The Main Event of the inaugural PokerStars Festival New Jersey continued on Wednesday and drew 127 players, bringing the total field size to 208 players. The total prize pool is set at $201,760, with the top 39 places being paid and first place is set at $38,220. After 10 one-hour levels on Day 1B, just 45 players bagged and will join the 25 players who survived on Day 1a.
Bagging the Day 1b chip lead was Michael Gagliano with 144,900, putting him fourth in chips of the 70 remaining players. The rest of the top five Day 1b stacks are rounded out by Dan Howe (138,900), Tyson Apostol (135,200), Team PokerStars Online's Randy Lew (130,200), and Darren Elias (118,900).
Gagliano, who won Event #2 here a few days ago, had just more than a starting stack at the dinner break, but eliminated PokerStars MindSports Ambassador Jennifer Shahade to help propel his stack. Shahade raised, Gagliano defended his big blind with , and after the flop was checked he turned a ten-high straight. Shahade called his turn bet, then his river shove, and she was eliminated. Gagliano had just more than 50,000 that hand and went on a heater to end the night, nearly tripling his stack from that point.
Among those who failed to punch their ticket to Day 2 include Ari Engel, Theo Tran, Jon Borenstein, "Boston" Rob Mariano, Alex Foxen, Scott Baumstein, Shankar Pillai, Nick Palma, and Team PokerStars Online's Jaime Staples.
Play resumes tomorrow at 11 a.m. where another 10 one-hour levels are scheduled to be played.
Jennifer Shahade opened to 1,500 from middle position and Michael Gagliano called from the big blind.
They checked to the turn of a board where Gagliano bet 3,100. Shahade called after about 30 seconds.
The river was the and Gagliano took about 45 seconds before he bet effectively 8,400. Shahade tanked for more than two minutes before she called all in.
Gagliano tabled for a ten-high straight, Shahade mucked, and Gagliano scored the elimination.
Following the turn of a board with about 14,000 in the pot, Manuel Perito checked from middle position and Michael Gagliano checked from the next seat over.
The river was the and Perito bet effectively 9,150. Gagliano called all in immediately.
Perito anounced that he had a ten showed the , but Gagliano tabled for kings and sixes to win the pot and double up.
Manuel Perito bet 3,000 from the big blind on a board of and Terrance Eischens made it 8,300 to go. Perito wasted no time before calling and then came out firing with what looked like 13,600 on the river. Eischens hesitated only briefly before jamming for a few thousand more, and Perito snap-called with . Eischens showed he'd been coolered with a nasty river: for a set on the flop.
At another table, "Boston" Rob Mariano of Survivor fame got his remaining chips in with at some point on a board of but did not improve against the of Nick Palma.
Tyson Apostol opened to 500 from under the gun, Randy Lew called from middle position, Gabriel Gonzalo Diaz Hurtado three-bet to 1,700 from the cutoff, Apostol folded, and Lew called.
The flop fell and Lew checked to Hurtado who continued for 1,900. Lew check-raised to 4,500 and Hurtado called.
The turn was the and Lew bet 6,800. Hurtado called.
The river was the and Lew shoved for roughly 17,500. Hurtado tanked for about two minutes before he opted to fold.
Welcome to PokerNews' Day 1b coverage of the PokerStars Festival New Jersey Main Event.
Yesterday's Day 1a drew 81 players and after 10 levels of play, just 25 players bagged and tagged. Today, a new batch of players will take to the felt and look to navigate their way to Day 2. The Main Event is an $1,100 entry freezeout with one-hour levels and a 25,000 starting stack. Blinds begin at 50/100 and will end after the 600/1,200/200 level. There will be 20-minute breaks after Levels 2, 4, and 8, and an 80-minute dinner break after Level 6.
Among those expected to be in the field today include PokerStars MindSports Ambassador Jennifer Shahade, PokerStars Team Online's Randy Lew, Jaime Staples and Kevin Martin, as well as Ari Engel and Michael Gagliano.
The cards will be in the air at 11 a.m., so keep it here throughout the day for live updates on all of the action.
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, and after the flop was checked he turned a ten-high straight. Shahade called his turn bet, then his river shove, and she was eliminated. Gagliano had just more than 50,000 that hand and went on a heater to end the night, nearly tripling his stack from that point.
board.
and Palma checked to Apostol who continued for 2,000. Palma called.
and Palma checked to Apostol who bet 3,000. Palma called.
and Palma checked for a third time. Apostol bet 4,000 and Palma called.
for a ten-high straight, Palma mucked, and Apostol won the pot.
board where Gagliano bet 3,100. Shahade called after about 30 seconds.
and Gagliano took about 45 seconds before he bet effectively 8,400. Shahade tanked for more than two minutes before she called all in.
board with about 14,000 in the pot, Manuel Perito checked from middle position and Michael Gagliano checked from the next seat over.
and Perito bet effectively 9,150. Gagliano called all in immediately.
for kings and sixes to win the pot and double up.
. Eischens showed he'd been coolered with a nasty river: 
at some point on a board of 
and Lew bet 6,800. Hurtado called.
