In the United States summer has undoubtedly left the part of the world in exchange for cooler temperatures and inclement weather. But sports fans are excited for soccer football and baseball the latter of which is in the playoffs portion of the season. Parents are content that their children are settled back into academy routines. And poker players are happy in most cases that outdoor activities can now be replaced with poker like they curl up next to their warm laptops and try to win cash that will go a long way to buying that snazzy new winter coat.

There is no better place to do that than on PokerStars and the Sunday Million provides the biggest prize pool in online poker. With its $1.5 million guarantee it attracted 7364 players who ponied up the $200 + $15 buy-in or won their seats in bargain satellites. With a bit of an overlay for the field the prize pool was set at $1.5 million for the last 1080 players standing.

But it was on the way to the final table that the payouts became more significant as tends to occur in tournaments. When Joey Capp exited in 11th place hand-for-hand action began though it didn't receive long before bret999 was put to the test when PFC_Jablohme moved all-in preflop. Holding pocket tens bret999 called only to see that PFC_Jablohme had pocket aces. The board came [9c] [Ks] [6d] [5d] [5h] and bret999 was eliminated in tenth place with $8250 for the bubble spot.

The final table was then set in the middle of Level 35 with blinds at 200000/400000 and a 40000 ante as follows:

Seat 1: bedias (9399457 in chips)
Seat 2: BeSje (2558188 in chips)
Seat 3: 44-Skadoo (8986373 in chips)
Seat 4: zwacke (7752730 in chips)
Seat 5: drag0nslay3r (8754629 in chips)
Seat 6: DHUSTLER15 (4896710 in chips)
Seat 7: sumai (5315384 in chips)
Seat 8: PFC_Jablohme (16502143 in chips)
Seat 9: brummieboy (9474386 in chips)

Though DHUSTLER15 came in as one of the shortest stacks one key move early in the action helped propel the player to the top of the leaderboard:

It took more than 30 minutes from the start of the final table to see an elimination and the excitement of the hand did not disappoint. BeSje was the short stack of the group except merely raised to start the action but 44-Skadoo reraised all-in for 8698185. From the large blind drag0nslay3r came through the top all-in for 10694829 covering all players. BeSje called and showed pocket eights 44-Skadoo was on the line with [Ad] [Js] and drag0nslay3r turned over [Ac] [Ks]. All eyes were on the board as it came [7d] [As] [7h] [Ts] [Jd] which gave 44-Skadoo for the rivered best two pair for a massive pot worth almost 12 million took a bit out of drag0nslay3r and eliminated BeSje in ninth place with $11625.

But it was no smooth sailing for 44-Skadoo who lost a 9-million chip pot to PFC_Jablohme in a subsequent hand and provided drag0nslay3r with a double-up. The chip lead was taken over by PFC_Jablohme and then by brummieboy upon winning a big pot from zwacke. No one had a solid grip on the first place spot.

Another player who couldn't seize a rest was drag0nslay3r. After sumai doubled through drag0nslay3r the latter pushed all-in for his last 3608104. DHUSTLER15 reraised all-in to isolate with [Ks] [Qh] which worked and drag0nslay3r could only show [Th] [3s]. The board ran out [Ac] [6d] [9s] [8c] [2h] and drag0nslay3r left the tournament in eighth place with $18000.

The roller coaster ride of zwacke got interesting in Level 38 when he doubled through bedias but then found sumai doubling through him. zwacke was relegated to a very short stack which was pushed in with [Kd] [Js]. PFC_Jablohme called from the big blind for only 616642 more with [Tc] [7c] and hit the flush on the [5c] [5h] [8c] [6c] [7h] board. That left zwacke out in seventh place with $32250 in prize money.

PFC_Jablohme was the next player to be chipped down and at risk and he moved preflop with [Kc] [Tc] against the [Ad] [8h] of 44-Skadoo. The board came in favor of the latter with [Ac] [Qd] [7d] [3c] [2d] and PFC_Jablohme was discharged from the tournament in sixth place with $46500.

Then it was DHUSTLER15 who took some beats when sumai doubled through him twice. The second left DHUSTLER15 with less than 80000 in chips which went all-in on the next hand with the ante. sumai called and brummieboy checked to see the [4s] [6c] [6d] flop. When brummieboy gamble out sumai check-folded and brummieboy turned over [9d] [4h]. DHUSTLER15 showed [Jh] [8c] and the [Ah] turn card and [7s] on the river gave the entire pot to brummieboy and left DHUSTLER15 with $61500 for the fifth place finish.

On the very next hand brummieboy decided to push the action and moved all-in for more than 28 million. bedias was the caller for his tournament life holding [Qh] [Jd] and brummieboy showed [Kh] [4d]. The board came [5h] [Qd] [Ks] [7c] [7h] and bedias' two pair were no good. The fourth place complete and $79500 went to bedias.

It was plain during three-handed play that brummieboy was running over his opponents extending his chip lead to an extent (over 50 million) that would make it tough for anyone to catch up to. But that didn't stop them from trying. sumai doubled through 44-Skadoo who then doubled through brummieboy.

But it wasn't enough to save 44-Skadoo. The ultra-short-stacked player moved all-in with [Kd] [5s] only to see sumai call with [As] [6s]. When the board produced [4s] [7s] [Jd] [Qc] [3s] the flush made sumai's hand even better than it started and eliminated 44-Skadoo in third place with $120000.

Heads-up action then began in Level 41 with the following chip counts:

Seat 7: sumai (26607488 in chips)
Seat 9: brummieboy (47032512 in chips)

The match was clearly going to be a tough one as sumai demonstrated a fair amount of patience and tenacity and behind about 20 minutes the stacks were nearly the same as when it started. However the following hand seemed to change everything:

RSS readers click through to see replay

With the roles reversed and sumai in the lead brummieboy had job to do. And it came down to one hand that decided it minutes later.

The all-in move from brummieboy came with [Kd] [6s] and sumai was capable to call with pocket fives. The board came [3s] [9c] [Jd] [4s] [4h] and the race was over. Second place and the corresponding prize of $165555 went to brummieboy for a solid performance.

The whopping $225000 first place prize and Sunday Million title was awarded to sumai for the comeback and ultimate victory.

Sunday Million Results for 10/11/09:

1st place: sumai ($225000.00)
2nd place: brummieboy ($165555.00)
3rd place: 44-Skadoo ($120000.00)
4th place: bedias ($79500.00)
5th place: DHUSTLER15 ($61500.00)
6th place: PFC_Jablohme ($46500.00)
7th place: zwacke ($32250.00)
8th place: dr16eag0nslay3r ($18000.00)
9th place: BeSje ($11625.00)

For more information on ways to register and qualify for upcoming Sunday Million tournaments visit the Sunday Million page.