Big Stax VI (Big Stax 300): Recap

@ParxPokerRoom's sixth installment of the Big Stax series kicked off last Thursday with the Big Stax VI 300.  Coming off of record numbers in February, the excitement leading up to this series was clear.  Players flocked to satellites during the month of April, offering packages which included seats to the Big Stax 300 & 500 events.  The Big Stax VI lead off event attracted 1,351 entries and touted a first place prize over $80,000.

Alex Queen & Justin Liberto

Each poker tournament takes on a life it's own, with the theme of this event "the story."  The headline would be two of the east coast's poker "good guys" chopping up the event.  Alex Queen (Bethlehem, PA) and Justin Liberto (Baltimore, MD) played only a few hands heads up before discussing a chop and agreeing to the numbers.  The two players have close to $2,000,000 in combined career earnings, and resumes any tournament player would be happy to boast.

The three Day 1's brought us the opening to this tale, as players were coming off the prestigious WPT Championship and a WSOP Circuit series in the weeks leading up to Big Stax VI.  Parx regular and tournament pro Antonio Payne (Hazlet, NJ) would show up on Day 1A coming off a circuit main final table.  That wouldn't be lead though as Payne won his first circuit ring as well only days earlier.  A handful of other regs in the field were coming off of nice scores/wins, including Kevin Grabel, Laurence Wolf, and Mohammed Farah.  Day 1C would coincide with Kentucky Derby day, and the buzz was great throughout the day.  Not only were the track patrons abound, but so were the bullets, as players were doing all they could to bag chips.  After three days of poker and unlimited re-entries throughout, Staffan Lind (Vero Beach, FL) would be the chip leader going into Day 2.

Ryan Eriquezzo

Day 2 would bring one of the stories of the tournament, as Ryan Eriquezzo (Danbury, CT) bought in that morning for the starting stack (30,000 which was six big blinds).  Not only would Eriquezzo survive to reach the money bubble, he would have one of the largest stacks going into Day 3!!!  Notables to cash in the event, but not make Day 3 included Matt Glantz (139th), Jonas Wexler (100th), Jonathan Kramer (67th), Peter Ippolito (59th), and Tru Le (24th).

The story would wrap up on Day 3, but not before story lines unfolded throughout.  Eriquezzo's miracle run would end in the late afternoon, as he was eliminated in 17th place for $3,056.  David Kim and Danny Yip would bubble the final table, but those who made it created the conclusion.  Ray Ross (Maple Glenn, PA) would reach his third Big Stax final table, showing the consistency that makes a winning tournament pro.  Sheri Moores (Wayne, PA) held the torch for the ladies in this event, as she continued the trend of women players at the final table (5th place - $13,753).  Amateurs Michael Wang (6th place) and Phillip Yan (3rd place) showed quality play throughout in their breakout scores to date.  In the end though it would be two of more accomplished players in the field, let alone the final table that would be left standing in the end.  Both players felt primed to do well in this event, and hope that they can ride the momentum into the rest of Big Stax VI and the WSOP that follows.

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): Queen ($67,404)

Level 31 (Blinds 100,000/200,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 2

Alex Queen (Bethlehem, PA)
$67,404

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): Liberto ($61,974)

Level 31 (Blinds 100,000/200,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 2

Justin Liberto (Fallston, MD)
$61,974

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): Chop It Up

Level 31 (Blinds 100,000/200,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 2

Alex Queen & Justin Liberto
Big Stax 300 Winners

The two players have discussed the numbers and agreed to a chip chop.  The numbers will be posted shortly, after both players have filled out information at the podium.

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): 3rd Place - Yan ($25,978)

Level 31 (Blinds 100,000/200,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 2

Philip Yan (Princeton, NJ)
3rd Place - $25,978

Philip Yan opened the pot to 450,000 and Queen defends the big blind.  The flop comes out J 10 5 and the action goes check-check.  After the A on the turn, Queen check calls 450,000.  The river brings another A, and Alex check-jams Yan's 1,500,000 river bet.  Yan would ask for a count, only to find out he was covered by Queen.  Philip would make the call and Alex would table A 5 (rivered full house), and Yan would table AK.

Queen would send Philip to the podium with that tough beat, and is now the chip leader heads up:

Alex Queen - 24,000,000

Justin Liberto - 16,000,000

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): And Queen Does It...Again

Level 31 (Blinds 100,000/200,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 3

Alex Queen doubles through Philip Yan once again, as he check-raised the turn against Phillip, on a board of 4 5 8 A.  Yan would three-bet all-in and Queen would quickly call and turn over 5 5 (flopped set).  Philip would be drawing dead as he tabled AJ, and Queen is now up to 14,000,000.

Alex Queen - 14,000,000
Philip Yan - 8,800,000

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): This Could Be A While

Level 31 (Blinds 100,000/200,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 3

With the average right now 60 bigs deep, and accomplished players remaining, this could take some time to play out.  Also to be considered is that Alex Queen just doubled through Yan to 8,000,000 after his KQ > 77 (all-in pre).

Philip Yan - 16,000,000
Alex Queen - 800,000

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): Break Time

The remaining three players are on break, and they will return in (10) minutes to Level 31 and blinds of 100,000/200,000/25,000.

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): Three Handed Counts

Level 30 (Blinds 75,000/150,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 3

Here are the three handed chip counts:

1. Alex Queen - 5,000,000
2. Philip Yan - 18,500,000
3. Justin Liberto - 16,500,000

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): 4th Place - Frank ($17,956)

Level 30 (Blinds 75,000/150,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 3

Joel Frank (Rocky Hill, NJ)
4th Place - $17,956

Joel Frank is one of Parx's most loyal cash game players, and now he has a Big Stax final table cash to add to the records.  Joel's no stranger to tournaments though, with $300,000 in career earnings coming into this tournament.  He was the shortest of the four players and jammed his final 1,400,000 in, only to see his AJ < 44 of Justin Liberto.

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): 5th Place - Moores ($13,753)

Level 30 (Blinds 75,000/150,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 4

Sheri Moores (Wayne, PA)
5th Place - $13,753

Moores was the shortest stack at the table, and after Queen opened to 300,000, Sheri jammed her remaining 1,100,000 in the middle.  Alex would make the call and Sheri's K 10 < 10 10 of Queen, and Moores would be eliminated in 5th place.  Sheri has her biggest live cash of her career, and a Big Stax final table to add to the Ladies Event she won at Delaware Park last year.

Big Stax 300 (Day 3): Yan Takes One From Liberto

Level 30 (Blinds 75,000/150,000/25,000)
Players Remaining: 5

On the other side of the room, the Big Stax NLH/PLO Mix was just wrapping up, with Keith Crowder taking home the trophy and over $5,000.  As Keith was getting his winners photo taken, Philip Yan took down an 8,000,000 pot from Justin Liberto.  On a board of 5♥ 6♣ 8♥ Q♠ 2♥, Yan had put out a 5,000,000 river bet, and Justin would end up folding (action prior is not yet known).