IOwnU888 won the PNOC Main Event on 888 Poker

IOwnU888 became the champion of the PokerNews Online Championship Main Event on 888 Poker, defeating ambassador Aaron Barone and taking home $25,522.

On October 27, 2026, the main event of the PokerNews Online Championship (PNOC) with a $250,000 guarantee in the Mystery Bounty format concluded on the 888 platform. The tournament attracted 1,091 entries, surpassing the guarantee and creating a final prize pool of $254,203. After three days of intense competition, the title and the top prize of $25,522 went to 888 regular IOwnU888 , who defeated 888 ambassador Aaron "abarone68" Barone heads-up. Final Table: Key Hands and Eliminations The final table was played eight-handed and broadcast with open cards on the official 888 Twitch channel. The action was commentated by Nick "eastyyy22" Eastwood , as his usual co-host, Aaron Barone, was fighting for the win himself. The first to fall was the short stack, UrExNewBF . In one of the opening hands, he was involved in a double elimination. IOwnU888 opened with a min-raise holding pocket jacks, Iperenoei13 called from the cutoff with pocket tens, and then UrExNewBF shoved all-in from the button with A-K, having just 6 big blinds. IOwnU888 re-shoved, and Iperenoei13 called off his 22 big blind stack. The flop brought a king, giving UrExNewBF hope, but the river delivered a jack, improving IOwnU888 to a set and sending both opponents to the rail from the final table. About 10 minutes after the double knockout, Romanian player 01tdr was eliminated. He shoved with A-K from the cutoff for 6.4 big blinds, and for_science called from the small blind with pocket eights. 01tdr hit a pair of aces on the flop and made trips on the turn, but the river brought an eight, giving for_science a full house and knocking the Romanian out of the tournament. The Road to the Top 5: The Battle for Five-Figure Prizes After 01tdr ’s elimination, five players remained, each guaranteed at least $10,000 including bounties. The first five-figure payout went to Lithuania’s sankovski , who finished with $13,685. In his crucial hand, sankovski shoved all-in from UTG with pocket tens, holding 11 big blinds. Barone re-shoved from the button with A-J. The flop brought a jack, improving Barone, and the first four community cards were all spades, keeping chop possibilities alive, but the river didn’t help sankovski , and he exited the tournament. Within the first 35 minutes of the final table, only four players remained. During this period, Barone found himself in a tough spot after losing a big pot with A-K against LookAround ’s pocket tens, leaving him with just seven big blinds. The Final Four: The Showdown Before Heads-Up Four-handed play lasted another half hour. The turning point came when for_science shoved from the button with pocket fives for 17.5 big blinds. IOwnU888 called from the big blind with A-K. This time, A-K held up: IOwnU888 made two pair on the flop and sent for_science to the rail. In three-handed play, Barone started as the short stack but managed to double up. First, he was all-in with A-9 against IOwnU888 ’s A-J and won when the board counterfeited his opponent’s hand. Then Barone with A-J beat LookAround ’s A-K, making trip jacks on the river. After that, IOwnU888 won a big pot against LookAround , then took the rest of his chips, securing a heads-up match against Barone . Heads-Up: IOwnU888 vs. Aaron Barone In the final showdown, Barone was at a nearly 4-to-1 chip disadvantage: 19.2 big blinds to IOwnU888 ’s 71.7. Nevertheless, Barone found a good spot to get it in: after a limp, he called an all-in for 15.3 big blinds with A-Q of hearts against IOwnU888 ’s J-T. However, the turn and river brought the needed cards, and J-T improved to a straight, giving IOwnU888 the victory. Aaron Barone finished second for $17,211, while IOwnU888 became the PNOC Main Event champion, boosting his bankroll by $25,522. Final Table Results of the $250,000 Mystery Main Event Place Player Prize (including bounties) 1 IOwnU888 $25,522 2 Aaron "abarone68" Barone $17,211 3 LookAround $15,948 4 for_science $15,023 5 sankovski $13,685 6 01tdr $7,636 7 Iperenoei13 $6,496 8 UrExNewBF $4,682 Overview of the PokerNews Online Championship Series The PokerNews Online Championship (PNOC) series on 888 featured 40 events, each crowning its own champion. Players competed for prizes in various formats, including progressive bounty tournaments and classic freezeouts. The final results of all series events are available in the official table, listing the winners and their prize amounts. About the 888 Platform and Final Table Participants 888 is one of the leading online poker platforms, regularly hosting major series and partnering with well-known ambassadors. Aaron "abarone68" Barone is an official site ambassador, often commentating on tournaments with Nick "eastyyy22" Eastwood , but this time he made the final table himself and fought for the title. Features of the Mystery Bounty Format The main event of the series was held in the Mystery Bounty format, where part of the prize pool is distributed randomly among players who eliminate others. This adds an element of surprise: each knockout can bring either the minimum or the maximum possible bounty, which affects strategy and table dynamics. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, the experience of the PNOC finalists is a great example of the importance of adapting to bounty formats and playing short stacks effectively. In Mystery Bounty tournaments, aggression and well-timed all-ins can bring not only guaranteed payouts but also large random prizes for knockouts. The series results show that even with a large field and tough competition, everyone has a chance at success—especially if you make the most of the format and aren’t afraid to put your stack on the line. Watch top players’ strategies, analyze their key hands, and apply these insights in your PPPoker club tournaments. Additionally, the participation of ambassadors and regulars in the late stages of major online events highlights the importance of continuous learning and self-analysis. Use available tools and training materials to improve your game and be ready for any tournament format on PPPoker.