Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Anthony Lands Huge Pot

Level 14 (Blinds 1.5k/3k/400 ante)
1B Entries: 413 (871 total)
90 players remaining, 138k avg (46 bb)  

Michalek (center) Counts his Stack while (clockwise from bottom) Anastasi, 
Brian Williams & Jacob Millstein Discuss the Hand

The board shows 9♦ 9♠ 4♥ 3♥ when Norm Michalek (Westfield, NJ) and Anthony Anastasi (Glen Mills, PA) both put in 50k.

River: K♦

Anastasi moves all in for 124k and Michalek goes in the tank.  After about a minute, Michalek calls and Anastasi quickly turns over K♥ K♠ for a rivered full house.

Michalek slowly turns over two Queens and, after a close count, is on the rail and Tweets his disappointment.

And we bust in a 460kish pot QQ vs KK in a 3b pot on board 4993K where most of the chips went in on flop and turn. Pretty upset.
— Norman Michalek (@norm_michalek) February 22, 2014

Anastasi is now the chip leader with 475k and says the river, "made me feel a lot better," and that even without hitting the King, he was committing his chips to the pot. Adding,"go big or go home."

Anastasi is a chief corporate pilot who likes playing at Parx and likes to travel to wherever there's a good tournament.

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Sandler's U-turn Gives Him Chip Lead

Level 13 (Blinds 1,200/2,400/300 ante)
1B Entries: 410 (868 total)
100 players remaining, 123k avg (51 bb)

Mike Sandler

"I was out the door, halfway home around exit 9," says Mike Sandler (New York, NY) after nearly being knocked out.  But a two-outer on the river makes sure he never sees the New Jersey Turnpike.

After hitting a set of Jacks against his opponent's trip 7s for 80k, he picks up another 90k when he's on the right side of a AA vs KK cooler.

Sandler's Aces hold to give him the chip lead at 440k.

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Twitterverse

Level 13 (Blinds 1,200/2,400/300 ante)
1B Entries: 409 (867 total)
116 players remaining, 106k (44 bb) 

We're encouraging everyone to tag @parkpokerroom in your tweets along with #ParxBigStaxV. 

Players are back from their last break of the day and will play three more levels before bagging and tagging.

Oops...I did it again. Got there tho, it happens. 108,100 coming back to 2400/300, 3 more lvls tonight. #PBS
— Michael Marder (@MMarder86) February 22, 2014

Not proud to say it but just re-entered....15bbs
— Kevin McColgan (@Bukowski101) February 22, 2014

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Chip Climbers

Level 12 (Blinds 1k/2k/300 ante)
1B Entries: 407 (865 total)
135 players remaining, 90k avg (45 bb)  

Ryan Rolling Along

The dinner break big stacks are still very heathy and well ahead of the chip average, while a couple other players are climbing the chip charts.


Poker pro Ryan Eriquezzo (Danbury, CT) is up to 225k, while Mike Cervone (Merrick, NY) is the first to crack 300k.  Eriquezzo has $1.25 million in career recorded tournament earnings, which includes a WSOP bracelet. 

A broken table landed (New York, NY) on the right of Brian Dougherty (Philadelphia, PA) as both are still top ten stacks.

Big Stax

Mike Cervone 300k
Brian Dougherty 265k
Alec Lafontant 260k
Marcello Calabrese 250k
Chris Csizk 235k
Jacob Millstein 230k
Ryan Eriquezzo 225k
Mike Sandler 210k

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Numbers Game

Level 12 (Blinds 1k/2k/300 ante)
1B Entries: 403 (861 total)
143 players remaining, 85k avg (43 bb) 

With registration for this tournament open until the start of Day 2, players continue to trickle into the field. Couple that with players busting out, and then re-entering, plus the running total for Days 1A & 1B, there are a lot of moving numbers.

At this point we've boiled it down to less than 150 players remaining from the 400+ Day 1B entries, which puts the average stack at 85k (assuming the math is right!).

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Closing in on 400

Level 11 (Blinds 800/1,600/200 ante)
1B Entries: 394 (852 total)

Opponents Cry Uncle when Bludson Plays Any Two

As Day 1B closes in on 400 entries, one player and his stories are standing out near media row.

Vernon "Uncle" Bludson (Brooklyn, NY) is entertaining his table with his poker pearls of wisdom.

"This game is 30% skill, 70% luck," he says, "but we all have the 70% luck factor."

Another player looks confused and says, "I've never heard of the muck factor," which leads into a completely different conversation as Bludson admits that he likes to play any two cards.

Bludson is in the retail business and says he makes the trip to Parx three times a week and usually plays cash, but he couldn't resist the tournament's large field and juicy prize pool.  He says he got the nickname "Uncle" because that's what people cry when Bludson gets them in a headlock.

"Look out if I ever run good in one of these," says Bludson who is sitting with 100k. "I have the worst luck."

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Chip Leaders

Level 10 (600/1,200/200 ante)
1B Entries: 386 (844 total)

Play resumes with the big stacks north of 200k. We've got five more levels of play with bag and tag set for ~12:30 am.

Brian Dougherty

Chip Leaders

Brian Dougherty (Philadelphia, PA) 236k (197)
Chris Csik (Abesecon, NJ) 214k
Jabob Millstein (New York, NY) 211k
Alec Lafontant (Huntingdon Valley, PA) 195k

Chris Csik

Alec Lafontant

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Warming Up in the Bullpen

Dinner Break (Next Blinds 600/1,200/200 ante)
Play Resumes: ~7:40 pm
1B Entries: 375 (833 total)

Taylor (front) in the Bullpen

The 75 minute break gave everyone a chance to relax and grab some dinner. The bullpen area of the clubhouse is where players are lamenting their bad luck and basking in hero calls.

One of the more entertaining stories comes from Ray Taylor (Virginia Beach, VA) who says on the last hand before break, he called a raise from the button with just one card.

When the preflop action was complete Taylor says he looked at the dealer and said, "before you put out the flop, I'm going to need another card." Taylor says the players were on their heels and he won the pot after they surrendered.

"I only looked at a deuce," says Taylor, proud of his play. "Turns out I had pocket twos."

Also in the bullpen is Asher Connif (Brooklyn, NY) who is waiting to re-enter along with Lisa Pickell (Brick, NJ).

"I'm running better," she says, "I got the button, all I have to do is post."

Chip Counts via Twitter

Joe McKeehen 114k
Peter D'Angelo 98k
Frank DiRe   57k
Michael Marder 48k
Joe Palma 25k

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Ring the Bell

Dinner Break (Next Blinds 600/1,200/200 ante)
Play Resumes: ~7:40 pm
1B Entries: 372 (830 total)

Players are on a 75 minute dinner break.  The Clubhouse has been cleared and tournament staff is doing a chip inventory.

We'll get you chip leaders when play resumes

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Glantz Joins Field

Level 9 (Blinds 500/1k/100 ante)
1B Entries: 363 (821 total)

Matt Glantz

Parx Poker Room Ambassador Matt Glantz (Lafayette Hill, PA) is now in the field.

"Always the first hand," says one player after Glantz wins the first hand he plays in the Parx Big Stax V.

Glantz flashes a big smile and the 10♦ 9♦ after posting his big blind from the cutoff and raises preflop to take down the blinds and antes.

This is the last level before dinner. Players get a 75 minute break starting at 6:20 pm.

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Worming his Way to a Stack

Level 8 (Blinds 400/800/100 ante)
1B Entries: 342 (800 total)

Joe Palma

Joe "Worm" Palma (Bensalem, PA) calls it "a top five dusting of all time," as he's the benefactor of a generous player who's no longer in the 9 seat.

"The guy had 120k 40 minutes ago," he says, highlighting a hand that gave Palma a 20k double-up when the river paired the board to counterfeit his opponent.

"It's one craziest tables I've seen in 20-years," says Palma, who has gone from 7k to 70k.

But he'll have a tougher time getting chips from the newest resident in seat 9.  Michael Marder (Sewell, NJ) is an accomplished player who is on another bullet which he documented on Twitter:

Oops. #Bullet3 #ParxBigStax
— Michael Marder (@MMarder86) February 21, 2014

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Big Stax at Big Stax

Level 6 Complete (Next Blinds 300/600/100 ante)
1B Entries: 309 (767 total)

Players are on a 15 minute color-up break as the 25 chips are removed from play.

Chip Leaders:

Sarkis Sarkissian (Bensalem, PA) 128k
Mike Sandler (New York, NY) 127k
Matt Lope (Mantua, NJ) 110k
Scott Correll (Allentown, PA)  110k
Joe McKeehen (North Wales, PA) 105k
Steve Thornton (Springfield, PA) 100k

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Steady Stream

Level 5 (Blinds 200/400/50 ante)
1B Entries: 267 (725 total)

Players continue to stream into the Clubhouse. Recent players to enter (and some re-entering) include
Amanda Musumeci, Kevin McColgan & Frank DiRe.

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Little Finds Big Cards

Level 4 (Blinds 75/150) 
1B Entries: 235 (693 total)

 

Tim Little

Talk about running good. Tim Little (Cheverly, MD) had pocket Aces three times in the first 20 minutes of the day.

"Don't worry I'll give them back," says Little about his 61k stack on the first break of the day.

Third time he got AA, he made a value bet on the river and was called by Tony "Original Gorilla" Shurilla (Lower Longswamp Twp. PA) who called with pocket Kings. 

"He just had them twice, I didn't think there's anyway he had them again," says Shurilla, who adds "poker sucks."

The hand left Shurilla short and Little eventually knocked him out.

Little has a double stack, while Shurilla re-entered during the break and is back to the 30k starting stack.

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): How Tweet it Is

Level 3 (Blinds 100/200/25 ante) 
1B Entries: 208 (666 total)

Dead money is at tbl 73. @parxpokerroom BigStaxV event 1. LFG #Tpedge
— Pierre Deissler (@PierreDeissler) February 21, 2014

Bagged 185k @parxpokerroom #ParxBigStaxV Coming back to day 2 on Sunday at 2500/5000 90 min levels. One bullet feels like a min cash already
— Nancy (@TheReader23) February 21, 2014

Big Stax 300: Day 1A Chip Counts

Day 1A Entries:458
Remaining Players: 72 
191k Avg (38 bb)

Name-Chip Count 
 

Robert	Duong	530,500
Joseph	Liberta	464,000
Wai	Chan	423,500
Joel	Gola	395,000
Edward	Alonso	347,500
Ido	Ashkenazi	315,500
Joe	Argon	307,500
Blake	Benson	306,500
Loc Hoang	Nguyen	305,500
Tim	Eisenhut	299,500
Alexander	Zaverukha	299,000
Alexander	DeVeau	287,500
Christopher	Senape	274,000
Gregory	Fishberg	273,000
Walt	Jones	268,000
Artyem	Perlov	257,000
Danny	Cohen	256,500
Mark	Rebuck	252,500
Christopher	Kusha	251,000
Frank	DeFuso	244,000
Daniel	Sztenderowicz	230,000
Frank	Nelson	229,000
Jonathan	Sonne	227,500
Lewis	Smiley	227,000
Anthony	Garafalo	226,500
Andrew	Gomick	224,000
Vladimir	Kitsoul	221,500
Jake	Perry	221,000
Joseph	Katcher	218,000
Sergio	Loureiro	210,500
Seth	Zimmerman	197,500
Richard	Pyne	192,000
Vyacheslav	Eyzerovich	188,000
Ronald	Rhoads	185,000
Nancy	Martin	185,000
Steven	Sarmiento	177,000
Ryan	Rissmiller	175,500
Thomas	Lindemuth	171,000
Edric	Nicoli	167,000
Richard	Dorvon	164,000
Mike	Kiotis	163,000
TJ	Schulman	156,000
Nicholas	Partenope	145,500
Richard	Frumkin	145,000
Stephanie	Hubbard	141,000
Ozea	Ingram	134,500
Tom	Coan	133,000
Justin	Liberto	122,500
Dave	Black	121,500
Louis	Del Brocco	117,500
John	Warhurst	115,500
Daniel	Sewnig	115,000
Michael	James	113,500
Don	Matusow	113,000
Peter	Brickman	112,500
David	Novak	110,500
Keith	Woernle	107,500
Pete	Sterns	99,000
Petar	Mudrinic	96,000
Mike	Sandler	93,500
Peter	Ippolito	93,000
Alyson	Parker	92,500
Josh	Hertz	87,500
Daniel	Welborn	86,000
Rocco	Luciano	83,500
Hoa	Nguyen	71,000
Rob	Gisondi	70,500
John	Malczan	65,000
Ariel	Albilia	60,000
Young	Oh	58,000
Phil	Federico	56,000
Sean	Kurland	49,500

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Many Come Knockin' with the Clubhouse Rockin'

Level 2 (Blinds 75/150)
1B Entries: 163 (621 total)
 

Clubhouse

The tournament area is filling up fast with 20 of the 24 tables open in the Clubhouse.

It's a very quiet atmosphere which makes "rockin'" nothing more than a catchy headline, but Tournament Director Dave Grubb and his sidekick Leah continue to fill seats and point dealers in the right direction.

We expect to hear a lot of "knockin'" throughout the day and for Saturday's Day 1C as the field is well ahead of last year's 1,364 entries pace.

Big Stax 300 (Day 1B): Plan B

Level 1 (Blinds 50/100)
B Entries: 95 (553 total)

Day 1A's 458 total was a great start to Big Stax V and Day 1B is already ahead of last year's pace.

We're already up to nearly 100 players and we'll keep the running total at the top of each blog post.

72 1A players bagged and tagged early this morning and it will be 13+ hours before this group does the same.

Action is underway in the Clubhouse.

Big Stax 300 (Day 1A): End Of Night

Players are now bagging their chips for Day 2, and we will bring you the end of day 1A chip shortly. The counts will be posted on this live updates page, as well as links to the counts posted on Twitter and ParxPokerBlog.com.