $49,300 when his king-seven got there against ace-jack.
"ikkedus" began the final table with the chip lead with Kade near the bottom of the pile in seventh place. The lead slid over to "Talibenes" before the first elimination took place.
Russia's "Vvlankov" was the first player eliminated in ninth place for $72,132 when their big slick didn't win a race against the queens held by Norway's "malinga".
Russia's "kefirchik106" quickly followed their countrymate out the door in eighth place for $105,538 when their king-ten didn't get there against the ace-jack held by "Talibenes".
"ikkedus", who entered the final table with the chip lead, doubled a few players and was short on chips before bowing out in seventh place for $154,416 when they jammed sevens unsuccessfully into the ace-queen suited held by "Talibenes". "Talibenes" held about two-thirds of the chips in play after this hand.
Kade began to build momentum and was in second place after her ace-queen held against the ace-seven suited held by "malinga" (sixth - $225,930). Very soon after, "Transylvanian" eliminated Russia's "peu3ep" (fifth - $330,564) when his ace-five suited won out against queens.
A deal was floated by three of the four remaining players in the chatbox but there was no response from Bulgaria's "PanchoVetin" and the action went on. "Talibenes" still had most of the chips in play but things tightened up after Kade doubled with kings against the ace-ten held by "Talibenes".
Kade then went on a roll to eliminate the final three players by herself. It began by sending "Transylvanian" to the rail in fourth place for $483,652 when her king-queen was good against king-jack.
Three-handed play began with "PanchoVetin" as the short-stack. This player doubled up a few times to take the chip lead before they doubled up Kade on an attempted bluff to give her the lead.
Kade then had almost all of the chips in play after eliminating "PanchoVetin" in third place for $707,640 when her fives won a flip against big slick.
Heads-up play lasted just two hands with Kade holding approximately a 7:1 chip advantage against "Talibenes". Kade jammed with eights and then won one last flip against king-nine to be crowned the champion.