Badziakouski Finally Triumphs: First GGMillion$ Title After a Miraculous River

Belarusian player Mikita Badziakouski is a well-known figure in the high-roller world, epitomizing cool precision and unwavering pressure. Yet, until now, something had always eluded him in the GGMillion$. Despite numerous deep runs and final tables, his first title remained out of reach — until now.

On his path to victory, he overcame the final nine, which included Nikita Kuznetsov, Pedro Neves, Daniel Petersen, Tobias Eichenseher, Chris Puetz, Adrián Mateos, Mario Navarro, and “gord1sc0.” The first to bow out was “gord1sc0,” unable to withstand a tough battle with Pedro Neves. Then, Badziakouski launched his own demolition — surviving a crucial all-in against Navarro and converting the final table into a sprint rather than a marathon.

As is customary, the final table was brought to life by a live stream with commentators Jeff Gross and Rodrigo Selouan:

"Ace from Space"

When the game narrowed down to three players, Kuznetsov still held a significant lead, but Badziakouski swiftly cut it down, gradually taking control. Neves exited in third place, leaving the Belarusian in a comfortable heads-up lead.

And then came the hand that gave the tournament its headline. Badziakouski aimed for the final knockout, with A h T c facing a preflop all-in against K h J c. The flop 9 d 3 c K s suddenly put him behind, and it seemed like a double-up for Kuznetsov. The turn's T h gave Mikita some outs, but it was the river card, known as the "ace from space," that provided a last-second rescue.

With that, Badziakouski completed his run triumphantly, claiming the title and $1,755,815. Kuznetsov took "only" second place, still earning a substantial $1,354,732.

​​​​​​​

Final Table Results:

Sources – GG, YouTube, flickr