It gave the look of a Brazilian was going to win the PSKO. xXOLIVATOXx was on pace to move wire-to-wire in Event #41-M, but ran out of gas three-handed. It came right down to Canada's cmu92 vs. Peru's Diego 'Die Ventura' Ventura, otherwise referred to as the fellow who's #1 all-time on Peru's money list and most known for his runner-up finish on the 2015 PCA Main Event. Back then, Ventura won his PCA seat through an internet satellite by which he parlayed a couple of bucks into $907K. In SCOOP Event #41-M, Ventura parlayed $109 into his first SCOOP bracelet win, plus nearly $53K in prize money and bounties.

Although cmu92 held the heads-up edge, Ventura slowed down for a virtually hour-long bout. Ventura trailed for almost all of it, until he waited for the very best time to launch a successful coup. Ventura seized the lead in a 52M pot and not looked back. Ventura sealed the deal and marched swiftly into the winner's circle, as Canada's cmu92 bid adieu in second place. Brazil must choose bronze today, since the gold medal was awarded to Peru.

The medium version of SCOOP Event #41-M $109 NL Progressive Super-Knockout attracted 5,824 runners. They created a complete prize pool worth $582,400. 1/2 it, $291,200, went toward the regular pool and the opposite half went toward the knockout-bounty pool. Only the highest 765 places paid out with $45,554.81 put aside to the champion.

Only 152 players survived advanced to Day 2 of this two-day Super-KO bonanza. Tyler 'frosty012' Frost (291st) and Jason Mercier (302nd) both cashed, yet both busted late on Day 1 and didn't make the cut. The UK's manuverd0n ended Day 1 because the chip leader and bagged up 1.6M.

Early on Day 2 a small mob of Brazilians were making an obvious run on the final table and another SCOOP bracelet. With 56 to go, a group of Brazilians were bearing down at the final table and Brazilians were 1-2-3 in chips with xXOLIVATOXx topping 2.4M, plus Pablos701 and robin01poker sitting on stacks worth 2.2M each. Random side samba note: on the time, Brazil's NesKau09 was 10th with 1.5M and Brian Rast, American exile playing under the Brazilian flag, was 20/56 with 1.1M.

With 41 to go, xXOLIVATOXx slipped to second with 3M, but four Brazilians occupied the highest 7 (and Rast lurked in 19th). Brian Rast actually fizzled out in 35th place. He cashed for $626 and earned an extra $1,060 in bounties for a complete score of $1,686. With 27 remaining at the final three tables, Brazil had 4 still within the hunt an 3 players within the top 5 with xXOLIVATOXx back in first with 5M and robin01poker closing in on 4M. But that's their high-water mark; a tsunami of disaster ensued. Huge tidal waves occurred with 23 to go...xXOLIVATOXx still held an organization lead however the other three the Brazilians were washed out to the back of the pack. After which the Braziliam massacre occurred. Pablos701 became the primary to get liquidated in 23rd place, then robin01poker followed in 20th, before NesKau09 capped it off in 19th place. The entire time, the lone Brazilian remaining xXOLIVATOXx continued to outpace everyone and was even closing in on 9M.

With action hand-for-hand with 10 to head... short-stacked serggorelyi7 attempted to double up with A♦4♣ but bumped into PokerProffs9's A♣J♣. Neither player improved on a board of K♥3♥2♠8♦K♣, and PokerProffs9 won the pot with a greater Ace-Jack kicker. PokerProffs9 also banked a PSKO bounty worth $1,603.11. Russia's serggorelyi7 bubbled off the general table in tenth place. The general nine was set and a Brazilian was within the chip lead.

SCOOP-41-M - Final Table Chip Counts:Seat 1: xXOLIVATOXx (20,520,376)Seat 2: cmu92 (6,660,620)Seat 3: Die Ventura (6,232,644)Seat 4: PokerProffs9 (3,542,290)Seat 5: OrFrAiRe (3,184,998)Seat 6: bica999 (1,895,731)Seat 7: manuverd0n (8,585,410)Seat 8: IsoHoo123 (3,218,819)Seat 9: 1337wannabe (4,399,112)

The final table commenced over the past minutes of Level 49 with blinds at 60K/120K and a 15K ante. xXOLIVATOXx was the biggie with 20.5M and bica999 was the fast stack with 1.9M. xXOLIVATOXx was looking to win another one for the rabid Brazilians at the rail.

Diego "Die Ventura' Ventura from Peru was the runner up on the 2015 PCA Main Event and won $907K. Ventura final tabled the Sunday Million once or twice. He's won over $2 million online and $1 million in live events.

This is the second one SCOOP final for bica999, who final tabled Event #22-L.

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I WANNA BE ADORNED: IsoHoo123 eliminated in 9th place

Nearly a half hour played out before we saw the primary bustout. IsoHoo123 desired to rumble and shoved with A♣4♣ for 1,906,424, however, the big-stack xXOLIVATOXx awoke with pocket nines within the big blind. The board ran out Q♠9♣2♣3♠J♦. xXOLIVATOXx flopped a collection of nines, which held up because IsoHoo123 never improved. Finland's IsoHoo123 became the primary player to exit the overall table. Ninth place paid out $2,329.60.

Big-stacked xXOLIVATOXx added another bounty to the gathering and banked xXOLIVATOXx for busting IsoHoo123. Meanwhile, xXOLIVATOXx bounty increased to $4,912.14...which was the richest within the tournament.

SHE BANGS THE DRUMS: bica999 eliminated in 8th place

Super-shorty made a stand and bica999 open-shoved for 1,166,729. Two players accepted the challenge: 1337wannabe and xXOLIVATOXx. The flop was T♥8♣6♠. 1337wannabe bet 960,000 and xXOLIVATOXx called. The 7♦ fell at the turn. 1337wannabe checked-called a xXOLIVATOXx bet of 2,080,000. Both players checked the river when the 2♥ fell. At showdown, 1337wannabe tabled J♠J♣ to win the pot with pocket Jacks. Both opponents mucked their losing hands. Romania's bica999 was knocked out in eighth place, which paid out $3,640.00.

1337wannabe earned a bounty worth $957.45, meanwhile 1337wannabe's own bounty was raised to $2,636.33.

With seven to go, xXOLIVATOXx led with 23M and PokerProffs9 was the shorty with 2.5M.

MADE OF STONE: PokerProffs9 eliminated in 7th place

A couple of the shorties decided to throw down. cmu92 open-shoved for 2,261,008 and PokerProffs9 called all-in for 2,167,521, who was barely covered by cmu92. Coin flip. cmu92 raced with 2♣2♠ against PokerProffs9's A♥J♠. The board ran out K♦8♣5♣6♥3♥ and decues held up for cmu92. Sweden's PokerProffs9 was dunzo in seventh place, which paid out $6,552.00.

cmu92 banked a bounty worth $839.05, meanwhile, cmu92's own bounty ballooned to $3,669.60

With six to go, xXOLIVATOXx was still way ahead with 24M and manuverd0n was the brand new shortstack with 2.4M.

SUGAR SPUN SISTER: manuverd0n eliminated in 6th place

manuverd0n got crushed in a 13.4M pot after losing with 6♦6♠ against Die Ventura's J♦J♥ on a crazy board of T♣9♣8♦9♥7♠. manuverd0 was left with 349,564 in chips and was all-in at the next hand, losing with A♥8♦ against Die Ventura's K♣Q♦. Die Ventura finished off the Brit after flopping a couple of Kings on a board of K♥J♥8♠2♣6♣. manuverd0n's pair of eights were no good and busted in sixth place, which paid out $9,464.00.

Die Ventura banked a bounty worth $2002.48 but his own bounty jumped to $4,102.24

With five to go, xXOLIVATOXx slipped to 21M, but was still in first. Die Ventura surged to second with 16.6M, followed by 1337wannabe (9M), cmu92 (6.1M), and OrFrAiRe (5.2M). For the primary time in hours, xXOLIVATOXx had legit competition for the chip lead.

WATERFALL: 1337wannabe eliminated in 5th place

Shorty 1337wannabe clashed with xXOLIVATOXx a few times or even doubled up but this time, the large stack would prevail. 1337wannabe bombed it all-in for 3,446,838 with A♠2♦, but xXOLIVATOXx snap-called with A♥J♦. The board ran out 9♥5♠4♣K♦4♥. 1337wannabe whiffed on a Wheel draw. Neither player improved. xXOLIVATOXx won the pot with a greater kicker Ace-Jack. For a fifth-place finish, 1337wannabe earned $12,376.00.

xXOLIVATOXx won one more bounty and banked $1,318.17, whereas the fee on xXOLIVATOXx's head just went as much as $6,230.30.

With four left looking for the bracelet, xXOLIVATOXx led with 30M, Die Ventura was second with 17.3M, OrFrAiRe was third with 4.9M, and xXOLIVATOXx was last with 3M.

BYE BYE BADMAN: OrFrAiRe eliminated in 4th place

This bustout waited until the flop firstly went crazy. xXOLIVATOXx opened to 480,000 and OrFrAiRe called from the large blind. The flop was K♦7♠5♦... OrFrAiRe checked, xXOLIVATOXx fired out 480,000, OrFrAiRe check-raised all-in for 4,061,000 and isxXOLIVATOXx called.

OrFrAiRe: Q♠7♦xXOLIVATOXx: 9♣7♥

The turn was the 9♦ and xXOLIVATOXx turned two pair. The river was the J♠, which didn't help OrFrAiRe stave off an elimination. OrFrAiRe went busto in fourth place, which paid out $16,452.80.

Guess who won another bounty? xXOLIVATOXx added $918.44 to his already growing list of knockout trophies. Also, xXOLIVATOXx's own bounty jumped to $7,148.74.

With three to go, xXOLIVATOXx sat atop a stack worth 34.5M and Die Ventura was second with 16.1M. cmu92 was the shorty by default with 7.6M.

SHOOT YOU DOWN: xXOLIVATOXx eliminated in 3rd place

xXOLIVATOXx seemed destined to win this event. Alas, xXOLIVATOXx ran out of gas when it got three-handed. xXOLIVATOXx lost a 10M pot in a coinflip with A♥Q♣ against Die Ventura's J♥J♣. Atthat point, xXOLIVATOXx coughed up the lead and would never hold it again. The opposite two stacks chipped away on the remainder of what was left of xXOLIVATOXx, but cmu92 slowly gained power. xXOLIVATOXx and cmu92 threw down in a 31M pot and cmu92 prevailed with Q♥Q♣ against xXOLIVATOXx's 7♥7♦. xXOLIVATOXx was cripped, and busted not much longer.

On the overall hand... xXOLIVATOXx got it all-in for 2,289,900 with A♠6♦ and cmu92 called from the massive blind with 3♣2♥. Alas, a trey at the turn sealed the deal for xXOLIVATOXx when the board ran out Q♠9♠8♥3♥9♦. cmu92 won the pot with two pair and xXOLIVATOXx busted out in third place, which paid out $24,024.00.

cmu92 banked a juicy bounty worth $3,574.37 for selecting off xXOLIVATOXx. cmuu92's own bounty was bumped as much as $7,243.97.

HEADS-UP: cmu92 (Canada) vs. Die Ventura (Peru)Seat 2: cmu92 (36,955,398)Seat 3: Die Ventura (21,284,602)

With two to go, cmu92 had seized the lead. Could Diego Ventura pull off the win? Or would Canada bring home the bacon...and the bracelet?

Die Ventura trailed for almost all of heads up until he waited for the right kind spot to strike. Die Ventura trailed 32M to 26M when he won a 52M pot with a flush over flush scenario to grab the lead in tremendous fashion. There has been 17.5M within the pot. The board read A♣K♣J♥Q♣5♦. Die Ventura led out for 7,020,000 cmu92 bombed it all-in for 23,363,596 and Die Ventura called all-in for 10,306,404. cmu92 lost with 9♣4♣ against Die Ventura's J♣6♣. Die Ventura led 52.2M to 6M. It'd be in all places in 25 hands.

Peru's greatest player? SCOOP champ Diego 'Die Ventura' Ventura

THIS IS THE ONLY: cmu92 eliminated in 2nd place; Die Ventura wins the news bracelet!

Going into the overall hand, cmu92 held almost exactly 8M versus 50.2M. They did not bother waiting and just rumbled preflop. Die Ventura limped for 300,000, cmu92 shoved for 7,932,884 with A♥2♣ and Die Ventura called with A♣9♦. The board ran out K♥8♣4♠K♦K♣. Neither player improved but Die Ventura won the pot with a greater kicker. Die Ventura also earned a bounty worth $3,621.99 for choosing off cmu92.

For a runner-up finish, cmu92 pulled off a payday worth $33,924.80.

Congrats to Peru's Diego 'Die Ventura' Ventura for winning Event #44-M. First place paid out $45,554.81 plus an extra $7,724.22 in bounties. Ventura also won a groovy Movado champion's watch to commemorate his victory.

SCOOP-41-M ($109 NL Hold'em, Progressive Super-Knockout) resultsEntrants: 5,824Total prize pool: $582,400 (Regular pool: $291,200; Bounty pool: $291,200)Places paid: 765

1. Diego 'Die Ventura' Ventura (Peru) $45,554.81 + $7,724.22 bounties2. cmu92 (Canada) $33,924.80 + $7,243.97 bounties3. xXOLIVATOXx (Brazil) $24,024.00 + $7,148,74 bounties4. OrFrAiRe (Poland) $16,452.80+ $1,836,88 bounties5. 1337wannabe (Russia) $12,376.00 + $2,636.33 bounties6. manuverd0n (U.K.) $9,464.00 + $4,004.95 bounties7. PokerProffs9 (Sweden) $6,552.00 + $1,678.10 bounties8. bica999 (Romania) $3,640.00 + $1,914.90 bounties9. IsoHoo123 (Finland) $2,329.60 + $1,308.47 bounties

Visit the news homepage for a whole schedule of remaining events. Plus. discover who's in contention for Player of the Series.

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Pauly McGuire is the writer of "Lost Vegas" and a contract contributor to PokerStars Blog.

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