Hand for hand was not necessary as two players busted simultaneously just two minutes into Level 20. There are now 44 players remaining with each player earning at least $3,556. Results will be posted for each pay bracket. The payout information can be found at the Big Stax XXIV 1500 Hub.
Moving into Level 20, it will take just one bust-out to bring the field to hand for hand play. Here’s a look at the top stacks (all players over 600k):
| Greg Weber | 1,643,000 |
| Aaron Mermelstein | 1,200,000 |
| Jason Deane | 870,000 |
| Baitai Li | 735,000 |
| Malik Saunders | 637,000 |
| Rob Goldbaum | 656,000 |
| Josh Dempsey | 650,000 |
The field is now just two eliminations from the money. There was only one extremely short stack and he was just eliminated.
It was Mermelstein who sent that player to the rail which added only a very small chunk to his now ~1.15M chip stack. He came into Day 2 with just 116k and has nearly 10x that amount midway through the 4th level of play. Greg Weber is sitting two seats to his left and still has the chip-lead with over 1.4M. That creates a very interesting spot and that table won’t be breaking until there are 36 players remaining.
The next break is in 15 minutes which will provide another chance to look at the top stacks in the field.
Just one more table to go before hand for hand play. Weber had a significant lead heading into Level 18. Here’s a look at the next two largest stacks:
Deane came into Level 18 with ~700k. He is fresh off of a very deep run in the 300 Main Event which ended on Day 3 with a 24th place finish for $3,941. Deane has Michael Gagliano, Mike Mercaldo, and Gualing Chen in his rotation but is currently the table captain and in the best position as the money bubble is approaching.
Foley started Level 18 with ~640k and in third place. Foley is a circuit grinder with ~$260k in live earnings. His deepest run here at Parx is a 54th in the 500 Main Event last February which puts him on the verge of recording his best performance at this venue. His table recently broke and he will hope to continue his run in a new orbit.
The chip-leader started at 630,000 and over the first two levels there are only three players over that number. The field is now 17 eliminations from the money and the pace will slow significantly for the next couple of levels. Here are the top six stacks:
| Greg Weber | 1,250,000 |
| Jason Deane | 700,000 |
| Michael Foley | 640,000 |
| Dan Dizenzo | 579,000 |
| Anthony Garofalo | 530,000 |
| Baitai Li | 520,000 |
Here’s a look at Weber’s opening line-up:
| EMPTY | 7 | 1 | ||||
| GREGORY | WEBER | LINDEN | NJ | 482,000 | 7 | 2 |
| SANG | LEE | HARRINGTON PK | NJ | 83,500 | 7 | 3 |
| DAVID | VAMPLEW | NORTH BRUNSWICK | NJ | 402,000 | 7 | 4 |
| LOUIS | FOUNDOULAKIS | STATEN ISLAND | NY | 108,500 | 7 | 5 |
| MICHAEL | GARAVUSO | GLENDALE | NY | 201,500 | 7 | 6 |
| STEPHEN | SONG | GREENWICH | CT | 105,500 | 7 | 7 |
| PETR | KHOZIN | BROOKLYN | NY | 164,500 | 7 | 8 |
| MICHAEL | LINSTER | ISLAND PARK | NY | 100,500 | 7 | 9 |
Midway through Level 17, Weber is sitting with 1.3M. Here’s a quick break-down of how he crushed his opening table and grabbed a big lead early in Day 2.
First, he picked up 4x4x and opened to 11k. He was 3-bet to 35k and made the call for a heads-up pot.
Flop: 9x8x4x (Two clubs)
Weber checked. Villain bet and Weber called.
Turn: 8x
Check/check.
River: Qx (Third club)
Weber checked for a third time, his opponent bet 130k leaving ~90k behind and Weber moved all-in having him covered. His opponent called and Weber’s full house was good to take down his first big pot of the day.
Next, Weber got it in pre-flop in a classic flip. He opened to 18k, was 3-bet to 58k by David Vamplew. Weber 4-bet to 135k and Vamplew moved all-in for ~400k. Weber had him covered and made the call.
Weber AxKx vs Vamplew QxQx
The flop came Kx8x3x and Weber held to win the flip and move over a million. Later on, he picked up another cooler spot with AxAx against AxKx for an ~200k stack and continued to climb in the early levels on Day 2. The break is coming up in about 15 minutes and the blog will give the first look at the leader-board.
44 Paid. $547k prize-pool. $123k up top.
| 1st | $123,467 |
| 2nd | $78,287 |
| 3rd | $51,043 |
| 4th | $37,311 |
| 5th | $27,956 |
| 6th | $21,063 |
| 7th | $16,194 |
| 8th | $12,473 |
| 9th | $10,012 |
| 10th-12th | $8,316 |
| 13th-15th | $6,839 |
| 16th-18th | $5,690 |
| 19th-27th | $4,705 |
| 28th-36th | $3,994 |
| 37th-44th | $3,556 |
One level has been completed and registration is now closed. Payout information will be posted soon. There were just eleven Day 2 entries bringing the field to 376 entries. Three tables have already broken and there are now nine full tables heading into Level 17. Greg Weber is off to a very fast start and is already over 1M after starting with 482k and in 3rd place.
Baitai Li came into Day 2 as the chip-leader with 630k and is still near that number after one full level of play. Li has ~$100k in career earnings but just went on a great run in the last five months. Li won the Eight Max Super Knockout Event at Borgata in September, a $1500 buy-in event which earned him $44,343 plus bounties. In December, he cashed a $25k buy-in at the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic taking 9th for $43,500 in the high-roller event. Certainly in form, Li will now contend for another big score here at Parx.
Cards are in the air for Day 2 with action 12 tables and registration remaining open for the the entire first level (1 hour). The schedule and structure for the 1500 Main Event can be found at parxcasino.com/bigstax.
93 players bagged for Day 2 play and anyone who registers in the first level will have a ten big blind stack to work with and plenty of opportunity to get into the event. The average stack is 205,000, just over 40 big blinds meaning in this event a Day 2 entry is not nearly as an uphill climb as the 300 and 500.
Here’s the leader-board heading into Day 2:
| BAITAI | LI | 630,000 |
| MALIK | SAUNDERS | 483,000 |
| GREGORY | WEBER | 482,000 |
| JIA NING | TANG | 462,000 |
| GUOLIANG | CHEN | 425,500 |
| MICHAEL | FOLEY | 417,500 |
| DAVID | VAMPLEW | 402,000 |
| CHRISTIAN | HARDER | 390,000 |
| JOHN | MICHALAK | 386,500 |
| JOHN | KOSTELAC | 369,500 |
The full Day 2 chip-counts and seating can be found at the Big Stax XXIV 1500 Hub. The break order in the Main Room will be 14, 1-11, with 11 being the last table.
Big Stax XXIV 1500 Main Event
Reminder: Day 2 will be in the Main Building and begin at 12 PM. The break order for will be 14,1-11 with 11 being the Final Table (on Day 3). Redraws at 27,18,and 10.
| JASON | ACOSTA | 314,000 | 3 | 6 |
| JOHN | ALEXANDER | 90,000 | 3 | 7 |
| CHRISTOPHER | BASILE | 162,500 | 9 | 9 |
| THOMAS | BEAN JR | 204,500 | 4 | 7 |
| ADAM | BENOWITZ | 240,000 | 8 | 2 |
| PETER | BESHAY, | 147,000 | 5 | 7 |
| SCOTT | BOXENHORN | 114,000 | 11 | 5 |
| DAVID | BRADSHAW | 102,000 | 14 | 2 |
| HOWARD | BURTON | 208,000 | 11 | 2 |
| JEFFREY | CHANG | 248,500 | 11 | 6 |
| GUOLIANG | CHEN | 425,500 | 2 | 3 |
| DANIEL | CIANCIO | 217,000 | 1 | 8 |
| JESSE | COHEN | 159,500 | 6 | 5 |
| DAVID | COLEMAN | 189,500 | 1 | 2 |
| JASON | DEANE | 210,000 | 11 | 7 |
| JOSHUA | DEMPSEY | 52,000 | 9 | 6 |
| DANIEL | DIZENZO | 257,000 | 6 | 3 |
| ROBERT | ELIAS | 84,500 | 6 | 4 |
| RYAN | ERIQUEZZO | 310,000 | 4 | 3 |
| ROBERT | FABIANSKI | 173,000 | 14 | 7 |
| EMANUEL | FAILLA JR | 232,000 | 9 | 5 |
| LEE | FAMA | 228,000 | 8 | 3 |
| DONALD | FARNEN | 58,500 | 3 | 5 |
| MICHAEL | FOLEY | 417,500 | 5 | 8 |
| LOUIS | FOUNDOULAKIS | 108,500 | 7 | 5 |
| FRANK | FUNARO JR | 263,500 | 3 | 3 |
| MICHAEL | GAGLIANO | 345,500 | 11 | 4 |
| MICHAEL | GARAVUSO | 201,500 | 7 | 6 |
| ANTHONY | GAROFALO | 251,500 | 10 | 5 |
| NEAL | GAY | 97,000 | 3 | 4 |
| ROBERT | GOLDBAUM | 308,500 | 2 | 8 |
| ROSS | GOTTLIEB | 59,500 | 10 | 8 |
| RICKY | GUAN | 78,500 | 8 | 8 |
| RYAN | HAGERTY | 105,000 | 1 | 9 |
| CHRISTIAN | HARDER | 390,000 | 6 | 7 |
| GREG | HIMMELBRAND | 179,500 | 2 | 2 |
| STEVEN | JURICEK | 106,500 | 5 | 3 |
| AISSA | KHIRANI | 262,000 | 4 | 5 |
| PETR | KHOZIN | 164,500 | 7 | 8 |
| JOHN | KOSTELAC | 369,500 | 8 | 4 |
| VITALY | KOVYAZIN | 135,000 | 8 | 7 |
| CHRISTOPHER | LAIETA | 108,000 | 4 | 4 |
| MICHAEL | LATOUR | 115,500 | 2 | 7 |
| SANG | LEE | 83,500 | 7 | 3 |
| BAITAI | LI | 630,000 | 5 | 2 |
| JUSTIN | LIBERTO | 225,500 | 10 | 2 |
| MICHAEL | LINSTER | 100,500 | 7 | 9 |
| ANGEL | LOPEZ | 264,500 | 14 | 5 |
| RAJENDRA | MAHADEVAPPA | 60,500 | 10 | 3 |
| JOHN | MALCZAN | 82,000 | 11 | 8 |
| ROBERT | MARQUETTE JR | 121,500 | 2 | 9 |
| ANTHONY | MCDEVITT | 198,500 | 8 | 6 |
| RYAN | MCKNIGHT | 111,000 | 9 | 4 |
| MICHAEL | MERCALDO | 327,500 | 1 | 4 |
| AARON | MERMELSTEIN | 116,000 | 1 | 5 |
| JOHN | MICHALAK | 386,500 | 10 | 6 |
| MATTHEW | MILLISOR | 243,000 | 4 | 8 |
| ADNAN | MOHAMMAD | 229,000 | 1 | 6 |
| V | MOLOKOVICH | 139,500 | 14 | 4 |
| WAI | NGAI | 219,000 | 8 | 5 |
| AARON | OLSHAN | 134,500 | 4 | 2 |
| AARON | OVERTON | 126,000 | 5 | 9 |
| JOSEPH | PALMA | 84,000 | 9 | 8 |
| AKASH | PATEL | 168,000 | 8 | 9 |
| TIMOTHY | PIRRAGLIA | 221,500 | 5 | 5 |
| DANIEL | PODHEISER | 55,000 | 1 | 3 |
| BHARATHKU | RAMANNA | 120,500 | 3 | 8 |
| THOMAS | REVELLO | 192,000 | 14 | 3 |
| JOHN | RODRIGUES | 27,500 | 3 | 2 |
| MICHAEL | ROSSITTO | 192,000 | 11 | 3 |
| RUSSELL | ROTHSTEIN | 230,500 | 10 | 7 |
| STEVEN | SARMIENTO | 90,500 | 2 | 6 |
| MALIK | SAUNDERS | 483,000 | 6 | 9 |
| JAMES | SAXTON | 50,000 | 9 | 7 |
| DEAN | SCHULTZ | 204,500 | 5 | 6 |
| DANIEL | SEWNIG | 106,000 | 9 | 3 |
| JAY | SHARON | 76,500 | 3 | 9 |
| TJ | SHULMAN | 222,500 | 6 | 6 |
| MARVIN | SIEGEL | 170,000 | 2 | 4 |
| RONALD | SIMS | 249,500 | 14 | 8 |
| STEPHEN | SONG | 105,500 | 7 | 7 |
| JEFFREY | SPENCE | 95,500 | 1 | 7 |
| RYAN | TAMANINI | 230,500 | 6 | 2 |
| JIA NING | TANG | 462,000 | 9 | 2 |
| RAGAVAN | THIAGARAJAH | 66,500 | 4 | 9 |
| TOM | THOMAS | 134,000 | 6 | 8 |
| CHRISTOPHER | TRYBA | 244,000 | 4 | 6 |
| MAXIM | URVANTSEV | 207,500 | 5 | 4 |
| DAVID | VAMPLEW | 402,000 | 7 | 4 |
| GREGORY | WEBER | 482,000 | 7 | 2 |
| YAO | WU | 293,500 | 2 | 5 |
| WEN | ZHANG | 125,000 | 10 | 4 |
| WU | ZHOU | 303,000 | 14 | 6 |
| EMPTY | 1 | 1 | ||
| DAVID | COLEMAN | 189,500 | 1 | 2 |
| DANIEL | PODHEISER | 55,000 | 1 | 3 |
| MICHAEL | MERCALDO | 327,500 | 1 | 4 |
| AARON | MERMELSTEIN | 116,000 | 1 | 5 |
| ADNAN | MOHAMMAD | 229,000 | 1 | 6 |
| JEFFREY | SPENCE | 95,500 | 1 | 7 |
| DANIEL | CIANCIO | 217,000 | 1 | 8 |
| RYAN | HAGERTY | 105,000 | 1 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 2 | 1 | ||
| GREG | HIMMELBRAND | 179,500 | 2 | 2 |
| GUOLIANG | CHEN | 425,500 | 2 | 3 |
| MARVIN | SIEGEL | 170,000 | 2 | 4 |
| YAO | WU | 293,500 | 2 | 5 |
| STEVEN | SARMIENTO | 90,500 | 2 | 6 |
| MICHAEL | LATOUR | 115,500 | 2 | 7 |
| ROBERT | GOLDBAUM | 308,500 | 2 | 8 |
| ROBERT | MARQUETTE JR | 121,500 | 2 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 3 | 1 | ||
| JOHN | RODRIGUES | 27,500 | 3 | 2 |
| FRANK | FUNARO JR | 263,500 | 3 | 3 |
| NEAL | GAY | 97,000 | 3 | 4 |
| DONALD | FARNEN | 58,500 | 3 | 5 |
| JASON | ACOSTA | 314,000 | 3 | 6 |
| JOHN | ALEXANDER | 90,000 | 3 | 7 |
| BHARATHKU | RAMANNA | 120,500 | 3 | 8 |
| JAY | SHARON | 76,500 | 3 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 4 | 1 | ||
| AARON | OLSHAN | 134,500 | 4 | 2 |
| RYAN | ERIQUEZZO | 310,000 | 4 | 3 |
| CHRISTOPHER | LAIETA | 108,000 | 4 | 4 |
| AISSA | KHIRANI | 262,000 | 4 | 5 |
| CHRISTOPHER | TRYBA | 244,000 | 4 | 6 |
| THOMAS | BEAN JR | 204,500 | 4 | 7 |
| MATTHEW | MILLISOR | 243,000 | 4 | 8 |
| RAGAVAN | THIAGARAJAH | 66,500 | 4 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 5 | 1 | ||
| BAITAI | LI | 630,000 | 5 | 2 |
| STEVEN | JURICEK | 106,500 | 5 | 3 |
| MAXIM | URVANTSEV | 207,500 | 5 | 4 |
| TIMOTHY | PIRRAGLIA | 221,500 | 5 | 5 |
| DEAN | SCHULTZ | 204,500 | 5 | 6 |
| PETER | BESHAY, | 147,000 | 5 | 7 |
| MICHAEL | FOLEY | 417,500 | 5 | 8 |
| AARON | OVERTON | 126,000 | 5 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 6 | 1 | ||
| RYAN | TAMANINI | 230,500 | 6 | 2 |
| DANIEL | DIZENZO | 257,000 | 6 | 3 |
| ROBERT | ELIAS | 84,500 | 6 | 4 |
| JESSE | COHEN | 159,500 | 6 | 5 |
| TJ | SHULMAN | 222,500 | 6 | 6 |
| CHRISTIAN | HARDER | 390,000 | 6 | 7 |
| TOM | THOMAS | 134,000 | 6 | 8 |
| MALIK | SAUNDERS | 483,000 | 6 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 7 | 1 | ||
| GREGORY | WEBER | 482,000 | 7 | 2 |
| SANG | LEE | 83,500 | 7 | 3 |
| DAVID | VAMPLEW | 402,000 | 7 | 4 |
| LOUIS | FOUNDOULAKIS | 108,500 | 7 | 5 |
| MICHAEL | GARAVUSO | 201,500 | 7 | 6 |
| STEPHEN | SONG | 105,500 | 7 | 7 |
| PETR | KHOZIN | 164,500 | 7 | 8 |
| MICHAEL | LINSTER | 100,500 | 7 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 8 | 1 | ||
| ADAM | BENOWITZ | 240,000 | 8 | 2 |
| LEE | FAMA | 228,000 | 8 | 3 |
| JOHN | KOSTELAC | 369,500 | 8 | 4 |
| WAI | NGAI | 219,000 | 8 | 5 |
| ANTHONY | MCDEVITT | 198,500 | 8 | 6 |
| VITALY | KOVYAZIN | 135,000 | 8 | 7 |
| RICKY | GUAN | 78,500 | 8 | 8 |
| AKASH | PATEL | 168,000 | 8 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 9 | 1 | ||
| JIA NING | TANG | 462,000 | 9 | 2 |
| DANIEL | SEWNIG | 106,000 | 9 | 3 |
| RYAN | MCKNIGHT | 111,000 | 9 | 4 |
| EMANUEL | FAILLA JR | 232,000 | 9 | 5 |
| JOSHUA | DEMPSEY | 52,000 | 9 | 6 |
| JAMES | SAXTON | 50,000 | 9 | 7 |
| JOSEPH | PALMA | 84,000 | 9 | 8 |
| CHRISTOPHER | BASILE | 162,500 | 9 | 9 |
| EMPTY | 10 | 1 | ||
| JUSTIN | LIBERTO | 225,500 | 10 | 2 |
| RAJENDRA | MAHADEVAPPA | 60,500 | 10 | 3 |
| WEN | ZHANG | 125,000 | 10 | 4 |
| ANTHONY | GAROFALO | 251,500 | 10 | 5 |
| JOHN | MICHALAK | 386,500 | 10 | 6 |
| RUSSELL | ROTHSTEIN | 230,500 | 10 | 7 |
| ROSS | GOTTLIEB | 59,500 | 10 | 8 |
| EMPTY | 10 | 9 | ||
| EMPTY | 11 | 1 | ||
| HOWARD | BURTON | 208,000 | 11 | 2 |
| MICHAEL | ROSSITTO | 192,000 | 11 | 3 |
| MICHAEL | GAGLIANO | 345,500 | 11 | 4 |
| SCOTT | BOXENHORN | 114,000 | 11 | 5 |
| JEFFREY | CHANG | 248,500 | 11 | 6 |
| JASON | DEANE | 210,000 | 11 | 7 |
| JOHN | MALCZAN | 82,000 | 11 | 8 |
| EMPTY | 11 | 9 | ||
| EMPTY | 14 | 1 | ||
| DAVID | BRADSHAW | 102,000 | 14 | 2 |
| THOMAS | REVELLO | 192,000 | 14 | 3 |
| V | MOLOKOVICH | 139,500 | 14 | 4 |
| ANGEL | LOPEZ | 264,500 | 14 | 5 |
| WU | ZHOU | 303,000 | 14 | 6 |
| ROBERT | FABIANSKI | 173,000 | 14 | 7 |
| RONALD | SIMS | 249,500 | 14 | 8 |
| EMPTY | 14 | 9 |
