$909K Hustler Cooler, Three-Card Controversy & Mizrachi Leads GG Million$

The past few days have delivered a string of unforgettable poker moments, as reported by PokerNews — from a record-breaking pot on Hustler Casino Live, to a bizarre three-card mishap at the Seminole Hard Rock, to Michael Mizrachi’s charge into Day 2 of the $10,400 GG Million$ in Cyprus.

On Friday night’s $200/$400/$800 Hustler Casino Live stream, poker vlogger Mariano Grandoli turned his worst session in memory into a six-figure win thanks to one perfect river.

Down roughly $300,000 for the night, Grandoli raised on the button with ten-nine suited and picked up a call from “Peter” in the big blind holding six-four offsuit. After flopping a gutshot straight draw and calling a check-raise, Grandoli picked up a flush draw on the turn before hitting the nuts on an eight-high river. Unbeknownst to him, Peter had also completed a straight — but an inferior one.

A $120,000 river bet from Peter was met with an all-in shove, and after a brief pause, he called to see the bad news. The $909,400 pot ranks among the largest in Hustler Casino Live history outside of its Million Dollar Games. Grandoli ended the night up $133,200, while Peter dropped $682,300. The session also saw big wins for Nikhil “Nik Airball” Arcot (+$359,000) and Ethan “Rampage” Yau (+$299,900).

Meanwhile, at the $5,300 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship in Florida, a Day 1b livestream hand stunned players and viewers alike when Niall Costigan discovered — on the river — that he had been playing with three hole cards.

Believing he held pocket kings, Costigan value-bet into opponent Daniel Cove on a paired board. When revealing his hand, he found an unexpected ace “stuck” to his cards, turning his two-card hand into an illegal three-card one.

Tournament staff declared the hand dead and awarded the 153,000-chip pot to Cove, leaving Costigan visibly frustrated and short-stacked. The ruling stood after appeals to the floor and tournament director. The event, which drew 889 entries and built a $4.31M prize pool, will award $648,550 to the winner.

Across the globe, the inaugural Onyx Super High Roller Series Cyprus is underway at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. The $10,400 GG Million$ smashed its $5M guarantee with 510 entries.

Fresh off a WSOP Main Event win and Hall of Fame induction, Michael Mizrachi bagged the overall chip lead (1,547,000) after a Day 1b cooler saw his pocket kings hold against pocket jacks. Michael Allen (1,430,000) topped Day 1a, while Hassan Nashar (1,393,000) and Aren Bezhanyan (1,356,000) are also in striking distance.

A last-chance turbo flight brought the Day 2 field to 97 players. The prize pool and payouts will be confirmed when play resumes, with blinds at 8,000/16,000 and a big blind ante.