“Fl4tbush20” Takes Down the 888pokerKO Games $200K Gtd Main Event

The KO Games came to an exciting conclusion at 888poker on March 24 with the crowning of the $200,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event champion. The $160 buy-in tournament drew in 1,306 entrants, and Ukraine’s “Fl4tbush20” outlasted them all.

“Fl4tbush20” is a regular in 888poker’s weekly $100,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event, reaching several final tables over the past few months. They reached this final table sixth out of eight in chips, with a 16 big blind stack. Despite their rather perilous position, “Fl4tbush20” turned things around and ultimately came out on top.

Not only did the Ukrainian become the KO Games Main Event champion, an accolade that came with $15,480, but they also won the largest bounty in play, one worth $20,000! Add into the mix a handful of other mystery bounty payments, and “Fl4tbush20” walked away with $36,987.

888poker KO Games Mystery Bounty Main Event Final Table Chip Counts

It took the best part of 35 minutes for the first elimination. “zimablue.” Min-raised in middle position with ace-eight, “8goat88” three-bet all-in for 17.4 big blinds with pocket tens in the small blind, and “RR4ZK” called off their 3.3 big blinds with pocket deuces in the big blind. The initial raiser ducked out of the way, and the pocket tens held to send “RR4ZK” to the rail.

That elimination opened the floodgates, and the tournament wrapped up in approximately one hour.

Seventh place went to “8goat88” after a clash with 888poker Stream Team star Leo “KaizenStyle” Jokura went wrong. Jokura min-raised with pocket kings from under the gun and had one of the easier calls of his career when “8goat88” three-bet all-in for 9.4 big blinds with what turned out to be ace-jack of diamonds. A ten-high board kept Jokura’s kings as the best hand, and the Brazilian’s quest for back-to-back Mystery Bounty Main Event titles gained more traction.

“Fl4tbush20” looked down and out when they committed their last 2.7 big blinds from the big blind with ace-eight, and found themselves against ten-eight and queen-jack. However, an ace on the river tripled the Ukrainian’s stack and started what would become an epic comeback.

Start-of-the-day chip leader “Jimbostar” busted in sixth. Very little went right for the Dane throughout the evening, and their exit hand was evidence of that. Jokura raised half of his 10.4 big blind stack with king-queen of diamonds from under the gun, “Jimbostar” three-bet all-in for 12.5 big blinds with ace-queen from the next seat along, only for “ukrLaci” to wake up in the big blind with pocket aces! “ukrLaci” flat-called, which set alarm bells ringing for Jokura, and he folded. “Jimbostar” was drawing dead on the turn, and the KO Games Mystery Bounty Main Event was down to five players.

Jokura doubled on the next hand, but he was still the next player heading for the exits. First, Jokur ripped in 13.8 big blinds with jack-eight of hearts from the small blind only to lose to the ace-king of “mckygrhm08.” That left the Brazilian with three big blinds, which went into the middle on the next hand with pocket aces. Jokura doubled but jammed 5.1 big blinds a few hands later with queen-ten and lost to the pocket tens of “zimablue.”

“Fl4bush20” increased their aggression with four players remaining, opening many pots and showing they were not afraid to move all-in. They min-raised with king-deuce of hearts, and “mckygrhm08” defended their big blind with nine-six of diamonds. A seven-king-nine flop with two hearts gave something to both players, but “Fl4tbush20” was in control. According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, “Fl4tbush20” was an 86.26% favorite to win the hand.

“mckygrhm08” check-called a bet on the flop before leading on the three of clubs turn. “Fl4tbush20” raised enough to set “mckygrhm08” all-in, and they called. Only one of the two remaining nines or a non-heart six would rescue the at-risk player, but the river was another seven, and “mckygrhm08” was gone. Fourth place came with $6,865 in prize money, an impressive result even before you factor in “mckygrhm08” won their seat to this tournament via a freeroll!

The tournament progressed to heads-up when “ukrLaci” ran out of steam. They lost a crucial coinflip with pocket eights against the ace-queen of “zimablue.” courtesy of an ace on the turn, which left them nursing a three big blind stack. They then got their micro-stack into the middle with king-six and turned a six, only for “zimablue.” to hit an ace on the river with their ace-ten of clubs.

“Fl4tbush20” held a 47.3 big blind to 25.3 big blind lead over “zimablue.” at the start of heads-up play. The final hand started with a raise from “zimablue.” with king-queen of diamonds, a jam from “Fl4tbush20” with ace-trey, and a call from the initial raiser. An ace on the turn left “zimablue20.” needing a diamond on the river to stay in the competition, but it was the queen of clubs.

The runner-up netted $14,808, leaving the champion to bask in the glory of victory and pad their bankroll with $36,987.

888poker KO Games Mystery Bounty Main Event Final Table Results

888poker KO Games Results

Expand the table below to see the results from all 28 KO Games events.

The KO Games may be over, but 888poker players can continue to play in massive mystery bounty tournaments. On Sunday, 29 March, at 6:00 p.m. GMT, the $109 buy-in $100,000 RAKELESS Mystery Main Event shuffles up and deals.

As its name suggests, 888poker takes no rake from the $109 buy-in; every cent goes into the prize pool, which has a $100,000 guarantee. 888poker’s Leo “KaizenStyle” Jokura won the last RAKELESS Mystery Main Event, then reached the KO Games Main Event final table. Can he make it a hat trick of finales this weekend?

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.