Omaha Hi/Lo is an action game but it's always played with a set Limit betting structure, meaning that there are only a few all-in pre flop confrontations. Even if the sport is upped to Pot Limit, the similar strategies appear to play out. Today though, was Omaha Hi/Lo like you've never seen before, because the first ever NL Omaha Hi/Lo [6-Max, Turbo, Zoom] event graced the news schedule with a big buy-in and big guaranteed prize pool.

158 players ponied up $2,100 to get a work of a $300,000 guaranteed Event #14-H prize pool and within the end, just 18 of them were in a position to turn a profit. Quite a lot of Red Spade Pros tried and failed, with Jason 'jcarverpoker' Somerville, George Danzer and Adrienne 'talonchick' Rowsome failing to crack the highest 100. 

Jason Mercier was the top finishing non-cashing PokerStars Team Pro, as he went out in 34th with Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah falling a couple of spots earlier in 38th. Clearly, this big buy-in brought out the very best online grinders but after Fedor 'CrownUpGuy' bubbled the bubble, bencb789 was the official bubble boy in 19th place. 

Ryan 'PROTENTIALmn' Laplante notched a min-cash in 18th place and PokerStars Team Online member Nagoya 'nkeyno' Kihara recorded a same $4,108 cash for his 16th place finish. While those two players fell early within the money, the remainder of the sphere wasn't far behind. The general three tables, which brought about the top of the Zoom element of play as well, quickly played all the way down to a last table before the following break, with among the knockouts coming from all-in pre flop confrontations. 

Shanis34 was the winner of a majority of these pots and he went into the six-handed final table with a large chip lead over the remainder of the sector. He was working just shy of 540,000, while there have been two players stuck below the 100,000 chip mark. With the blinds at 8K/16K with 2K ante, something you do not always see in Omaha games, we knew this wasn't going to be a slow and methodical final table. 

Event #14-H - Final Table Chip Counts:Seat 1: s00tedj0kers - 90,820Seat 2: Ilari FIN - 251,159Seat 3: Shanis34 - 536,769Seat 4: PhilRoyal888 - 53,240Seat 5: buck21 - 245,120Seat 6: Us Alex - 366,858

The chip leader, Shanis34, entered the general table with just over $100,000 in career online tournament earnings to his name however the low man at the Event #14-H totem pole covered that quantity with a late-2014 Sunday Warm-up. PhilRoyal888 earned a $101,000 score for that win two years ago and his total online tournament earnings account for almost $1,800,000. 

Us Alex, who was second in chips, also has just over seven-figures in career online earnings but he neither have what Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan does on his tournament resume. In fact, only a few people do, as Buchanan is considered one of just a handful of players that experience won all types of COOP event. He won his first within the 2007 World Championship of Online Poker after which won two SCOOP events in 2011 after which added another in 2013. 

The 'Triple COOP' came in 2014, when Buchanan took down a TCOOP Razz event, making him the primary player to ever win a title in all three championship series. Since then, every other players have tripled up but Buchanan was heading into this final table with a possibility to win his 5th PokerStars COOP title. 

The other short stack was Kory 's00tedj0kers' Kilpatrick, who boasts nearly $2,000,000 in career online tournament earnings. So, while most of the household PokerStars names fell before the money, this was still a stacked final table lineup. 

ONE AND DONE: PhilRoyal888 lasts one hand, bows out in 6th place   PhilRoyal888 came into the development #14-H final table with just over three big blinds and at the first hand after Dylan 'ImaLucSac' Linde, who boasts nearly $5,000,000 in career online earnings, was eliminated in 7th place, PhilRoyal888 joined him at the rail in 6th place. 

He was eliminated by Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan, moving the multiple COOP winner over the 300,000 chip mark within the process. PhilRoyal888 made $14,220 for his final table run. 

QUARTERED, CRIPPLED, THE CUT: Ilari FIN gets 25% back, bounced in 5th at the next hand

As we mentioned earlier, a majority of this tournament was played within the pre flop domain and that's the reason exactly how Ilari FIN went out in 5th place. It was an issue of 2 hands that did the quick stack in, as he lost a couple of smaller pots previous to his demise looking to go against the grain with non-shoves pre flop. 

That eventually backfired and he was instead being forced to fold to these shoves. He finally got his final 110,000 chips in at the button, calling all-in for less after Us Alex shoved for 375,000 from the hijack. The blinds folded and Ilari FIN had to hold to double, as he held K♥K♠2♠6♣ to Us Alex's A♣9♥4♦2♦. 

The A♠2♣4♥ flop smashed Us Alex but after the 5♥ fell at the turn, the quick stack wasn't drawing dead. He'd lock up 1 / 4 of the pot after the 6♠ fell to finish the board, getting just over 120,000 back. 

That represented just five big blinds because the Level jumped to 12K/24K with a 3K ante and he was eliminated within the next hand, as Us Alex came back to complete what he started with A♥A♠J♦5♦. He moved all-in and Ilari FIN called within the blinds, unlucky to show up with K♥K♦T♦J♥ together with his short stack.

The J♣6♠5♣9♥4♦ runout confirmed his elimination and he'll take home $20,540 for his 5th place finish. When the dust settled, Us Alex was now the overall table chip leader, playing just shy of 580,000.

BUCHANAN BECOMES THE SHORTEST: s00tedj0kers doubles through buck21

On the very next hand, the 2 shorter stacks got involved and it was again an all-in confrontation. s00tedj0kers shoved for 174,000 from the button and after a fold, Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan called within the big blind. Both held very playable hands, with the quick stack tabling A♣T♠4♥2♥ to Buchanan's A♥7♣3♠2♠. 

After the A♠A♦8♠ flop, both players held trips and with a flush draw as well and the nut-low draw, Buchanan held a slight advantage. The turn and river changed everything though, because the Q♥ and Q♣ paired to completed the board.

That locked up the whole pot and double for s00tedj0kers, who was suddenly playing 373,000. Buchanan was left with 207,000 and was below the ten big blind mark. 

RAISE AND TAKE BEFORE BUCHANAN GETS REVENGE: buck21 gets himself back in contention with a double After a half dozen hands of raise and take from all-in shoves, Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan was a all the way down to just 130,000. With the blinds increasing again, to 14K/28K with a 3.5K ante, it was now or never for the four-time COOP winner.

He found his spot when it folded to him at the button and he shoved, only to be called within the big blind by s00tedj0kers. The large blind called off for just shy of half his stack but he held a slight advantage when the chips went in with A♥8♣7♠4♠ to Buchanan's K♥Q♦4♣2♣. 

s00tedj0kers flopped the most efficient equity at the K♠6♣5♥ board but after the Q♥ gave Buchanan two pair at the turn, he was the favourite. He needed a high card instead of a nine to return to scoop and the 5♠ didn't fit that criteria but did the job, because it paired the board and gave Buchanan the double. 

He was as much as 289,000, while s00tedj0kers was back on the bottom of the leaderboard with 158,000. 

CHOP, CHOP, SCOOP FOR BUCK21: Shawn Buchanan chopped two huge pots with pocket aces before sending s00tedj0kers out in 4th place   After doubling, Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan was unlucky in a couple of spots not to ascend up the leaderboard, as he picked up massive hands only to look them lead to a chop. The primary saw buck21 shove from the cutoff for 286,000 and after Us Alex called at the button, the cards were tabled. 

buck21 held A♣A♦T♠5♦, while Us Alex turned over A♥Q♦Q♠2♦. The board ran out K♠2♠2♥3♠6♥, with buck21 rivering a qualifying low to take half the pot. The following hand actually saw players see a flop before getting the chips in. 

Buchanan opened the button to 64,000 against a brief stacked s00tedj0kers within the big blind. He called, leaving himself just over 65,000 behind, to look the Q♦T♦3♥ flop. He shoved his two big blinds, the extent had gone up again, and buck21 called, turning over A♦A♥8♠4♦. 

He had a monster hand with a monster draw to compliment it but so did his opponent, as s00tedj0kers tabled Q♣6♥4♠3♠. The 2♣ fell at the turn and the 4♥ completed the board, with buck21 playing his low and s00tedj0kers using two pair for the high and the chop. 

If buck21 was frustrated along with his luck, or lack thereof, in these all-in situations, he did not have to attend long to finally dispatch s00tedj0kers. The quick stack moved all-in from the button two hands later, pushing 185,000 into the middle. 

Buchanan was waiting to name within the big blind and while he did, he was kind of playing for his tournament life as well, as he had just 50,000 behind if he were to lose. He didn't though, as his A♣K♠4♦2♠ outed s00tedj0kers' A♠Q♣4♥3♠ at the J♣8♠6♦9♦5♥ runout. s00tedj0kers will make $26,860 for his 4th place finish and suddenly, after being short stacked only some orbits ago, Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan was right back into the thick of things.

EVEN STACKS, NO CHOP: Us Alex doesn't talk deal

After the elimination of s00tedj0kers in 4th place, the rest three players were well stacked. Shanis34 and Us Alex were on each side of 550,000 and Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan was playing just over 460,000. With everyone within touching distance and the blinds and antes set to head up again, Shanis34 and buck21 talked chop within the chat box. 

Those two seems to agree on an excellent deal but they'd must bring Us Alex, who held the present chip lead, in with them to make it official. They waited and Shanis34 even let his time bank zero out before the 2 eventually decided it was a fruitless effort and elected to continue to play three-handed.BUCK BECOMES CHIP LEADER: buck21 takes chip lead, Shanis34 crippled then out in 3rd place

A few hands after the non-deal occurred, the blinds and antes went up again, to 16K/32K with a 4K ante, and nearly 1,000,000 chips were up for grabs within the biggest pot of the tournament. It was again an all-in pre flop situation, with Shanis34 open shoving the button for 471,000. 

Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan was within the small blind and he called for his final 452,000 and had to hold to stick alive. He turned over A♣Q♣Q♠2♥ and Shanis34 showed J♦T♦5♦4♠. 

The Q♥5♥2♦ flop smashed Buchanan and after the 4♦ fell at the turn, he was one clean river from taking the chip lead. That's exactly what he got too, because the K♣ completed the board and left Shanis34 with slightly below 20,000. 

Those chips got within the middle within the very next hand and buck21 and Us Alex chopped it as much as eliminate the previous chip leader in 3rd place. He took home $41,080 for his podium finish however the lion's share of the prize pool still needed to be played for, with Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan entering heads up play with 957,000 to Us Alex's 622,000. 

BUCK CHIPPING AWAY: Small ball increases buck21's chip lead

Once we got heads up, we were finally in a position to see some post-flop play, as both players realized that flipping coins for this SCOOP title wasn't worth it. There has been a period of small ball play and Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan came out of that reach on top, increasing his chip lead within the process. 

The first meaningful hand saw Us Alex limp the button and buck21 check his option within the big to look a 9♣8♣8♥ flop. Both players checked after which buck21 led the 3♠ turn for 57,000. Us Alex called after which both players checked the A♦ river, with buck21 showing K♦5♥4♦3♥ to scoop the pot. 

That dropped Us Alex right down to 654,000 and he fell even lower a couple of hands later. The similar pre flop action occurred, with Us Alex limping the button. buck21 then check-called 50,000 at the 8♣6♥2♣ flop and both players checked in the course of the 7♠ turn card. 

The T♥ completed the board and buck21 bet 197,000 which was enough to get a fold from his opponent and take a virtually 2:1 chip lead. When the dust settled, Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan was the primary player to eclipse the 1,000,000 chip mark and he didn't look back. 

SHAWN 'BUCK21' BUCHANAN SCOOPS HIS FIFTH TITLE: Us Alex eliminated in 2nd place, 'buck21' claims fifth SCOOP title and $82,160

The reason Shawn 'buck21' Buchanan wasn't capable of look back after taking the chip lead is for the reason that tournament was over at the very next hand. Buchanan shoved the button and Us Alex called to position his 583,000 chips in danger holding A♠5♥4♠4♦. 

Buchanan held A♣J♥T♠6♥ and after the J♣9♠8♥ flop, he was a large favorite to scoop. The 6♠ wasn't the cardboard he desired to see at the turn however the T♦ was just what he was searching for at the river, as that won him the pot and the development #14-H title. 

Us Alex made $55,300 for his runner-up finish and after being short stacked on the final table, Shawn 'buck21' buchanan battled back so as to add to his SCOOP trophy case. This win was Buchanan's fifth career COOP victory and his third career SCOOP triumph.

He earned $82,160 a special champions watch courtesy of Movado, hardware to commemorate his first ever SCOOP victory. A WHOLE list of the development #11-L final table results are posted below:

SCOOP-14-H ($2,100 NL Omaha H/L) resultsEntrants:158Total prize pool:$316,000Places paid:18

1. buck21 (Cananda) $82,1602. Us Alex (Russia) $55,3003. Shanis34 (Bulgaria) $41,0804. s00tedj0kers (Costa Rica) $26,8605. Ilari FIN (Finland) $20,5406. PhilRoyal888 (UK) $14,220

Will O'Connor is a contract contributor to the PokerStars Blog. 

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com]