Brazilians Dominate at GGMillion$: $1.3 Million at the Final Table

At the final table of the GGMillion$ High Roller tournament, six out of nine players were from Brazil. The Brazilians took the top spots and won over $1.3 million.

In the latest online tournament of the $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller series on GGPoker, there was a noticeable shift in the balance of power: the final table was almost entirely Brazilian. Out of the nine players who made it to the final stage, six were from Brazil, and by the end of the tournament, five of them finished in the top six, collectively winning over $1.3 million out of the $1.67 million up for grabs at the final table. The winner was Carlos Ribeiro, for whom this was his first-ever GGMillion$ final table, and he immediately claimed the top prize. GGMillion$: Tournament Structure and Features The GGMillion$ High Roller tournament is a regular event on GGPoker with a $10,000 buy-in, attracting the world’s strongest players. This time, 197 players participated, creating a total prize pool of $2,010,000. The tournament format is no-limit hold’em, where each player starts with the same chip stack, and the blinds gradually increase as the levels progress. The final table is the stage when only the top nine players remain. This is where the main part of the prize pool is distributed, and every decision can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Final Table Action: Detailed Breakdown Before the start of the final table, the chip leader was Alisson Piekazewicz with 5,568,994 chips. He was followed by Bernardo Soares (3,264,487) and eventual champion Carlos Ribeiro (3,172,871). Interestingly, this trio ended up taking the top three spots, though the order changed during play. First Elimination: Dalton Hobold Dalton Hobold started the final table with the shortest stack and was the first to bust. In a hand against Piekazewicz, he defended his big blind with KQ of diamonds, and after a 9-2-2 flop and a bet from his opponent, he went all-in. Piekazewicz called with 9-7 of clubs, and the remaining cards didn’t help Hobold—he finished in ninth place. Eighth Place: Biao Ding A big pot developed between Fabio Wagner, Bernardo Soares, and Biao Ding. Wagner opened with 88, Soares 3-bet with QQ, and Ding, holding AK in the big blind, made a 4-bet all-in for 18 big blinds. Soares called, the flop brought an ace for Ding, but a queen came on the turn—Soares made a set and eliminated his opponent. Seventh Place: Alexandros Theologis Alexandros Theologis finished seventh after losing a big pot to Brunno Botteon. Theologis attempted a bluff, but Botteon had pocket aces, which improved to a set on the turn. After this hand, Theologis was left with less than half a small blind and soon exited the tournament. Interestingly, his line was approved by the popular poker software GTO Wizard, as noted on the GGPoker stream. Sixth Place: Fabio Wagner Wagner was the second of the six Brazilian finalists to bust. Before that, he successfully doubled up against Max Buschmann, cracking his queens with A8, and also against Piekazewicz, winning with KQ against AA. However, the decisive hand came when Wagner, holding A6, made a 3-bet all-in for 18 big blinds after Buschmann opened. Buschmann called on the button with AJ of hearts, and the board didn’t help Wagner—he finished sixth. Fifth Place: Brunno Botteon Botteon briefly took the chip lead when five players remained, but soon became the next to bust. First, he lost 21 big blinds in a hand with 88 against Soares’ KK, then lost more chips when Buschmann made a flush. In his final hand, Botteon 3-bet with QJ of diamonds after Buschmann opened, and Ribeiro called on the button with TT. On a KQ5 flop, Botteon checked, Ribeiro shoved, and Botteon called off his last 7 big blinds. The turn brought a ten—giving Ribeiro a set, and Botteon was eliminated. Fourth Place: Max Buschmann After Botteon’s elimination, the final became an all-Brazilian affair. Fourth place went to Max Buschmann, who, after a long four-handed battle, was left short-stacked. He went all-in with Q2 from the small blind against Ribeiro’s 54, and the flop brought two fives, giving Ribeiro the winning hand. The Top Three: Tournament Climax The three remaining players—all from Brazil—quickly decided the fate of the top prizes. Soares finished third: after Piekazewicz opened with AJ on the button, Soares 3-bet all-in with A6 from the big blind (17 big blinds). Piekazewicz called and hit another jack on the river, securing his place in heads-up. In the final duel, Ribeiro started ahead with 58 to 45 big blinds, but Piekazewicz quickly took the lead. The chip lead changed hands several times until the key moment: Ribeiro limped with A5, Piekazewicz raised with QQ and quickly called Ribeiro’s all-in. The flop brought an ace for Ribeiro, Piekazewicz picked up a flush draw on the turn, but the river didn’t help him—Ribeiro became the champion. Final Table Payouts Place Player Prize 1 Carlos Ribeiro $406,521 + $10,000 WSOP Paradise package 2 Alisson Piekazewicz $314,014 3 Bernardo Soares $242,759 4 Max Buschmann $187,757 5 Brunno Botteon $145,207 6 Fabio Wagner $112,328 7 Alexandros Theologis $86,964 8 Biao Ding $67,315 9 Dalton Hobold $52,153 Brazilian Dominance: Stats and Highlights Six out of nine finalists were from Brazil, and by the end of the tournament, five of them finished in the top six. Collectively, the Brazilians earned over $1.3 million out of the $1.67 million awarded at the final table. This not only highlights the high level of preparation among Brazilian players but also their strong presence in major online tournaments. Before this tournament, Carlos Ribeiro had only cashed twice in GGMillion$ events out of 14 attempts and had never reached a final table. His victory in his debut final is a rare achievement, even among seasoned professionals. It’s also worth noting the play of Alexandros Theologis, who, despite busting in seventh place, followed the recommendations of modern poker solvers, demonstrating the high level of strategic preparation among the participants. Context: GGMillion$ Series, GGPoker Platform, and Participants GGMillion$ High Roller is a prestigious series of regular tournaments with large buy-ins, held on the GGPoker online platform. This site is known for attracting the world’s best players thanks to its high guarantees and user-friendly software. The tournament drew 197 entrants, showing its popularity among both professionals and high-stakes enthusiasts. The winner, Carlos Ribeiro, received not only the main cash prize but also a special $10,000 package for the live version of GGMillion$, which will take place as part of WSOP Paradise in 2026. This is an extra incentive for participants, as WSOP Paradise is one of the most anticipated live poker series of the year. The final table featured well-known names such as Brunno Botteon and Alexandros Theologis, as well as representatives of the new wave of Brazilian players—Piekazewicz, Soares, Wagner, and Hobold. Key Hands and Strategic Decisions The final table was rich in interesting hands and strategic moves. For example, Biao Ding’s elimination was the result of a classic cooler: his AK couldn’t hold against QQ, despite hitting an ace on the flop. In the hand between Theologis and Botteon, the decisive moment was a bluff against a set of aces, approved by GTO Wizard—showing that modern players actively use solvers to analyze and make decisions. In the heads-up between Ribeiro and Piekazewicz, the initiative shifted back and forth, which is typical for a battle between evenly matched opponents. The climax came in the hand where Ribeiro limped with A5 and Piekazewicz aggressively raised with QQ. All-in and call, an ace on the flop—and the title was decided. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, the results of this tournament offer several important lessons. First, the strong presence of Brazilian players at the final table proves that regular online play and team support can lead to success even in the most prestigious and challenging tournaments. This is an example for all club players—unity and sharing experience can take you to the next level. Second, analyzing hands from the final table shows how important it is to use modern strategic analysis tools, such as solvers and training programs (for example, GTO Wizard). Even world-class professionals rely on these technologies to find optimal decisions. PPPoker club members should pay attention to studying and reviewing their own hands using such tools. Finally, the success of Carlos Ribeiro, who reached his first GGMillion$ final table and immediately won, is inspiring not only for professionals but also for ambitious amateurs. Even if you don’t have much experience in tournaments of this level, determination, sound strategy, and continuous improvement can lead to big wins. PPPoker clubs provide an excellent platform for growth, sharing experience, and preparing for the world’s biggest online and live events.