The 2020 XL Blizzard wrapped up this past weekend and it was a tremendous success. Nearly $1.7 million in prize money – $1,679,252 to be exact – was awarded over 34 events, which spanned 11 days and hosted 42,521 entrants.
Here are some fun facts, figures, and highlights from the 2020 XL Blizzard.
Another International Affair
All of 888poker’s tournament series appeal to players from around the world, and the XL Blizzard was no exception as winners hailed from North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
Players from the UK lead the pack with seven titles. Ukrainians and Russians accounted for five titles each. Germany, Latvia, Canada and Brazil all captured a pair of titles, whereas players from Kazakhstan, Malta, Croatia, Luxembourg, Romania, Lithuania, and Finland all nabbed one.
It’s also worth noting that no player was able to win more than a single title, though one player came close.
Bryan “DePittsterje” Paris Nearly Captures Second XL Blizzard Title
On Thursday, the $160 buy-in Event #23: $50,000 PKO 8-Max saw 292 players rebuy 101 times to create a 393-entry field. That resulted in a $58,950 prize pool that was split equally between the regular and bounty prize pools.
The top 40 finishers made the money including “Fukuruku” (36th for $170.95 + $281.25 in bounties), “SalsaFiesta” (19th for $294.75 + $75 in bounties), “Openpunks” (11th for $589.50 + $365.63 in bounties), and Bryan “DePittsterje” Paris (5th for $1,621.12 + $65.63 in bounties).
For Paris, it was almost his second title of the series after he topped an 860-entry field to win Event #14: $20,000 R&A Event for $4,951.02. He closed things out with a deep run in the Main Event finishing 165th for $550.
After “CoinShipper” (3rd for $2,538 + $989.06 in bounties) and “HiroNakamura” (3rd for $3,242.25 + $1,336.53 in bounties) bowed out, the title came down to Ukraine’s “normannolly” and Bealrus’ “HATE007.” After 8 hours and 18 minutes the former came out on top to win a $5,747.72 top prize plus the $6,773.92 progressive knock out bounty.
Two 888poker Ambassadors Cash Main Event
On Sunday, the series culminated with the $250 buy-in XL Blizzard Main Event, a tournament that attracted 1,557 players who rebought 520 times. That meant a $500,000 prize pool was up for grabs.
The tournament paid the top 207 finishers with a min-cash being worth $550. Two players from the 888poker team made deep runs with 888poker Ambassador Dominik “888Dominik” Nitsche finishing in 97th place for $950, while his teammate Sofia “sofialovgren” Lövgren went even deeper taking 48th for $1,300).
In the end, Russia’s “ribamech15” defeated Brazil’s “gtavares10” in heads-up play to win the title for $84,450, the biggest first-place prize awarded during the series.
UK’s “kokoloko17” Claims 6-Max Title
The $109 buy-in Event #29: $30,000 6-Max saw 235 players rebuy 109 times to create a $34,400 prize pool. That was paid out to the top 30 players including “KURDEdersim” (5th - $2,064), “Lucky_Frutti” (9th - $980.40), and eventual Main Event champ “ribamech15” (17th - $395.60), just to name a few.
After nearly eight hours of play, the UK’s “kokoloko17” beat “RasAIGhul” in heads-up play to win the title for $7,912.
Fun Quick-Hitting Facts and Figures
- The series catered to 30,168 unique players who rebought 12,353 times.
- Only one tournament on the schedule failed to hit its guarantee – the $320 buy-in Event #17: $100,000 High Roller. With 217 players rebuying 88 times, participants enjoyed a $2,400 Overlay.
- 888poker regulars “BuyUADrank” (Romania) and “tikkapekka” (Finland) both captured titles. The former bested 790 entries to win Event #18: $30,000 Mini High Roller for $7,465.50, while the latter topped a 380-entry field to win Event #7: $40,000 8-Max for $7,410.
- Winners from all 34 events captured a combined $164,288.98 in first-place prize money.
- If a player fired a single bullet in every 2020 XL Blizzard tournament they’d have spent $2,157.
- Ukraine’s “Kaiman.O_O.” turned a $5.50 buy-in into a $3,146.41 by winning Event #34: $15,000 Micro Main Event for a ROI of 571 times his investment.
2020 XL Blizzard Winners
Tournament | Buy-In | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Country | Prize
Event #1: $50,000 Opening Event | $109 | 625 | $62,500 | resilience32 | Germany | $11,993.75
Event #2: $20,000 Mini Opening Event | $16.50 | 1,751 | $26,265 | anelka79 | Russia | $4,115.56
Event #3: $20,000 Late Opening Event | $55 | 523 | $26,150 | king.abduIIV | UK | $5,018.25
Event #4: $30,000 PKO | $55 | 761 | $38,050 | jancsi89 | N/A | $3,595.90 + $2,872.71 PKO
Event #5: $20,000 Mini PKO | $22 | 1,353 | $27,060 | ravenous_nl | Russia | $2,435.94 + $1,375.96 PKO
Event #6: $10,000 Late PKO | $33 | 549 | $16,470 | koptevaaa | Ukraine | $1,564.83 + $1,944.45 PKO
Event #7: $30,000 8-Max | $109 | 380 | $38,000 | tikkapekka | Finland | $7,410
Event #8: $10,000 Mini 8-Max | $8.80 | 1,759 | $14,072 | dumitrana1 | UK | $2,187.02
Event #9: $15,000 Late 8-Max | $55 | 366 | $18,300 | fannymobile | UK | $3,568.50
Event #10: $100,000 Tune Up | $109 | 1,176 | $117,600 | CabecaTilt | Brazil | $19,091.66
Event #12: $10,000 Micro Tune Up | $5.50 | 3,081 | $15,405 | MerzavecKV | Ukraine | $2,044.47 Event #13: $20,000 Late Tune Up | $55 | 579 | $28,950 | ISmellToast | Canada | $5,500.61
Event #14: $20,000 R&A Event | $33 | 860 | $25,800 | Bryan "DePittsterje" Paris | N/A | $4,951.02
Event #15: $10,000 Mini R&A | $5.50 | 2,508 | $12,540 | Absoliuciai | Lithuania | $2,165.11
Event #16: $15,000 Late R&A | $16.50 | 1,300 | $19,500 | MoOoN30 | UK | $3,656.25
Event #17: $100,000 High Roller | $320 | 305 | $100,000 | zavor4ik | Latvia | $20,450
Event #18: $30,000 Mini High Roller | $55 | 790 | $39,500 | BuyUADrank | Romania | $7,465.50
Event #19: $20,000 Late High Roller | $109 | 254 | $25,400 | jgjg3000 | UK | $5,461
Event #20: $50,000 PKO | $109 | 534 | $53,400 | HatchetGarry | Russia | $5,123.73 + $4,271.03 KO
Event #21: $20,000 Mini PLO | $16.50 | 1,668 | $25,020 | nuts1109 | Luxembourg | $2,159.99 + $1,512.89 KO
Event #22: $10,000 Late PKO | $33 | 637 | $19,110 | SpokenMagic | Brazil | $1,81.65 + $2,068.69 KO
Event #23: $50,000 PKO 8-Max | $160 | 393 | $58,950 | normannolly | Ukraine | $5,747.72 + $6,773.92
Event #24: $20,000 Mini PKO 8-Max | $22 | 1,339 | $26,780 | Specter.V. | Ukraine | $2,468.31 + $1,662.29 KO
Event #25: $20,000 Late PKO 8-Max | $55 | 504 | $25,200 | Lik3az0mbY | Germany | $2,394 + $1,516.84 KO
Event #26: $30,000 Deepstack | $55 | 639 | $31,950 | Aco_Zeko | Croatia | $5,949.97
Event #27: $20,000 Mini DeepStack | $16.50 | 1,599 | $23,985 | sickthsense | Canada | $4,140.60
Event #28: $15,000 Late DeepStack | $33 | 599 | $17,970 | 1llb3b4ck | Malta | $3,414.52
Event #29: $30,000 6-Max | $109 | 344 | $34,400 | kokoloko17 | UK | $7,912
Event #30: $20,000 Mini 6-Max | $16.50 | 1,620 | $24,300 | manipuliator | Kazakstan | $3,588
Event #31: $15,000 Late 6-Max | $55 | 374 | $18,700 | kinsQ | Russia | $4,114
Event #32: $500,000 Main Event | $250 | 2,077 | $500,000 | ribamech15 | Russia | $84,450
Event #33: $50,000 Mini Main Event | $33 | 2,735 | $82,050 | geringonsa | UK | $12,964.67
Event #34: $15,000 Micro Main Event | $5.50 | 4,221 | $21,105 | Kaiman.O_O. | Ukraine | $3,146.41
