$100k apology boosts weekend online poker action

This weekend's PokerStars Sunday Million was plagued by technical glitches that delayed the start-time, but the company made good on the wait by contributing an additional $100 000 to the prizepool, which pulled in 6 672 entrants hunting down a total of $1 434 400 with the added money.

Both the run-up and the final table games were notable for high levels of action and big value exchanges before a confusing series of split agreements which resulted in the four remaining players at the final table deciding on a split ranging from a top prize of $123 346 down to a fourth place prize of $88 383.

Two of the four were gone within 15 minutes of the deal, leaving OnlyHope and Fiveofakind to battle it out. With a chip count of $52 million against his opponent's $11.9 million it didn't look like much of a contest but the game was far from over and the chip lead changed on two occasions before the final hand, where an eventual all-in call saw both players laying down $29 million or more.

But it was OnlyHope who prevailed, taking the game and the cash.

The techie problems were not confined to PokerStars over the weekend - the Full Tilt $200 000 Guarantee was also delayed, but by a full four hours. FT was also not in as generous a frame of mind, however reducing the company guarantee on the prizepool by a hefty $200 000, a move which seemed to backfire as entry levels suffered and the company had to pony up almost $30 000 to make up the shortfall left when only 851 players - well short of the norm - registered.

In the end it was Get_that who won the tourney and claimed the $45 000 first prize, with second placed FERRARI73 picking up a check for $29 000.

UltimateBet's $200 000 Guarantee attracted 1 001 players competing for a $200 200 prizepool which saw Hemipwered05 take away the slightly reduced main prize of $44 044 whilst runner up Sliknik3 collected $25 786.

The Bodog $100 000 Guarantee saw more players at 882 on board for the tournament, an improvement on last week's 828 but one that still resulted in Bodog having to top up the guarantee with $11 800. Timosy went home in the top spot and $25 000 richer, whilst his heads up opponent The_kid11 pocketed $14 000.