April Fools Day has passed, so you can be sure this is no gag: PokerStars has just opened up the first satellites for the 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

The FPP Mega-Path satellites launched this morning. For as few as four Frequent Player Points, you can make it to the tenth PCA festival. The poker party in paradise runs January 6-15, 2013. The Mega-Path is the cheapest way to get there for fun in the sun and big time poker action.

The Mega-Path satellites have eight levels that you can climb to get to one of the six Mega-Path finals. That's where the big prize packages are up for grabs. If yon don't feel like starting on the bottom rung, you can buy in at any level you like. If you win a package in the finals, you'll be headed to Paradise Island with all of this:

From now until the end of the year, there are Mega-Path satellites for a wide range of buy-ins. The run all day every day. You need only to click EVENTS, PCA, and FPP SATELLITES to start your journey up the Mega-Path on the way to the beach.

For more information on the FPP qualifiers, visit the FPP Mega-Path satellites home page.

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure is supposed to be one of the premiere events in the poker world. It did not disappoint! It was absolutely gorgeous and I got to share hosting duties with the lovely Kristy Arnett. Just in case you haven't seen the white sandy beaches, the palm trees, the water parks, or Kristy in a bikini, check out this video.

PokerStars kicked off the tournament series in style with the $100,000 Super High Roller. The action was intense and there were even two re-buys; one by businessman and Big Game regular Bill Perkins, the other by Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel. It worked out for Duhamel because he ended up in the top five that cashed. He also ended up having an incredible PCA in general, but, more on that in a bit.

Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu and last year's Main Event champion Galen Hall also cashed this huge event. Heads-up play ended up being Dan Shak against Team PokerStars Pro Viktor 'Isuldir1' Blom. Blom shipped the first-place prize of $1,254,000. Prior to this win, Blom had never appeared in a video interview before. However, in light of this huge live victory, he finally spoke.

Blom really proved that he has a presence in the live tournament circuit. And I finally got a better glance at what it is like to grind online. PokerStars Team Online's Randy Lew set up a grind station right by the media row and proceeded to set a Guinness World Record. He played almost 24,000 hands in eight hours and made a profit. It was insane to watch. He NEVER stood up in the entire eight hours.

Of Course the Main Event attracted a huge field of 1,072 players. Like bees to honey, poker players love the PCA. The final table ended up with quite a few online players. But, the winner was day trader John Dibella.

Meanwhile Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel was leading the way in the $25,000 dollar High Roller. He played five events and final tabled four of them! And he shipped one of the $5,000 side events. He ended up besting the incredible High Roller field to get heads-up with Russian player Leonid Bilokur. Bilokur took down the event. But it was definitely a profitable trip for the 2010 WSOP Main Event winner.

Needless to say, even though I didn't get too much time in the sun, I had a ball. I treasure the opportunity to spend some quality time with the best players in the world. Hopefully next year, I get to go to the party!

A late holiday present or a fantastic start to the new year -- however you look at it, the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean adventure is the winter highlight for poker players across the globe. For the ninth year running, swarms of players flocked to Paradise Island for 10 days of poker and fun in the sun -- and plenty of tweeting and hashtagging, naturally.

As the clock ticked over into 2012, the Team PokerStars family was making their final preparations for the trip. Randy "nanonoko" Lew had record-setting reasons to come to the Bahamas, and his preflight tweet went like this: "My flight for the #PCA is tonight! World Record here I come!" But more on that in a bit.

Excitement flooded our stream as players continued to make their way down to the lower latitudes. Victor Ramdin doesn't tweet all that often, but this event certainly qualifies as a special occasion. "I am about to leave home for my most fav events of the year @PCABAHAMAS," Ramdin told us. "This is where my RUN GOOD usually starts. Can't wait to get there!!"

A resident of South Florida, Jason Mercier was just one short flight away from the PCA. "Leaving for Bahamas tomorrow," he tweeted. "Was hoping it was going to be 75 and sunny. Unlikely tho ... 100k on thursday #gobigorgohome#2012mashfest."

Oh the hash tags. He wasn't the only player pessimistic about the weather, either. Eugene Katchalov tempered his PCA excitement with a climatic tag in his first tweet from Paradise Island. "Just arrived to Bahamas, will be here until the 15th. First event is the 100k on the 5th, time to defend the title. #WeatherSucksAgain."

Even though his hometown is thousands of miles to the frigid north, Pat Pezzin is no stranger to the sandy shores of Atlantis. "Cab driver asked "First time in the Bahamas?" Nope its my 12th time, & 7th PCA. Time to make it count." No complaints about the weather from Pezzin, either.

Super High Roller

Fortunately, the "sucky" weather that some feared was short lived, and the sunshine was plentiful for the duration of the festival. First up on the schedule was the $100,000 Super High Roller, and 32 entries put a huge prize pool up for grabs.

The night before, ElkY and Eugene Katchalov prepared for battle with some sushi and socializing. "2 weeks without Poker, it's time to stop the streak with the 100k SHR," ElkY tweeted. "Workout and healthy dinner @nobu with @eugenekatchalovdone! #ready."

Katchalov had to field hundreds of congratulations after winning the Bluff Player of the Year award, but his 2012 started in a six-figure hole after an early exit from the Super High Roller. He tweeted: "Couldn't get much going today in the 100k and busted towards the end of the day. Many more tournaments left but will be hard to get even lol".

Well, lol indeed. His dining partner, ElkY, came into the day optimistic: "#PCA let's do it again! I never cashed in a buy in >25k#timeforchanges but feel amazing about 2012 already !#regularityiskey."

Unfortunately though, he too was eliminated on Day 1 to leave himself $100,000 lighter in the pockets. "Card dead all day to bust AJ vs J8... #ragingtilt but I guess I'm due to run good in the one million $ for one drop now lol." It's going to be an expensive year.

Jonathan Duhamel could only last for a couple levels of Day 1 before we found this tweet in our stream: "100k Tourney,went up to 280k from 250k starting stack, then 170k, then 215k, but then lost a huge flip AK vs QQ...thinking about if I reload."

He did indeed take a rebuy -- a very expensive one -- so he was suddenly stuck $200,000 on the day. A few minutes later, he confirmed: "Ok ok Im back, same table same seat #iwantmymoneyback."

Things went well from then on for Duhamel, though, and his end-of-day tweet went like this: "Finished Day 1 of Super High Roller with 729k, avg is 444k, 18 players left! 5 will be paid."

Soon enough, the field was reduced to eight, and Duhamel managed to stick around long enough to earn a paycheck to get back in the black. "In the money now in the 100k Event at PCA, yeah that was a good rebuy," he told his followers.

Duhamel went on to finish fourth in the Super High Roller, but he recognized the good omen. "Lost a huuuuge flip to Viktor to finish 4th," he tweeted after busting. "Oh well good start to 2012 anyway, very happy with the way I played! Big year incoming."

Duhamel wasn't the only Team Pro at the final table. Daniel Negreanu finished as runner-up to Katchalov last year, and that result was on his mind as he took off for the Bahamas. "I'd take another second this year," he tweeted. Well, duh.

Despite some technology tilt, things went well on Day 1 for Kid Poker, and he finished the day with this tweet: "End day 1 of Super High Roller w 346k restart tmr at noon. Very happy with how I played. Blinds will be 3k-6k when we return." A day later, another promising update: "Final Table 8 left I have 1,230,000 resume 12pm EST. 1st place is 1.25 million and I want it. #DNegsgrind2012."

Negreanu worked his way into the money, but his run ended three spots shy of a repeat second-place finish. "Out in 5th my AK vs Blom's 88 lost the race." Fair enough, and Negreanu wasn't done playing poker for the day. "Jumping into the 5k PLO Turbo immediately. #DNegsgrind2012".

The Main Event

On Saturday, the $10,000 Main Event kicked off, and everybody had their sights set on the $2 million top prize. A few of them have never cashed a Main Event paycheck at Atlantis, and one of the surprise names on that list is Jason Mercier. Still, he was optimistic on his Day 1: "Table looks soft. Hoping this is my 1st time making day 2 in the pca main#fifthtimesthecharm". Duhamel was thinking along the same lines: "@JasonMercier thats my goal too, 0 for 3 in making day 2 at pca..#onestepatthetime". That hash tag thing is contagious.

Vanessa Selbst had no room for optimism in her early Main Event tweets. "Starting PCA day 1B at the feature table," she said, adding, "let's see if I can avoid bluffing off my chips!" She managed to double her starting stack up over 60,000 before her self-fulfilling prophecy sparked this follow-up tweet: "Lost a big one. Tried to run a huge bluff on some kid who just came to the table and didn't look like he wanted to fold. Silly me. 45k."

She wasn't the only one running bluffs, though, and Mercier would end up becoming a victim of his own foreshadowing, too. "Down to 16k," he tweeted early in the day. "Bluffed off bout half my stack. Woulda worked if he folded...#pleasedontcommentonthatstatementimonlykiddingaroundthanks."

#longesthashtagever.

The Team Pros would be whittled out of the field over the course of the grueling week, but one of them was still going strong with 25 players left. Barry Greenstein bagged up 106,000 chips after Day 1, though that shrunk to 102,000 after the second day. Things went well to start Day 3, though. "Early surge," he tweeted. "Won every hand I've played. Up to 180k. Average is 202k. We're just in the money with 160 left. 45BB."

He ended up mounting a big charge and cresting a half-million chips before things began to unravel toward the end of play. "Lost a two outer to Faraz when he hit an 8 on the river," he relayed. "64 left. Average is 505k. I have 360k. 36BB. Done for the day."

Greenstein struggled early on Day 4, too, tweeting his pessimism: "It's looking bleak. 45 left. Average is 715k. I have 120k. 8BB #PCA." The next tweet wasn't much cheerier: "I'm expecting to go out 38th. I think I've done that three times before in 10k events." He underestimated himself, but he would ultimately be unable to survive the fourth day. It was his elimination that reduced the field to three tables and ended play, and Greenstein was tweeting about it as he walked off the set. "Out 25th. Moved in from small blind with 10 7ss. Faraz called with A3o. I flopped a 7. He turned an Ace." #ggbarry.

Side Action

While the Main Event is everyone's dream title, the side action at the PCA has been equally intense. Nearly everyone who busted the Main went straight across the room to grab a new stack in a different event. As long as registration was still open, that is. After a disappointing Day 1 in the Main, ElkY got more bad news from the registration clerk. "Busting from PCA main event must be one of the worst day, and I run so bad I busted 10 mins after 5k late reg closed lol.#betterlucknextime."

Jason Mercier picked up his first cash of the new year by making the final table of the big $5,000 side event that drew 158 players. It was Duhamel who finally snapped off Mercier in a coin flip: "Out in 3rd. 44 < A9 vs duhamel. Good game and good luck to them heads up #ontothenextone."

Duhamel was the one doing the #mashing in that event, and we picked up the updates as things got serious: "3rd Final Table this week! 5th/8 in chips for now in the 5k Event#letsgoooo."

Soon, there were five players left, then four. Then Mercier fell, and it was heads-up for the win. More than a quarter-million dollars were up for grabs, and Duhamel did indeed snag the big prize. "Boom. Win it :-)"

Adrienne "talonchick" Rowsome knows her way around the felt and the Twitter machine, and she was fervently updating her deep run in the Omaha/Stud Hi-Lo event. Things were looking good as she bagged up the big stack after the first day, tweeting, "Chip leader (slight) headed into the last bit of #pca18 tomorrow. Seven players left, top 4 getting $$$." Within a few orbits, they were on the bubble, and she was still doing good work. "Five left and I coolered someone with my hidden 444," she said. "Up to 90k.#pca #bubbletime." And then, "Up to 124k on the bubble still....scoop-a-licious :)"

She was soon in the money in her first-ever PCA tournament, and at next glance, we saw her tweet, "Heads up!!!" The next tweet was the one we were waiting for, the self-explanatory, "I woooonnnnnnn #pca18."

Randy Lew Sets a World Record

Nobody played more hands of poker in the Imperial Ballroom than Randy "nanonoko" Lew. Staffers from Guinness World Records were on hand as Lew attempted to play more hands of online poker than anyone on record. "I'll be starting the World Record Attempt for most hands played in 8 hours while showing a profit soon!"

You can read much more about Lew's record-setting performance here on the PokerStarsBlog, and Lew took to Twitter again afterwards to spread some love.

"Thanks everyone for supporting me in setting a new Guinness World Record for poker! The support is what keeps me going so thank you again!"

Congratulations, Randy!

Back in May, PokerStars player Steve "Roversfan95" Westlund from Lancashire in the UK started playing the PCA Mega-Path satellites. Within 18 days, he had worked his way through all eight rounds and won himself a $15,000 trip to the Bahamas. At the time, it was the biggest prize he'd ever won - and the PCA was to be the biggest tournament he'd ever played.

The former soldier, who was in the British Army for 23 years and served in Belfast, Armagh, the first Gulf War, Bosnia and the Falklands, was absolutely thrilled to be heading to the Bahamas. His total investment for his $15k trip was only 70 Frequent Player Points in a 10 FPP Mega-Path Round 1 Turbo rebuy tourney - just over a dollar's worth of buy-ins.

You might think that just getting to the PCA, accompanied by his wife Rita, would be enough for Steve, who now works as a heating engineer. But Steve managed to get even more value out of his 70 FPPs!! He worked his way through nearly four days of the tourney and managed to finish in 85th place, for $25,000.

At the time he qualified, Steve said: "I've never played anything as big as the PCA, WSOP, EPT etc. Poker is a hobby and I definitely couldn't afford to buy entries to these kind of tournaments. I'm absolutely delighted. I've always planned to play a big tourney and was going to play WSOP for my 50th birthday so this couldn't have come at a better time."

It was a final table perfect as a send-off for the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. There were no weak links, no one out of place, no anomalies in ability. Just eight great players in peak form meeting for one last day to decide the winner of the $25,000 High Roller.

As the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure was winding down around it; the last of the side events playing out, the cash games drying up and players packed and ready for flights home tomorrow, a glance through the line-up left little need to convince anyone that what we were going to get would be worth sticking around just a few hours longer for.

The High Roller final

There was chip leader Jason Koon, a bright talent with ambition in his soul; high roller extraordinaire Isaac Haxton with millions to his name; Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel, in the form of his life; World Record holder Randy Lew, the short-stacked wonder; Michael Telker the young unknown; and Govert Metaal, the crafty veteran.

Team PokerStars Online's Randy Lew

But there was also Alex Bilokur, the poker-faced Ukrainian, who would quietly defy them all, taking down the high roller title, the trophy, Shamballa Jewels bracelet, everything; and that first prize of $1,134,930.

Bilokur wins

Bilokur outdid all expectation today to topple the seemingly unstoppable Duhamel. It's the first major title for Bilokur since he won a side event at EPT Germany in 2010. He has already shown flashes of talent and panache and today proved a worthy winner.

Bilokur mobbed

Bilokur moves his chips in

The heads-up session proved a tortuous struggle for supremacy. Duhamel started with a more than two-to-one chip lead which seemed like the prelude to his elevation to High Roller champion. But Bilokur doesn't look the type to throw in the towel. Instead he wound it tight and started flicking it at his opponent, taking small pots, then a big one, taking the advantage and pushing it home to win.

Heads-up at the final table

There's no denying though that the romantics were looking for a Duhamel double.
We may only be two weeks into the New Year but for Duhamel this can already go down as yet another career high. For the 24 year old, 2010 was his time. But with feet firmly on the ground, he made 2011 outstanding (see Deauville High Roller, London and Marrakech). Now 2012, just two weeks old, looks to be a continuation.

The in-form Jonathan Duhamel

First there was the $100,000 Super High Roller which started this year's PCA. Duhamel was eliminated from the event, but with the courage of his convictions quickly re-bought, going on to finish fourth to earn $313,600. A few days later he finished fifth in the $5,000 Turbo event for $17,990 (loose change for tips and gum) before going all the way in the $5,000 no-limit event, good for another $239,830.

Second placed Duhamel ends memorable PCA

Now he adds today's haul to that, making his earnings since Thursday last $1,205,370. If World Champions need vindication for their exploits Duhamel already had it.

It's also worth remembering the story behind Duhamel's arrival at the PCA. Just days before Christmas he was victim to a home invasion, being badly beaten and fearing for his life while money, and his prized World Series bracelet, was stolen. It was an event that put poker into trivial perspective, but poker may also have been a useful antidote. His recovery has been exemplary. His bracelet may be gone, but the talent that earns one is very much alive for all to see.

But today the plaudits are for Bilokur, who after hours of straight-faced concentration finally broke into a smile as his friends rushed the stage to congratulate him.

Duhamel heads-up

Bilokur heads-up

He had steered past some solid opposition; the likes of Koon, Haxton and Lew, eliminated across eight hours of play, all worthy of the highest accolades, and all would have been worthy winners of this, one of poker's most prestigious titles. The story of their day, and their departure, can be found in our live coverage page, as can their pay-outs.

Isaac Haxton

That brings the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure which now foregoes poker for a celebratory party to see the festivities off for another year. It proved as successful as it always was, appealing to the best nature of the game and to its best players, providing poker players, and fans, with the experience of a lifetime, one that we'll have another go at in 12 months from now.

Thanks to you everyone who has read the blog this week, for your support and your comments. The action stops here but starts again in two weeks when the European Poker Tour rolls into Deauville, France, for good food and temperatures that will suck the tan off your skin. It's going to be great.

The Atlantis Resort

Now we're going to try catch the last few minutes of the free bar, toasting another successful PCA.

For 2012, it's goodnight and goodbye from Paradise Island.

All photography copyright Neil Stoddart.

It was a final table perfect as a send-off for the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. There were no weak links, no one out of place, no anomalies in ability. Just eight great players in peak form meeting for one last day to decide the winner of the $25,000 High Roller.

As the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure was winding down around it; the last of the side events playing out, the cash games drying up and players packed and ready for flights home tomorrow, a glance through the line-up left little need to convince anyone that what we were going to get would be worth sticking around just a few hours longer for.

The High Roller final

There was chip leader Jason Koon, a bright talent with ambition in his soul; high roller extraordinaire Isaac Haxton with millions to his name; Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel, in the form of his life; World Record holder Randy Lew, the short-stacked wonder; Michael Telker the young unknown; and Govert Metaal, the crafty veteran.

Team PokerStars Online's Randy Lew

But there was also Alex Bilokur, the poker-faced Ukrainian, who would quietly defy them all, taking down the high roller title, the trophy, Shamballa Jewels bracelet, everything; and that first prize of $1,134,930.

Bilokur wins

Bilokur outdid all expectation today to topple the seemingly unstoppable Duhamel. It's the first major title for Bilokur since he won a side event at EPT Germany in 2010. He has already shown flashes of talent and panache and today proved a worthy winner.

Bilokur mobbed

Bilokur moves his chips in

The heads-up session proved a tortuous struggle for supremacy. Duhamel started with a more than two-to-one chip lead which seemed like the prelude to his elevation to High Roller champion. But Bilokur doesn't look the type to throw in the towel. Instead he wound it tight and started flicking it at his opponent, taking small pots, then a big one, taking the advantage and pushing it home to win.

Heads-up at the final table

There's no denying though that the romantics were looking for a Duhamel double.
We may only be two weeks into the New Year but for Duhamel this can already go down as yet another career high. For the 24 year old, 2010 was his time. But with feet firmly on the ground, he made 2011 outstanding (see Deauville High Roller, London and Marrakech). Now 2012, just two weeks old, looks to be a continuation.

The in-form Jonathan Duhamel

First there was the $100,000 Super High Roller which started this year's PCA. Duhamel was eliminated from the event, but with the courage of his convictions quickly re-bought, going on to finish fourth to earn $313,600. A few days later he finished fifth in the $5,000 Turbo event for $17,990 (loose change for tips and gum) before going all the way in the $5,000 no-limit event, good for another $239,830.

Second placed Duhamel ends memorable PCA

Now he adds today's haul to that, making his earnings since Thursday last $1,205,370. If World Champions need vindication for their exploits Duhamel already had it.

It's also worth remembering the story behind Duhamel's arrival at the PCA. Just days before Christmas he was victim to a home invasion, being badly beaten and fearing for his life while money, and his prized World Series bracelet, was stolen. It was an event that put poker into trivial perspective, but poker may also have been a useful antidote. His recovery has been exemplary. His bracelet may be gone, but the talent that earns one is very much alive for all to see.

But today the plaudits are for Bilokur, who after hours of straight-faced concentration finally broke into a smile as his friends rushed the stage to congratulate him.

Duhamel heads-up

Bilokur heads-up

He had steered past some solid opposition; the likes of Koon, Haxton and Lew, eliminated across eight hours of play, all worthy of the highest accolades, and all would have been worthy winners of this, one of poker's most prestigious titles. The story of their day, and their departure, can be found in our live coverage page, as can their pay-outs.

Isaac Haxton

That brings the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure which now foregoes poker for a celebratory party to see the festivities off for another year. It proved as successful as it always was, appealing to the best nature of the game and to its best players, providing poker players, and fans, with the experience of a lifetime, one that we'll have another go at in 12 months from now.

Thanks to you everyone who has read the blog this week, for your support and your comments. The action stops here but starts again in two weeks when the European Poker Tour rolls into Deauville, France, for good food and temperatures that will suck the tan off your skin. It's going to be great.

The Atlantis Resort

Now we're going to try catch the last few minutes of the free bar, toasting another successful PCA.

For 2012, it's goodnight and goodbye from Paradise Island.

All photography copyright Neil Stoddart.

It was a final table perfect as a send-off for the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. There were no weak links, no one out of place, no anomalies in ability. Just eight great players in peak form meeting for one last day to decide the winner of the $25,000 High Roller.

As the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure was winding down around it; the last of the side events playing out, the cash games drying up and players packed and ready for flights home tomorrow, a glance through the line-up left little need to convince anyone that what we were going to get would be worth sticking around just a few hours longer for.

The High Roller final

There was chip leader Jason Koon, a bright talent with ambition in his soul; high roller extraordinaire Isaac Haxton with millions to his name; Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel, in the form of his life; World Record holder Randy Lew, the short-stacked wonder; Michael Telker the young unknown; and Govert Metaal, the crafty veteran.

Team PokerStars Online's Randy Lew

But there was also Alex Bilokur, the poker-faced Ukrainian, who would quietly defy them all, taking down the high roller title, the trophy, Shamballa Jewels bracelet, everything; and that first prize of $1,134,930.

Bilokur wins

Bilokur outdid all expectation today to topple the seemingly unstoppable Duhamel. It's the first major title for Bilokur since he won a side event at EPT Germany in 2010. He has already shown flashes of talent and panache and today proved a worthy winner.

Bilokur mobbed

Bilokur moves his chips in

The heads-up session proved a tortuous struggle for supremacy. Duhamel started with a more than two-to-one chip lead which seemed like the prelude to his elevation to High Roller champion. But Bilokur doesn't look the type to throw in the towel. Instead he wound it tight and started flicking it at his opponent, taking small pots, then a big one, taking the advantage and pushing it home to win.

Heads-up at the final table

There's no denying though that the romantics were looking for a Duhamel double.
We may only be two weeks into the New Year but for Duhamel this can already go down as yet another career high. For the 24 year old, 2010 was his time. But with feet firmly on the ground, he made 2011 outstanding (see Deauville High Roller, London and Marrakech). Now 2012, just two weeks old, looks to be a continuation.

The in-form Jonathan Duhamel

First there was the $100,000 Super High Roller which started this year's PCA. Duhamel was eliminated from the event, but with the courage of his convictions quickly re-bought, going on to finish fourth to earn $313,600. A few days later he finished fifth in the $5,000 Turbo event for $17,990 (loose change for tips and gum) before going all the way in the $5,000 no-limit event, good for another $239,830.

Second placed Duhamel ends memorable PCA

Now he adds today's haul to that, making his earnings since Thursday last $1,205,370. If World Champions need vindication for their exploits Duhamel already had it.

It's also worth remembering the story behind Duhamel's arrival at the PCA. Just days before Christmas he was victim to a home invasion, being badly beaten and fearing for his life while money, and his prized World Series bracelet, was stolen. It was an event that put poker into trivial perspective, but poker may also have been a useful antidote. His recovery has been exemplary. His bracelet may be gone, but the talent that earns one is very much alive for all to see.

But today the plaudits are for Bilokur, who after hours of straight-faced concentration finally broke into a smile as his friends rushed the stage to congratulate him.

Duhamel heads-up

Bilokur heads-up

He had steered past some solid opposition; the likes of Koon, Haxton and Lew, eliminated across eight hours of play, all worthy of the highest accolades, and all would have been worthy winners of this, one of poker's most prestigious titles. The story of their day, and their departure, can be found in our live coverage page, as can their pay-outs.

Isaac Haxton

That brings the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure which now foregoes poker for a celebratory party to see the festivities off for another year. It proved as successful as it always was, appealing to the best nature of the game and to its best players, providing poker players, and fans, with the experience of a lifetime, one that we'll have another go at in 12 months from now.

Thanks to you everyone who has read the blog this week, for your support and your comments. The action stops here but starts again in two weeks when the European Poker Tour rolls into Deauville, France, for good food and temperatures that will suck the tan off your skin. It's going to be great.

The Atlantis Resort

Now we're going to try catch the last few minutes of the free bar, toasting another successful PCA.

For 2012, it's goodnight and goodbye from Paradise Island.

All photography copyright Neil Stoddart.

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure has been a mammoth festival of live poker with tournaments of all formats and buy-ins catering for every player. What's more, it has given online terrors more used to clicking buttons to make bets the chance to use real chips at real tables instead.

Those online warriors get to play each other over the internet any time of day or night, 365 days a year if they so wish. So surely they would enjoy some time away from their computers here in the Bahamas?

Apparently not.

When PokerStars added the Battleship event, a form of heads-up but using laptops placed back-to-back, it became an instant hit. So now, instead of playing each other the internet, they can play each other face-to-face, er, over the internet.

Battleship has been around for a few PCAs now, and today 12 players forked out the $2,000 (+$100) buy-in to play heads-up matches. After it was all said and done, Ole Schemion won through four rounds to take the event and $9,000. Jan Mueller was runner-up for $7,000.

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure has been a mammoth festival of live poker with tournaments of all formats and buy-ins catering for every player. What's more, it has given online terrors more used to clicking buttons to make bets the chance to use real chips at real tables instead.

Those online warriors get to play each other over the internet any time of day or night, 365 days a year if they so wish. So surely they would enjoy some time away from their computers here in the Bahamas?

Apparently not.

When PokerStars added the Battleship event, a form of heads-up but using laptops placed back-to-back, it became an instant hit. So now, instead of playing each other the internet, they can play each other face-to-face, er, over the internet.

Battleship has been around for a few PCAs now, and today 12 players forked out the $2,000 (+$100) buy-in to play heads-up matches. After it was all said and done, Ole Schemion won through four rounds to take the event and $9,000. Jan Mueller was runner-up for $7,000.

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure has been a mammoth festival of live poker with tournaments of all formats and buy-ins catering for every player. What's more, it has given online terrors more used to clicking buttons to make bets the chance to use real chips at real tables instead.

Those online warriors get to play each other over the internet any time of day or night, 365 days a year if they so wish. So surely they would enjoy some time away from their computers here in the Bahamas?

Apparently not.

When PokerStars added the Battleship event, a form of heads-up but using laptops placed back-to-back, it became an instant hit. So now, instead of playing each other the internet, they can play each other face-to-face, er, over the internet.

Battleship has been around for a few PCAs now, and today 12 players forked out the $2,000 (+$100) buy-in to play heads-up matches. After it was all said and done, Ole Schemion won through four rounds to take the event and $9,000. Jan Mueller was runner-up for $7,000.