Big Stax XXXVII Upcoming Events:

DateTimeEventBuy In + Fee
Tues Feb 24th 10:15AMLimit H.O.S.E $500
Fri. Feb. 27th10:00AMBig Stax 1500 Day 1a (8-handed)$1,500
Sat. Feb. 28th10:00 AMBig Stax 1500 Day 1a (8-handed)$1,500
Sun. Mar 1 11:00AM Big Stax 1500 Day 2 (8-handed)$1,500
Sun. Mar 1 1:00PMBig Stax 2500: Day 1 (8-handed)$2,500
Mon. Mar 2 12:00PMBig Stax 1500 Day 3 (8-handed)$2,500
Mon Mar. 2 11:00 AMBig Stax 2500: Day 2 (8-handed)$2,500
Tues. Mar 312:00PMBig Stax 2500: Day 3 (8-handed)$2,500
Thurs. Mar 510:15 AMNL Hold em: Seniors (50+ Event)$340
Fri Mar 6 12:15PMNL Hold’em: Purple Chip Bounty$1,060
Sun Mar 811:15AMSun daily NL Hold’em Turbo$150

*All remaining Events in the main poker room

Rickards Big Stax 750 XXXVII Champ $100k

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 9:50PM
  • Level 31: 100,000/200,000/200,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: Play Complete

Bob Rickards of Jackson NJ is the Big Stax 750 XXXVII Champion taking home his largest cash to date for $100,000. Rickards is in construction by day and plays poker recreationally and is taking home the trophy on his first and only buy in.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Bob Rickards Big Stax 750 XXXVII Champion: $100,000

Gibson 2nd Place: $78,095

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 9:50PM
  • Level 31: 100,000/200,000/200,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: Play Complete

Pre-flop Jeff Gibson raised to 500k, Bob Rickards raised to 2mi, Gibson moved all in for about 8M and Rickards quickly called.

Gibson: 44

Rickards: 10 10

Board: K♣5♠J♣ K♦ 9♠ for Rickard’s pocket tens to hold up and eliminate Gibson in 2nd place for $78,095

Jeff Gibson 2nd Place: $78,095

Rickards Takes the Chip Lead

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 9:30PM
  • Level 31: 100,000/200,000/200,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: 2

It was a short lived hot start for Jeff Gibson, when Rickards started closing in on Gibson to be very close to even stacks.

Rickards on the button raised to 500k and Gibson called.

Flop: 10♥4♣5♥ Gibson checks, Rickards bets 600k and Gibson calls

Turn: J♥ Gibson checks, Rickards bets 3.2M and Gibson calls

River: 3♥ both players check

Rickards shows Q♥2♥ for a Q high flush and a disgusted Gibson mucks his cards.

Heads Up Play Begins

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 9:10PM
  • Level 31: 100,000/200,000/200,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: 2

The final 2 players took a brief break to discuss and decided to take off some money from first place to give an even 100k and the trophy to first and $78,095 now going to second before beginning heads up play. Updated chip counts prior to heads up play beginning below:

TableSeatFirstLastChip Count
115JeffGibson18.925M
119BobRickards14.275M

Ciarlante 3rd Place: $44,940

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 9:00PM
  • Level 310: 100,000/200,000/200,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: 2

Pre flop Mike Ciarlante limped in on the button, Bob Rickards raised to 700k, Ciarlante re-raised to 1.8 M and Rickards called.

Flop: J♣3♥10♠ Rickards goes all in for 3.8M and Ciarlante quickly calls

Ciarlante: QQ

Rickards: A10

Turn: A giving Rickards 2 pair

River is a blank for Rickards 2 pair to award him the double up.

The very next hand Rickards limps in and Ciarlante announces he hasn’t looked and is all in on the big blind for 2.475M. Rickards thinks and then makes the call

Rickards: J8

Ciarlante: K8

Flop: QJ10 giving Rickards a pair of J’s while Ciarlante is open ended to hit a straight.

Turn and River are no help to Ciarlante to knock him out in 3rd place for $44,940.

Though a cash game regular, Ciarlante says this was his first tournament in many years and first major tournament he’s ever played. He came into day 2 as chip leader and managed to hold the chip lead most of day 2 and much of day 3 and fired just one bullet into the event. Ciarlante brings a fun and friendly spirit to the game and as his mom always said strives to “Be the better person.” Well played Mike, and congrats on your 3rd place finish!

Mike Ciarlante 3rd Place: $44,940

Straight Over Straight

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 8:35PM
  • Level 31: 100,000/200,000/200,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: 3

A major shift in chips when Mike Ciarlante hit an inside straight draw to the nut straight held by Jeff Gibson.

Board was 10 4 8 5 7

Ciarlante: 6 3 for a 7 high straight

Gibson: J9 for a J high straight.

River Gibson made a large 3M bet which Ciarlante called and a couple million was already in the pot prior to the river.

Rickards Runs it Up

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 8:30 PM
  • Next Level 31: 100,000/200,000/200,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: 3

Pre flop the final 3 limp in.

Flop 10 9 4 Jeff Gibson and Bob Rickards check in the blinds and Mike Ciarlante bets 600k, Gibson folds, Rickards moves all in for 2.6M and Ciarlante folds and shows 10 8 for top pair, Rickard shows 98 for middle pair.

Not long after, Rickards raised from the button pre flop to 600k and Ciarlante called.

Flop: Q 8 2 Ciarlante bets 700k and Rickards calls

Turn: 6 Ciarlante checks, Rickards moves all in for 2.4M and Ciarlante calls

Ciarlante:10 10

Rickards: 66 for a set of sixes

River: K for Rickards to hold and double up

Ciarlante vs Gibson

  • Parx Big Stax 750 XXXVII 7:45PM
  • Level 30: 75,000/150,000/150,000
  • Total Entries: 830
  • Players Remaining: 3

This past level Jeff Gibson had briefly taken the chip lead. From the button he raised to 300k and both Bob Rickards and Mike Ciarlante called.

Flop: 10♠7♦8♦ Ciarlante and Rickards check, Gibson bets 400k, Rickards folds, Ciarlante raises to 1.1M and Gibson calls.

Turn: 10♣ Ciarlante bets 1.8M and Gibson calls

River: 4♥ Ciarlante goes all in for 9.35M Gibson tanks just covering Ciarlante with about 11M behind and eventually folds face up showing 910 for trip 10’s Ciarlante shows pocket 8’s for a full house.