$550 Summer Series Event 1 Day 1ab | 2023 PokerStars Summer Series

08-24-2023 17:25 UTC-4

PokerStars Confirms $7 Million In Guarantees For 2023 NACOOP Schedule

Chad Holloway

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Poker players in North America can look forward to a guaranteed $7 million worth of tournaments for PokerStars' inaugural NACOOP.

This event brings the thrill of the PokerStars flagship Championship Of Online Poker series to the markets in Ontario, Pennsylvania, and the combined Michigan/New Jersey market.

For the first time ever, the COOPs in these three markets are being synchronized to create the combined season of NACOOP.

Of the $7,000,000 in guarantees, $3,000,000 is earmarked for tournaments in the combined Michigan and New Jersey market. PACOOP will get $2,500,000. And the ONCOOP gets the remaining $1,500,000 — which comes to about 2,000,000 CAD.

The NACOOP series launches on September 15 in all three markets. The high-octane action will continue until October 2.

During this time players aren't just competing for the huge cash prizes, there will also be a 24-karat gold-plated trophy for the winners of the NACOOP Main Events in each market.

To play the NACOOP in the US, you will need to sign up for an account with PokerStars PA, PokerStars NJ, or PokerStars MI. You will need to be located within the relevant state in order to play.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming NACOOP!

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,500/2,500

Ante: 2,500

08-24-2023 17:19 UTC-4

Sontarp Wins With a Cold Deck

Jeremy Geist

Level 11 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Action was opened under the gun to 4,500. A player in middle position called and then Michael Sontarp three-bet to 14,500. Both players called.

The flop landed J♣J♥5♣ and action checked to Sontarp who continued for 14,000. Under the gun called and middle position folded.

The turn brought in the flush draw with a 6♣ and action checked through to a fourth club in the 8♣.

Action checked through again and when the cards hit their backs both players didn't hold a club but they saw that the hand could've been much more bloody. Under the gun tabled Q♠Q♥ and Sontarp tabled K♠K♥.

Sontarp snagged another pot to put him close to the top of the leaderboard.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Sontarp	204,000 151,000	151,000

Tags: Michael Sontarp

Level: 11

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 2,000

08-24-2023 16:45 UTC-4

Important Message About Parking

Jeremy Geist

Level 10 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Important message for players who will be joining the PokerStars Summer Series action this week at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia.

If you plan to play the following events, this information is for you:

Thursday:
Summer Series Event #1 – Day 1b

Friday:
Summer Series Event #1 – Day 1d

Sunday:
Summer Series Event #1 – Day 2

Summer Series $330 NLH Turbo

$80 Satellite to PokerStars PA Coop Mian Event

Due to the Eagles preseason games and the Phillies games, Live! Casino will start charging for parking around three hours before the game begins, continuing one hour after the start.

You can save some money by playing four hours of poker and staff will provide a voucher to be reimbursed at the main cage! Playing less than four hours pays slot money.

08-24-2023 16:42 UTC-4

Book Drills the Nuts

Jeremy Geist

Level 10 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

There was an all in announced from under the gun to 21,000. A player in middle position also went all in and action made it to Christopher Book on the button. He went into the tank for a moment but eventually stuck in the chips having both players covered. The blinds folded and the cards hit their backs.

Under the Gun: 7♥7♣
Middle Position: A♣K♦
Christopher Book: A♠K♠

The dealer burned and turned a 5♠8♠9♠ flop that left no sweat for Book as he drilled the nuts. The last two cards would be irrelevant and Book would take down a massive pot late in Day 1.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christopher Book	143,000

Tags: Christopher Book

Level: 10

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 1,600

08-24-2023 16:00 UTC-4

Wirsch Bombs the River

Jeremy Geist

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Action was opened in late position to 2,500. The cutoff called, the small blind called, and Evan Wirsch closed the action in the big blind. Wirsch is another online qualifier that earned his seat through a $10 step satellite on PokerStars.com.

The J♣4♣2♦ landed on the flop and action checked to the original raiser who continued for 3,000. The cutoff folded and both blinds called.

The 9♣ landed on the turn and action quickly checked through to an 8♠ river.

The small blind checked again but Wirsch took his time before putting out a bet of 11,000. Unfortunately he didn't get any action as both players cards found the much and Wirsch scooped.

How far can he spin his $10 satellite ticket?

Player	Chips	Progress
Evan Wirsch	45,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Evan Wirsch

08-24-2023 15:48 UTC-4

Lost and Found: Poker Player Tries for 43 Days to Locate Missing Cat - What Happened?

Kaelaine Minton

Level 9 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Zach Gruneberg, a poker player from Pennsylvania with more than $2.2 million in lifetime tournament earnings, recently lost one of his cats, who escaped from his home while he was out in Las Vegas. What ensued was a frantic search-and-rescue effort that spanned a month and a half.

More specifically, it was a 43-day affair “through hell and back” according to Gruneberg, a five-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit ring winner, including back-to-back wins in the WSOP PA Online Series at the end of July.
Gruneberg, who is nine years clean and sober, is on Twitter as @HustlerGrune where it states he is both an anime addict and cat dad.

One of those cats is a sleek gray feline named “Nook.” “Nook is the only cat I've had since he was a kitten,” Gruneberg told PokerNews. “He is a super friendly high energy guy that loves to jump up into high places and play more so than any of my other cats.”

So, what’s the story behind Nook’s disappearance?