Two Brazilians advanced to the general table of SCOOP Event #5-Low. SaLum18 and Bean1992 commanded the massive stack and the fast stack respectively. With two out of six of the overall table players hailing from Brazil, the host country of the 2016 Summer Olympics seemed the logical option to secure a bracelet at the inaugural day of SCOOP. However, it was small stacked Bean1992 who dismantled the large stack and engineered a rigorous comeback to land throughout the winner's circle in SCOOP Event #5-L.

The 2016 installment of the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), with 165 tournaments and $40 million in guaranteed prize money, is designed to become the biggest, baddest, and richest series within the history of SCOOP. The hole day of SCOOP festivities kicked off with a specialty event. The "low" version of SCOOP Event #5-L $7.50 NL Hold'em (6-Max) attracted 9,919 runners and an extra 3,462 re-entries for a complete of 13,381 entries. That tipped the prize pool over $91,258.41, which easily surpassed the initial $50K Guarantee. The highest 1,800 places got a cut of the prize pool, with $12,511.82 put aside to the champion.

At first glance, SCOOP Event #5-Low seemed like any run-of-the-mill 6-max NL event, but under closer inspection you'd discover the varying level times, which increased because the tournament progressed. Event #5-L began like a turbo-event and the rapid-fire start featured five brisk 4-minute levels before accelerating to 6 6-minute levels, followed by eight 8-min levels, then nine 10-min levels, then ten 12-min levels, then eighteen 15-minute levels, before finally selecting 20-minute levels. Event #5-L never went that deep, however the action bogged down considerably once the general three tables were seated.

Twitch streamer extraordinaire Jamie Staples launched into a deep run at the opening day of SCOOP, but Staples busted in 300th place in Event #5-L with A♥5♠ vs. 7♣7♦.

Despite a prolonged final table bubble, we finally saw a joust between a couple of short-stacks. Russian "Ch < 3snokov28" and Bean1992 rumbled. Bean1992 took pocket fours into battle against the Russian's A♣K♥. Big Slick did not improve and the 6-max final table was set.

SCOOP Event #5-L - Final Table Chip Counts:Seat 1: Bean1992 (14,712,194)Seat 2: SaLum18 (36,428,041)Seat 3: FishOnHeater (23,421,217)Seat 4: alonzocr1995 (16,049,142Seat 5: OnL|Ne93 (23,606,658)Seat 6: WhatArunAA (19,592,748)

The final table commenced during Level 49 with blinds at 250K/500K and a 62.5K ante. Brazil's SaLum18 held the lead with over 36M. Fellow Brazilian, Bean1992, was the shorty by default with 14.7M.

A pair of Brazilians highlighted this final table that still included a member of the 2 Timer Club, otherwise known an elite group of poker warriors who took down the Sunday Million not once...but twice. T.J. 'WhatArunAA' Slifka racked up over $2.4 million online with $1.7M, or the majority of it on PokerStars. WhatArunAA shipped the Sunday Million twice, once in 2007 and the opposite in December 2013. WhatArunAA final tabled a couple of 2014 SCOOP events, but never actually won a COOP. The opposite notable player seated a number of the final six, FishOnHeater, boasted over $1 million in career earnings on PokerStars. The Hungarian won the Sunday Second Chance last year and shipped the recent $55 Turbo on multiple occasions.

Need a PokerStars account to play SCOOP? Click here to get one

PASS THE MIC: WhatArunAA eliminated in 6th place

The slow-boil pace meant that no person busted on the final table in the course of the first half hour. Short-stacked WhatArunAA slipped to under 13M and was resolute to double up or go home. Chip leader SaLum18 opened to 1,760,000, FishOnHeater called, and WhatArunAA called from the massive blind. Three-way action with the 2 biggest stacks versus the smallest. The flop of 9♣8♣6♦ induced the action... WhatArunAA checked, SaLum18 checked, FishOnHeater fired out 3,139,850, WhatArunAA slyly check-raised all-in for 11,100,148, SaLum18 bailed, but FishOnHeater called. Heads-up.

WhatArunAA: 9♥8♠FishOnHeater: 7♦7♣

WhatArunAA flopped top two, but FishOnHeater picked up an up-and-down straight draw. The turn was the 6♣ and FishOnHeater improved slightly to 2 pair (but still trailing WhatArunAA's top two). The T♥ spiked at the river, which filled in a straight for FishOnHeater, who dragged the pot with a ten-high straight. WhatArunAA's two pair got drowned at the river and WhatArunAA became the primary player to exit the general table. Sixth place paid out $1,103.31. The member of the exclusive Two Timer Sunday Milly Club should wait another day before he wins his first-ever COOP crown.

With five remaining, FishOnHeater seized the lead with 46.4 million, followed by SaLum18 (35.2M), Bean1992 (19.2M), alonzocr1995 (17.2M), and OnL|Ne93 (15.6M).

GROOVE HOLMES: SaLum18 eliminated in 5th place

Another full level played out before another person hit the bricks. SaLum18 began the general six because the big stack, however the Brazilian became the second one player on the final table to make an unscheduled departure. SaLum18 sunk to below 10M and was in desperate need of a double up. SaLum18 aroused from sleep with pocket Queens and made a last stand.

When OnL|Ne93 opened to 12,600,000, SaLum18 snap-called all-in for 8,390,838 with Q♥Q♣. OnL|Ne93 held A♦8♣ however the board ran out J♦8♦3♦6♦A♠. OnL|Ne93 flopped a couple of eights and a nut-flush draw. The turn filled in OnL|Ne93's flush and SaLum18's pocket Queens were ravished. OnL|Ne93 flushed out SaLum18 in fifth place. Brazil's SaLum18 took home $1,825.16 for a fifth-place payday.

With four remaining, FishOnHeater was the most important stack with 50.3M, followed by alonzocr1995 (30.7M), Bean1992 (28.8M), and OnL|Ne93 (24M).

FUNKY BOSS: OnL|Ne93 eliminated in 4th place

What a difference two hands could make. OnL|Ne93 went from being the executioner to the headless torso. FishOnHeater opened with a raise to 2,688,500, OnL|Ne93 bombed it all-in for 22,428,822, Bean1992 re-shoved for 28,496,548, and FishOnHeater bailed. Heads-up.

OnL|Ne93: K♦Q♥Bean1992: J♠J♥

OnL|Ne93 needed an overcard...big time. The flop was J♦6♣3♦ and Bean1992 improved to a collection of Jacks. The turn and river didn't help OnL|Ne93 because the board ran out... J♦6♣3♦7♥5♥. Bean1992 won the pot, which propelled the Brazilian into first place. For a fourth-place finish, Romania's OnL|Ne93 collected $3,194.04.

With three left in quest of the bracelet, Bean1992 led with 54.2M followed by FishOnHeater (49.7M) and alonzocr1995 (29.8M).

LIGHTEN UP: alonzocr1995 eliminated in 3rd place

Short-stacked alonzocr1995 bid adieu putting in place the inevitable heavyweight bout between the 2 monster stacks. FishOnHeater kicked off the fracas with a raise to 4,98,500, alonzocr1995 shoved for 24,812,110 with A♠2♣, and FishOnHeater snap-called with A♣Q♣. The board ran out A♥J♠8♣K♠A♦. Both players improved to trip Aces, however, the kickers came into play and FishOnHeater won with trip Aces and a Queen-kicker. Costa Rica's alonzocr1995 was dunzo in third place, which paid out $5,931.79.

HEADS-UP: Bean1992 (Brazil) vs. FishOnHeater (Hungary)Seat 1: Bean1992 (60,469,370)Seat 3: FishOnHeater (73,340,630)

The final two squared off during Level 55 with blinds at a groovy 1M/2M and a 250K ante. That will be the next-to-last 15-minute level before the jump to 20-minute levels kicked in at Level 57.

SO WHAT'CHA WANT: FishOnHeater eliminated in 2nd place; Bean1992 wins SCOOP bracelet

Heads-up lasted only 24 hands. Mid-way through their quick bout, FishOnHeater fumbled a chance to select off Bean1992, who doubled up in a 55M pot with Q♣T♠ against FishOnHeater's A♣8♦. Bean1992 turned two pair to stave off elimination.

FishOnHeater's stack was under assault, however the Hungarian bounced into attack mode to win eight out of the following nine hands and chip as much as nearly 100M, while Bean1992 slipped to 35.6M. That's when it happened. Call it a collision of fortunes, however the tournament's momentum seismically shifted with a single hand when Bean1992 landed the most important punch of the night. FishOnHeater shoved with K♥J♦ but Bean1992 awoke with A♥7♠. Although Bean1992 never improved, neither did FishOnHeater, which meant Bean1992 won the hand with an Ace-high kicker. Bean1992 won the 71.2M pot and snagged the chip lead. Bean1992 avoided another elimination with a timely double up. FishOnHeater didn't deliver a second knockout blow...and would never get another shot.

Going into the general hand, a continuing Bean1992 held the chip edge 71.3M to 62.5M. Bean1992 opened to 4.4M and FishOnHeater called. The flop was A♠K♠6♥. FishOnHeater checked-called a 5,878,899 bet from Bean1992. The Q♣ at the turn incited fireworks. FishOnHeater checked, Bean1992 fired out 8,748,997, FishOnHeater check-raised all-in for 51,971,021, and Bean1992 insta-called.

FishOnHeater: K♣9♥Bean1992: A♥K♥

Bean1992 flopped top two, and FishOnHeater got caught with just a pair of Kings. The river was the J♠ and Bean1992 won the pot with two pair -- Aces and Kings. FishOnHeater didn't improve and busted in second place. For a runner-up finish, Hungary's FishOnHeater won $8,669.54.

Congrats to Brazil's Bean1992 for winning a SCOOP bracelet and Movado champion's watch. With just a single additional re-entry, Bean1992 parlayed $15 into over $12.5K! First place in Event #5-Low paid out $12,511.82.

SCOOP-05-L ($7.50 NL Hold'em, 6-Max) resultsEntrants: 13,381 (9,919 entries, 3,462 re-entries)Total prize pool: $91,258.42Places paid: 1,800

1. Bean1992 (Brazil) $12,511.822. FishOnHeater (Hungary) $8,669.543. alonzocr1995 (Costa Rica) $5,931.794. OnL|Ne93 (Romania) $3,194.045. SaLum18 (Brazil) $1,825.166. WhatArunAA (Canada) $1,103.31

Need a PokerStars account to play SCOOP? Click here to get one.

Pauly McGuire is a contract contributor to PokerStars Blog.

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com]