Big Stax 300
Day 3 Completed
Parx Big Stax XXXII
Big Stax 300
Day: 3
Event Info
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
The Parx Big Stax 300 looked like it was Dan Sweeney's to win since the final levels of Day 2. On Monday's Day 3, Sweeney made victory a reality.
Sweeney started the final day with the chip lead and stayed atop the leaderboard for nearly the entire day en route to taking home the championship at Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. The final three players - Sweeney, Anthony Chin and Christopher Laieta - came to terms on a three-way deal that ended with Sweeney being declared the winner.
Sweeney took home $95,744 per the deal, with both Chin and Larieta earning $65,000. Sweeney had 52 million of the 67 million chips in play when the table went three-handed.
"I felt like I was going to win," Sweeney said. "I felt like I was at the top of my game."
"I tried to not go too crazy, not to be too much of a chip bully when I had an advantage. I picked my spots correctly, I think. I made a few mistakes, but that's ok."
For Sweeney, who grew up in the Bensalem area, the Big Stax 300 victory was a hometown win.
Final Table Results
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Sweeney | United States | $95,744* |
| 2 | Christopher Laieta | United States | $65,000* |
| 3 | Anthony Chin | United States | $65,000* |
| 4 | Mark Napier | United States | $33,449 |
| 5 | Bryan Miller | United States | $24,894 |
| 6 | Gregory Fishberg | United States | $18,718 |
| 7 | Joseph Galazzo | United States | $14,409 |
| 8 | Po Ying | United States | $10,999 |
| 9 | Ryan Jackson | United States | $8,684 |
*Denotes three-way deal.
Sweeney Surges on Day 3
Sweeney ended Day 2 on a surge and came into Day 3 with the overall chip lead among the returning 40 players.
Sweeney's run to the final table began with a huge pot against Ryan O'Connell in which two of the biggest stacks in the room went head-to-head. Sweeney came away with the pot, which gave him more than 10 million chips in distance over the rest of the field.
Sweeney remained as the chip leader up until the final table, and when the final nine sat down Sweeney had a 12-million chip advantage over Chin.
That lead stood until a huge pot between Sweeney and Laieta unfolded, which Laieta won with what appeared to be a river bluff. Sweeney surrendered the chip lead for the first time on Day 3, with Laieta taking a commanding lead instead.
Sweeney got back to even with Laieta, however, after eliminating Gregory Fishberg in a pocket jacks versus ace-king all in, with Sweeney's jacks holding. Laieta and Sweeney were even at around 23 million after the elimination.
Despite the presence of short stacks at the table, Sweeney and Laieta continued to battle head-to-head in big pots. Laieta got the best of Sweeney in a hand that saw Laieta four-bet on the flop and get a fold.
Sweeney got the best of Laieta in the biggest hand of the night, however, making a correct call with just ace-high against Laieta's king-high bluff.
"We both tried to get tricky in certain spots," said Sweeney of the battle between him and Laieta. "One worked out for him. The most important thing was that one that worked out for me. I think that's what really just brought it home. If I don't win that hand, that call with ace-king high..... it was just a good call. And it put me here."
That hand put Sweeney in the lead for good and put him in position to claim the Parx Big Stax 300 trophy.
Big Month for Poker at Parx
The Parx Big Stax 300 is the first of three major tournaments commencing from Parx Casino in February. The tournament drew 2,257 total entries for a $643,245 prize pool.
Up next is the Big Stax 500, which begins Thursday, February 13. The month finishes off with the largest buy-in tournament of the month, with the $1,100 Big Stax 1100, begins February 21. PokerNews will offer live updates from both tournaments.
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Dan Sweeney, Christopher Laieta and Anthony Chin have reached a three-way deal, and the tournament is over. Stay tuned for the details.
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Players are taking a short break.
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Mark Napier limped on the button, and Dan Sweeney checked back the big blind.
Sweeney checked the 
flop, Napier bet 800,000, and Sweeney check-raised to 3,300,000.
Napier moved all in for 9,175,000 total, and Sweeney made the call.
Mark Napier: 
Dan Sweeney: 
Napier was dejected when the 
came in on the turn, completing the open-ended straight draw for Sweeney. Napier asked for a heart on the river but didn't get it, as the 
fell and Napier's tournament run ended with a fourth-place finish.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
52,000,000
6,900,000
|
6,900,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Christopher Laieta opened to 600,000 in the cutoff, and Mark Napier called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 
flop. Napier bet 1,200,000 on the 
turn, and Laieta called.
Napier bet another 1,200,000 on the 
river, and Laieta calle. Napier showed 
for two pair, but was bested by Laieta's 
for trip queens.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
45,100,000
5,200,000
|
5,200,000 |
|
12,000,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
|
5,700,000
-2,500,000
|
-2,500,000 |
|
5,000,000
-1,100,000
|
-1,100,000 |
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Christopher Laieta opened to 500,000 from the button, Dan Sweeney three-bet to 1,500,000 from the small blind, and Laieta called.
Sweeney continuation bet for 1,100,000 on the 
flop, and Laieta called.
Sweeney bet 3,300,000 on the 
turn, and Laieta called.
Sweeney checked the 
river, Laieta bet 3,900,000, and Sweeney called. Laieta turned over 
, for king-high, and saw that he was defeated by Sweeney's 
for ace high.
Laieta and Sweeney have been the two biggest stacks at the final table for the last several levels, and the two continue to play big pots against each other. With this pot, however, Sweeney has taken a commanding chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
39,900,000
10,400,000
|
10,400,000 |
|
|
12,500,000
-11,000,000
|
-11,000,000 |
|
|
8,200,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
|
6,100,000 |
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Mark Napier limped from the cutoff, Dan Sweeney raised to 875,000 from the small blind, Anthony Chin called from the big blind, and Napier folded.
Sweeney bet 650,000 on the 
flop, Chin raised to 1,600,000, and Sweeney called.
Sweeney checked the turn, Chin bet 2,000,000, Sweeney reraised all in, and Chin folded, preserving his remaining 6,100,000 stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
29,500,000
3,000,000
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
23,500,000
-2,500,000
|
-2,500,000 |
|
|
7,000,000
4,000,000
|
4,000,000 |
|
|
6,100,000
-6,100,000
|
-6,100,000 |
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
26,500,000 | |
|
|
26,000,000 | |
|
|
12,200,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
3,000,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Bryan Miller's tournament run is over, after a Day 3 that saw Miller ride a short stack at the final table all the way to a fifth-place finish.
Miller's final hand saw him committ the rest of his very shorty stack from the big blind ina three-way pot against Dan Sweeney and Anthony Chin. Chin ended up with the nut straight on the runout, ending Miller's tournament run.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |