Greg Weber and Anthony Garofalo Declared Co-Champions in the Parx Big Stax XXIV 1500
It is rare for a live poker tournament to have co-champions declared. However, that is exactly what just took place in the $1,600 Parx Big Stax XXIV 1500 when according to the Parx Big Stax Blog, Greg Weber and Anthony Garofalo were heads-up and near even in chips before agreeing to a heads-up deal.
Despite the designation as co-champions, Weber will officially be recorded as finishing first as he took home $104,233 while Garofalo banked $97,521.
Parx Big Stax XXIV 1500 Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greg Weber | United States | $104,233* |
| 2 | Anthony Garofalo | United States | $97,521* |
| 3 | Joe Palma | United States | $51,043 |
| 4 | Christian Harder | United States | $37,311 |
| 5 | Joe Reddick | United States | $27,956 |
| 6 | Jasone Deane | United States | $21,063 |
| 7 | Justin Liberto | United States | $16,194 |
| 8 | Aaron Overton | United States | $12,473 |
| 9 | Scott Blumstein | United States | $10,012 |
| 10 | Greg Himmelbrand | United States | $8,316 |
*Prize after heads-up deal
The tournament attracted a total of 376 entrants in its two opening flights. The money bubble broke on Day 2 with 44 players guaranteed to bring home at least $3,556.
Weber entered the final day with a commanding chip lead against the 13 players that remained. The 10-max final table was set after Malik Saunders (13th place - $6,839), Guoliang Chen (12th place - $8,316), and Peter Beshay (11th place - $8,316) were eliminated.
Greg Himmelbrand was the first player eliminated at the final table in tenth place for $8,316 after he jammed his 11 big blind stack with pocket kings and couldn't hold against the ace-jack held by Joe Reddick after an ace spiked the flop.
Next to go was 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Scott Blumstein in ninth place for $10,012. Christian Harder raised the small blind with pocket aces. Blumstein was dominated after he jammed 20 big blinds from the big blind with ace-four and got the obvious call from his opponent.
Aaron Overton hit the rail in eighth place for $12,473 after he called down on the river for the rest of his chips when Weber turned over a flush.
Justin Liberto then cold four-bet all-in his ten big blind stack with pocket eights. He finished in seventh place for $16,194 after Reddick folded and Weber called with pocket kings. Shortly after, Jasone Deane hit the showers in sixth place for $21,063 after he four-bet jammed with king-queen suited and couldn't get there against Weber's big slick. Reddick, who was short on chips, jammed 14 big blinds with ace-ten and took fifth place for $27,956 after his hand couldn't hold against Harder's king-queen.
Weber then relinquished his chip lead for the first time of the day to Joe Palma before regaining it again. It was then Garofalo's turn to grab the chip lead for the first time after he eliminated Harder in fourth place for $37,311 when his ace-jack dominated Harder's ace-nine.
Weber was to regain the chip lead once again after delivering a cooler with pocket aces to eliminated Palma with jacks in third place for $51,043.
Shortly after that, Weber and Garofalo were able to agree to a deal. Weber recorded his second six-figure prize in six months after previously taking second place in the WPT Borgata Poker Open $3,500 Main Event for $471,059 in September.
Meanwhile, Garofalo nailed down his biggest cash haul of his live poker career, eclipsing that of the $16,500 he won for taking second place in the Empire State Hold'em Championships $560 No Limit Hold'em side event back in August 2014.
* Image and hand data courtesy of the Parx Big Stax Blog.
