We’re still a few days away from Fourth of July fireworks. Meanwhile, on PokerStars Pennsylvania the first ever Summer Stacks Festival series concluded last night with a bang.
The last of the 100 events completed last night, with PokerStars PA players winning almost $1.3 million over the course of the series.
Events attract over 35,000 entries, Main Event awards over $132K
All of the Summer Stacks Festival events featured buy-ins of $100 or less, with the overall guarantees for the series totaling $1,045,000.
Ultimately those 100 tournaments attracted 35,376 total entries or a little over 353 per tournament. The $1,295,035.20 awarded meant an average prize pool of about $12,950.
Of course some prize pools were much bigger than others, including the two-day $100 buy-in Main Event that finished Monday night. The Main Event attracted a series-high 1,443 total entries and built the series’ largest prize pool of over $132,000. Player “Ambiter” ended up taking the title and a first prize worth just over $20,000.
There were some overlays along the way, although most were on the small side. Exactly one-fourth or 25 of the tournaments had overlays, totaling about $22,000 altogether. Meanwhile, 16 events had prize pools worth at least 1.5 times the guarantee, with a couple more than doubling the guarantee.
In the end, the Summer Stacks Festival awarded about half the $2.6 million won in the recent Pennsylvania Spring Championship of Online Poker (PASCOOP), a series featuring much bigger guarantees and buy-ins. The guarantees-to-prize-pool ratio was about the same, however, as the PASCOOP guarantees totaled $2 million.
Ambassador Foresta lands second series win on final day
Among the highlights of the final night of the 17-day series was PokerStars PA Ambassador Mark “NaigoPA” Foresta capturing his second Summer Stacks Festival title in Event #98, the $50 8-Max Nightly Summer Stack. Foresta topped a 413-entry field to win a first prize worth just over $3,400.
Foresta had earlier won a title in one of the Sunday Specials (Event #50), landing a nice first prize of over $11,000.
In the end both Foresta and his fellow PokerStars PA Ambassador Keith “AccidentalGrenade” Becker, a.k.a. “whoopsboom,” collected a number of deep runs in the series as they continue to battle one another along with other PokerStars PA players. Becker made a couple more final tables during the final days, collecting two fifth-place finishes.
PA tops three PokerStars US sites for biggest Summer Stacks series
PokerStars ran separate Summer Stacks Festivals on all three of its US sites from June 12-28.
In Michigan, the series on PokerStars MI featured an almost identical 100-event schedule with guarantees adding up to $1 million even. Meanwhile in New Jersey, the PokerStars NJ version also featured 100 events but with guarantees totaling $500,000.
In the end, PokerStars PA won the “three-handed” competition between PokerStars’ US sites. Its $1.295 million awarded exceeded Michigan’s total of just over $1.09 million. New Jersey came third, with its players winning almost $566,000 in the series.
PokerStars PA also won the competition between the three sites for largest Main Event.
In each case the tournaments were $100 buy-in, two-day tournaments. As noted, in Pennsylvania there were 1,443 entries and a prize pool of over $132,000. In Michigan, the Main Event drew 1,224 entries and had a prize pool of little more than $112,000. The guarantees for both tournaments were $100,000.
Meanwhile in New Jersey, the Main Event had a $50,000 guarantee, and with 539 entries had a small overlay.
PokerStars PA Summer Stacks Festival by the numbers
| Event | Event | Buy-in | Guarantee | Entries | Prize Pool | Overlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NLHE (Summer Stacks Warm Up - Stars-B-Que) | $10 | $4,000 | 658 | $5,987.80 | n/a |
| 2 | NLHE (Summer Stacks Kick Off) | $100 | $30,000 | 347 | $31,854.60 | n/a |
| 3 | NLHE (Summer Stacks Mini Kick Off) | $30 | $10,000 | 555 | $15,151.50 | n/a |
| 4 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 335 | $15,242.50 | n/a |
| 5 | PLO (6-Max, Progressive KO) | $5 | $1,000 | 292 | $1,328.60 | n/a |
| 6 | NLHE | $50 | $8,000 | 229 | $10,374.00 | n/a |
| 7 | Razz (6-Max) | $10 | $1,000 | 138 | $1,255.80 | n/a |
| 8 | Stud Hi/Lo (6-Max) | $50 | $3,500 | 85 | $3,867.50 | n/a |
| 9 | NLHE (6-Max, Sunday Storm - PKO Edition) | $10 | $3,000 | 402 | $3,658.20 | n/a |
| 10 | NLHE (Sunday Special) | $100 | $60,000 | 764 | $70,135.20 | n/a |
| 11 | NLHE (Mini Sunday Special) | $25 | $10,000 | 744 | $16,926.00 | n/a |
| 12 | NLHE (Micro Sunday Special) | $5 | $3,500 | 722 | $3,500.00 | $214.90 |
| 13 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 366 | $16,653.00 | n/a |
| 14 | NLHE (The Big Freeze) | $100 | $15,000 | 181 | $16,615.80 | n/a |
| 15 | PLO (6-Max) | $30 | $4,000 | 140 | $4,000.00 | $178.00 |
| 16 | NLHE (6-Max, PKO, Battle Royale Early Ed.) | $10 | $3,500 | 492 | $4,477.20 | n/a |
| 17 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $10,000 | 426 | $19,383.00 | n/a |
| 18 | NLHE (6-Max, Progressive KO, Battle Royale) | $50 | $20,000 | 393 | $20,000.00 | $2,118.50 |
| 19 | NLHE | $5 | $1,500 | 432 | $1,965.60 | n/a |
| 20 | PLO8 (8-Max) | $20 | $2,500 | 214 | $3,894.80 | n/a |
| 21 | NLHE (Super Tuesday Early Edition) | $10 | $3,500 | 554 | $5,041.40 | n/a |
| 22 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $10,000 | 423 | $19,246.50 | n/a |
| 23 | NLHE (Mini Super Tuesday) | $30 | $10,000 | 509 | $13,895.70 | n/a |
| 24 | NLHE (6-Max, Summer Freeze) | $50 | $5,000 | 137 | $6,233.50 | n/a |
| 25 | NLHE (8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO) | $10 | $1,500 | 357 | $3,248.70 | n/a |
| 26 | NLHE (6-Max) | $20 | $5,000 | 255 | $5,000.00 | $359.00 |
| 27 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $10,000 | 356 | $16,198.00 | n/a |
| 28 | NLHE (6-Max) | $100 | $20,000 | 190 | $20,000.00 | $2,558.00 |
| 29 | NLHE | $30 | $6,000 | 254 | $6,934.20 | n/a |
| 30 | 8-Game | $50 | $4,000 | 89 | $4,049.50 | n/a |
| 31 | NLHE (Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill Early Edition) | $10 | $4,000 | 527 | $4,795.70 | n/a |
| 32 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 461 | $20,975.50 | n/a |
| 33 | NLHE (Progressive KO, Mini Thursday Thrill) | $30 | $10,000 | 485 | $13,240.50 | n/a |
| 34 | NLHE (Summer Freeze) | $25 | $3,500 | 218 | $4,959.50 | n/a |
| 35 | PLO (6-Max, Turbo) | $5 | $1,000 | 210 | $1,000.00 | $44.50 |
| 36 | NLHE (4-Max, The Big $10 - 4-max Edition) | $10 | $3,000 | 298 | $3,000.00 | $288.20 |
| 37 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $10,000 | 295 | $13,422.50 | n/a |
| 38 | NLHE (8-Max, Mega-Stack Turbo) | $100 | $20,000 | 278 | $25,520.40 | n/a |
| 39 | NLHE | $20 | $4,000 | 278 | $5,059.60 | n/a |
| 40 | NLHE (6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO) | $5 | $1,000 | 255 | $1,198.50 | n/a |
| 41 | NLHE | $10 | $3,000 | 282 | $3,000.00 | $433.80 |
| 42 | NLHE (6-Max, Saturday Warm Up) | $20 | $5,000 | 247 | $5,000.00 | $504.60 |
| 43 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 277 | $12,603.50 | n/a |
| 44 | NLHE (8-Max, Progressive KO, Bigstack) | $100 | $30,000 | 327 | $30,018.60 | n/a |
| 45 | NLHE (8-Max, Progressive KO, Bigstack) | $30 | $10,000 | 422 | $11,520.60 | n/a |
| 46 | NLHE (6-Max, Summer Freeze) | $30 | $4,000 | 108 | $4,000.00 | $1,051.60 |
| 47 | 5-Card PLO (6-Max) | $10 | $1,500 | 138 | $1,500.00 | $244.20 |
| 48 | HORSE (6-Max) | $50 | $5,000 | 63 | $5,000.00 | $2,133.50 |
| 49 | NLHE (6-Max, Sunday Storm) | $10 | $3,000 | 259 | $3,000.00 | $643.10 |
| 50 | NLHE (Sunday Special) | $100 | $65,000 | 676 | $65,000.00 | $2,943.20 |
| 51 | NLHE (Sunday Special - Mid) | $30 | $15,000 | 559 | $15,260.70 | n/a |
| 52 | NLHE (Sunday Special - Low) | $5 | $3,500 | 635 | $3,500.00 | $610.75 |
| 53 | PLO (6-Max) | $30 | $3,500 | 95 | $3,500.00 | $906.50 |
| 54 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $20 | $3,000 | 217 | $3,949.40 | n/a |
| 55 | NLHE (Summer Freeze) | $50 | $10,000 | 286 | $13,013.00 | n/a |
| 56 | NLHE (7-Max) | $5 | $1,000 | 419 | $1,906.45 | n/a |
| 57 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 396 | $18,018.00 | n/a |
| 58 | NLHE (6-Max, Progressive KO, Battle Royale) | $100 | $25,000 | 263 | $25,000.00 | $856.60 |
| 59 | NLHE (6-Max, Progressive KO, Mini Battle Royale) | $30 | $10,000 | 364 | $10,000.00 | $62.80 |
| 60 | NLHE | $15 | $3,000 | 263 | $3,589.95 | n/a |
| 61 | NLHE (Super Tuesday Early Edition) | $20 | $6,000 | 455 | $8,281.00 | n/a |
| 62 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $10,000 | 365 | $16,607.50 | n/a |
| 63 | NLHE (Mini Super Tuesday) | $75 | $17,500 | 407 | $27,777.75 | n/a |
| 64 | NLHE (6-Max, Summer Freeze) | $15 | $2,500 | 220 | $3,003.00 | n/a |
| 65 | NLHE (4-Max, Turbo) | $30 | $4,000 | 177 | $4,832.10 | n/a |
| 66 | NLHE (6-Max, The Big $10 - 6-max Edition) | $10 | $3,000 | 371 | $3,376.10 | n/a |
| 67 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 410 | $18,655.00 | n/a |
| 68 | NLHE (6-Max) | $50 | $10,000 | 212 | $10,000.00 | $354.00 |
| 69 | NLHE | $100 | $15,000 | 181 | $16,615.80 | n/a |
| 70 | NLHE (8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO) | $15 | $2,000 | 382 | $5,214.30 | n/a |
| 71 | NLHE (Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill Early Edition) | $20 | $7,000 | 423 | $7,698.60 | n/a |
| 72 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 370 | $16,835.00 | n/a |
| 73 | NLHE (Progressive KO, Mini Thursday Thrill) | $75 | $17,500 | 333 | $22,727.25 | n/a |
| 74 | NLHE (Summer Freeze) | $50 | $6,000 | 108 | $6,000.00 | $1,086.00 |
| 75 | NLHE (6-Max, Hyper-Turbo) | $5 | $1,000 | 275 | $1,292.50 | n/a |
| 76 | NLHE (6-Max, Turbo, Fast Friday Early Edition) | $15 | $3,500 | 278 | $3,794.70 | n/a |
| 77 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $12,500 | 437 | $19,883.50 | n/a |
| 78 | NLHE (6-Max, Turbo, Fast Friday) | $100 | $15,000 | 161 | $15,000.00 | $220.20 |
| 79 | NLHE | $75 | $10,000 | 192 | $13,104.00 | n/a |
| 80 | NLHE (Heads-Up, Turbo, Prog. Total KO, Zoom) | $20 | $6,000 | 410 | $7,462.00 | n/a |
| 81 | NLHE (8-Max, Afternoon Bigstack) | $20 | $5,000 | 425 | $7,735.00 | n/a |
| 82 | Stud (6-Max) | $50 | $3,500 | 58 | $3,500.00 | $861.00 |
| 83 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $15,000 | 376 | $17,108.00 | n/a |
| 84 | NLHE (8-Max, Bigstack) | $100 | $25,000 | 337 | $30,936.60 | n/a |
| 85 | NLHE (8-Max, Bigstack) | $15 | $5,000 | 433 | $5,910.45 | n/a |
| 86 | NLHE (Summer Freeze) | $30 | $4,000 | 143 | $4,000.00 | $96.10 |
| 87 | NLHE (4-Max) | $100 | $15,000 | 173 | $15,881.40 | n/a |
| 88 | NLHE (Sunday Drive) | $30 | $7,500 | 337 | $9,200.10 | n/a |
| 89 | NLHE (6-Max, Half Price Sunday Storm) | $5 | $2,500 | 440 | $2,500.00 | $498.00 |
| 90 | NLHE (Main Event) | $100 | $100,000 | 1,443 | $132,467.40 | n/a |
| 91 | NLHE (Main Event - Mid) | $30 | $25,000 | 1,126 | $30,730.80 | n/a |
| 92 | NLHE (Main Event - Low) | $10 | $7,500 | 943 | $8,581.30 | n/a |
| 93 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $10,000 | 324 | $14,742.00 | n/a |
| 94 | NLHE (Summer Freeze) | $75 | $7,500 | 142 | $9,691.50 | n/a |
| 95 | NLHE (6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Bigstack) | $50 | $8,000 | 200 | $9,400.00 | n/a |
| 96 | NLHE (6-Max, Mega Stack) | $5 | $1,500 | 455 | $2,070.25 | n/a |
| 97 | NLHE (Summer Stars) | $100 | $25,000 | 399 | $36,628.20 | n/a |
| 98 | NLHE (8-Max, Nightly Summer Stack) | $50 | $15,000 | 413 | $18,791.50 | n/a |
| 99 | NLHE (4-Max, Shootout) | $30 | $7,000 | 146 | $7,000.00 | $3,014.20 |
| 100 | NLHE (Summer Freezeout - Last Call) | $10 | $1,500 | 256 | $2,329.60 | n/a |
| TOTALS | 35,376 | $1,295,035.20 | $22,281.25 |
Lead image c/o Dreamstime.
