Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo isn't exactly a spectator sport. A game where chopped pots are the norm makes it difficult viewing and when a heads-up battle lasts over two-and-a-half hours, it is not this kind of thing as a way to be bringing droves of recent fans to the sport.

But that did not worry bernard-bb.

The player from Finland was in a position to ensure a gruelling tournament and a spirited heads-up battle with Canadian Antonio7. When it gave the impression of the duel would never end, bernard-bb flopped the nuts against the second one nuts, and improved to a greater low, and that was enough to scoop the news title and over $70,000 in prize money.

It was Event #42-H of the 2016 Spring Championship of Online Poker -- a $2,100 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 6-Max Event which attracted a field of 136 players. That created a prize pool of $272,000 which greater than doubled the promised guarantee.

Adrienne Rowsome, Jason Somerville, Jason Mercier, George Danzer and Eugene Katchalov were amongst the starters representing Team PokerStars but sadly they were out well before the cash stage.

The top 18 players would finish within the money, but on the end of the primary day of play, the tournament was delicately poised with just 21 players remaining and Canada's Antonio7 leading the way:

When play resumed it might be DonkPredator, Yakiddinme and Fabrizio "SixthSenSe19" Gonzalez who missed out at the money because the remaining 18 players assured themselves no less than $3,536 in prize money.

James "Andy McLEOD" Obst made another deep SCOOP run before falling in 17th place, while Team PokerStars Online's Naoya Kihara made it to 15th place.

When PlayWMyNuts lost out with two pair against the Broadway straight of bernard-bb, PlayWMyNuts was out in seventh place and our final table formed as follows:

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Final Table Line UpSeat 1: WATnlos (74,261 in chips)Seat 2: bratpack1979 (186,136 in chips)Seat 3: onmybicycle (113,054 in chips)Seat 4: bernard-bb (350,266 in chips)Seat 5: raiden kan (136,400 in chips)Seat 6: Antonio7 (499,883 in chips)

The short-stacked WATnlos could be first to head. After a raise preflop and a big gamble at the flop, things got a little bit wild at the turn in a battle of the blinds between Antonio7 and WATnlos. The board read 4♠8♠8♣2♠ when a raising war erupted that saw WATnlos all in with A♦3♠J♥6♥ for an extremely low against Antonio7's 8♥5♦A♣J♠ for trip eights. There has been a great opportunity of a split pot, until the 3♥ appeared at the river to enhance Antonio7 to a wheel to scoop both the high and the low. That meant former WCOOP winner WATnlos must depart in sixth place for $12,240.

Next to fall could be onmybicycle. After you have quartered in a hand against bernard-bb, onmybicycle got short before committing all in on a flop of 2♣5♥3♠.  onmybicycle held 6♦A♦T♥Q♣ but was in a global of hurt when Antonio7 made the decision with 4♦4♠A♠6♠ for the old nut-nut. The turn was the A♥ and river the 9♦ which changed nothing, leaving onmybicycle to get on his bike and depart in fifth place for $17,680.

Four-handed play was relatively tight until the peace was broken by a huge pot between bratpack1979 and Antonio7. After three-betting preflop, bratpack1979 raised all in on a flop of 5♥A♣T♥ holding A♦8♠2♦7♠. Antonio7 made the decision with A♥6♦9♠3♥. The turn was the Q♥ to present Antonio7 a flush and the river 7♣ gave him a seven-low to scoop each side of the pot. That left bratpack1979 to exit in fourth place for $23,120 in prize money.

Antonio7 was into the chip lead with Macau grinder raiden kan at the short stack with three players remaining.

Antonio7 clipped bernard-bb with an entire house, after which extended the lead even further with the elimination of raiden kan.

After raising at the flop, raiden kan was all in at the activate a board of 8♦A♠7♦8♥. Antonio7 made the decision and showed 2♦8♠5♦T♣ for trips and a flush draw with a low, while raiden kan tabled 7♠2♣J♠4♠ for a greater low. A brick would give raiden kan half the pot, however the 4♦ appeared which improved Antonio7 to a flush and a seven-low to scoop the pot. raiden kan was out in third place for a $35,360 score.

Heads-up Chip CountsSeat 4: bernard-bb (439,297 in chips)Seat 6: Antonio7 (920,703 in chips)

Antonio7 would start with greater than a two-to-one chip advantage, but while this tournament had flowed at a gentle pace until this point, the heads-up battle could be a gruelling affair.

There was a trend of Antonio7 chipping ahead before bernard-bb would strike back with a large double up.

Antonio7 extended the advantage within the early stages before bernard-bb struck a pleasing double up with a wheel straight against two pair.  Again Antonio7 would climb back right into a healthy lead but couldn't land the knockout blow with an open-ended straight draw as a flopped set for bernard-bb changed into quads for an additional double.

A key hand saw bernard-bb flop a suite of jacks and extract full value from the 2 pair of Antonio7 before the overall hand of the two-and-a-half hour heads-up battle was finally dealt.

Antonio7 raised from the button and bernard-bb called to peer a monotone flop of 7♦T♦A♦. bernard-bb check-called of venture and the turn brought the 8♠. Again the action was check, bet, call because the river K♣ completed the board. bernard-bb checked for a 3rd time and Antonio7 didn't slow down, firing out another bet. This time bernard-bb responded with a check-raise all in and Antonio7 would make the decision with J♠6♦Q♦2♣ for the second-nut flush and an 8-7-6 low. However bernard-bb tabled 3♦5♠K♦4♠ for the nut flush and a 8-7-4 low to win all sides of the pot and scoop the title!

It was a mighty heads-up battle but Antonio7 was slightly unlucky in a cooler of a last hand to be eliminated in second place for $47,600. After all it'd be Finland's bernard-bb who captures the news title and $70,720 in prize money! Congratulations!

2016 SCOOP-42-H: 2,100 PL Omaha Hi/Lo [6-Max] - $100K GuaranteedEntrants: 136Prize Pool: $272,000Places Paid: 18

1.  bernard-bb (Finland) $70,720.002.  Antonio7 (Canada) $47,600.003.  raiden kan (Macao) $35,360.004.  bratpack1979 (Australia) $23,120.005.  onmybicycle (Netherlands) $17,680.006.  WATnlos (Germany) $12,240.00

The Spring Championship of Online Poker is the most important and richest tournament festival of the year, with millions in prize money to be won, a packed schedule, and separate buy-in levels designed to fit all bankrolls.

A total prize pool of $40 million is guaranteed with the series running all through until May 22nd. Head to the news home page for more details.

Heath "TassieDevil" Chick is a contract contributor to PokerStars Blog.

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