It was one of the biggest weekends for online tournament players in New Jersey and it might actually be the biggest of all time with three different online poker festivals taking place at the same time and two tournaments with at least a $100,000 prize pool on two different networks.
NJCOOP Kicked Off on PokerStars NJ
The first-ever New Jersey Championship of Online Poker (NJCOOP) kicked off on PokerStars NJ over the weekend. The online poker festival features 43 exciting events with $1.2 million in guaranteed prize pools from Oct. 15-31.
Seven events were already in the books by the end of Friday with "BOnEheAd109" being the biggest winner of the series thus far by taking down the NJCOOP-04: $250 NL Hold'em [Sunday Special SE], $100,000 Gtd for $19,878. Also with five-digit paydays in this tournament were "Cass N Hoes" taking second place for $14,646 and "MrA.Iverson3" snagging third place for $10,723.
Other players to win NJCOOP events on Sunday included "TheChosen175" (NJCOOP-03: $150 NL Hold'em [Progressive SuperKO], $30,000 Gtd - $7,132 including bounties), "09123459" (NJCOOP-06: $100 PL Omaha [8-Max], $15,000 Gtd - $3,625) and "hyerolla777" (NJCOOP-07: $150 NL Hold'em [Sunday SuperSonic SE, Hyper-Turbo], $15,000 Gtd - $4,304).
While not part of the NJCOOP, the Sunday High Roller [6-Max], $15,000 Gtd generated almost double the field size as usually takes place with 69 entrants, thanks to the festival attracting players, ponying up the $500 to create a $32,430 prize pool.
New Jersey's "loxonbagel" was able to take the most advantage of the bigger-than-normal tournament by taking home the top prize of $9,729 against a star-studded final table which included Team PokerStars Pro Jason "jcarverNJ" Somerville who took third place for $4,865.
GSSS V Entered Its Second Week on partypoker NJ & BorgataPoker.com
The fifth edition of the Garden State Super Series (GSSS) on partypoker NJ and BorgataPoker.com features 75 action-packed events from Oct. 9-23 with a whopping $1.1 million in guaranteed prize pools.
This past weekend AJ "Chips_Jammed" Ten Hoeve became the biggest winner so far in the festival by finishing on top of a 360-entrant field to win the GSSS #36 - $100,000 GTD NLH for $18,020. Remarkably, this is Ten Hoeve's second five-digit haul of the month. On Oct. 2, he shipped the PokerStars NJ Sunday Special for $10,225.
Meanwhile the GSSS #37 - $50,000 GTD NLH High Roller Six-Max ended with two five-digit winners with Daniel "centrfieldr23" Lupo and Joseph "joey1way" Fortuna agreeing to a heads-up deal awarding the duo $12,784 and $10,716, respectfully.
Also ending in a heads-up deal was the GSSS #40 - $15,000 GTD Sunday Seconds with Kevin "ExiledLegend" Roster officially finishing in first place for $3,901 and Keith "T1mB3y_B33F" Donovan grabbing second place for $3,572.
Two other players to win GSSS V events on Sunday included "SwaggyP" (GSSS #38 - MAJOR: Daily $20,000 GTD NLH - $4,598) and "RickSanchez" (GSSS #39 - MAJOR: Daily $10,000 GTD NLH - $2,300).
Fall Poker Festival in the Books at WSOP.com NJ
The third edition of the Fall Poker Festival at WSOP.com NJ is now on the books. The series by far was the smallest of the three running in October with eight events running from Oct. 9-16 featuring a combined $65,000 in guaranteed prizes.
New Jersey's "ohudidntknow" walked away the big winner of the festival by winning the $35,000 GTD R&A Fall Poker Festival Main Event - Ring Event for $10,500. This player not only banked a huge score, but his victory also awarded him with a coveted WSOP.com Champion’s Ring.
This wasn't the biggest event of the day at WSOP.com NJ who coordinated with 888poker NJ to host the $50,000 Ultimate Warrior as they do each and every Sunday; "bucknaked64" won the $13,500 top prize.
Big Action Continues Next Weekend!
The action might be even bigger next Sunday than it was this past one with the GSSS V capping off its extravaganza: The $320 GSSS #69 - $175,000 GTD Main Event NLH on Oct. 23 and the $1,060 GSSS #70 - $75,000 GTD NLH High Roller.
Meanwhile, the NJCOOP heads into its second week over the weekend with Sunday highlighted by the NJCOOP 21: $350 NL Hold'em [Sunday Special SE], $100,000 Gtd. Additionally the NJCOOP 5: $50 NL Hold'em [6-Max], $50,000 Gtd will kick off its second day of action on Sunday, Oct. 23. Players have already been trying to qualify into the second day with eight opening flights taking place from Oct. 16-23.
NJCOOP-04: $250 NL Hold'em [Sunday Special SE], $100,000 Gtd
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$233+17
449
$104,617
Place
Player
Prize
1
BOnEheAd109
$19,877.51
2
Cass N Hoes
$14,646.38
3
MrA.Iverson3
$10,723.24
4
asremb
$8,160.12
5
justcuz77
$5,753.93
6
s3lfreliance
$4,446.22
7
ClownUpGuy
$3,400.05
8
scamfest
$2,353.88
9
Michael "systematuk" Matuk
$1,736.64
NJCOOP-06: $100 PL Omaha [8-Max], $15,000 Gtd
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$91.80+8.20
195
$104,617
Place
Player
Prize
1
09123459
$3,625.07
2
Jacob "SGTPowell" Perry
$2,774.65
3
Ken Kratz
$2,058.61
4
Meatball20
$1,521.58
5
JWG_In_NJ
$984.55
6
TALLENTD
$805.54
7
Potion88
$626.53
8
Ü LuckSack
$492.27
9
WhostolemyRR
$358.02
NJCOOP-07: $150 NL Hold'em [Sunday SuperSonic SE, Hyper-Turbo], $15,000 Gtd
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$142.50+7.50
155
$22,087.50
Place
Player
Prize
1
hyerolla777
$4,303.75
2
Justin "L0ck1tUp" Wong
$3,868.71
3
Douglas "Badwis" Weider
$2,595.28
4
AndytheTimid
$1,932.65
5
SmokenSubaru
$1,325.25
6
Three6Latvia
$1,104.37
7
Brandon "mudcookie" Shane
$883.50
8
ShallowH@l
$662.62
9
Christie2020
$441.75
*Reflects heads-up deal
GSSS #36 - $100,000 GTD NLH
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$200+15
360
$100,000
Place
Player
Prize
1
AJ "Chips_Jammed" Ten Hoeve
$18,020.00
2
FepsFan10
$12,770.00
3
sansara52
$9,000.00
4
TrixR4Kidz
$7,400.00
5
ElephantLuvr
$6,350.00
6
donkyluckbox
$5,350.00
7
HygieneMan
$4,350.00
8
davidabcdefg
$3,350.00
9
MYSTICMOUNTAIN
$2,360.00
GSSS #37 - $50,000 GTD NLH High Roller 6Max
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$500+35
92
$50,000
Place
Player
Prize
1
Daniel "centrfieldr23" Lupo
$12,784.37*
2
Joseph "joey1way" Fortuna
$10,715.64*
3
Jeremy "Jermz" Danger
$6,750.00
4
lolpokers
$5,000.00
5
David "TheKing411" Coleman
$3,750.00
6
RackCityB1tch
$2,750.00
*Reflects heads-up deal
GSSS #38 - MAJOR: Daily $20,000 GTD NLH
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$100+9
209
$20,900
Place
Player
Prize
1
SwaggyP
$4,598.00
2
Michael "Gags30" Gagliano
$3,114.10
3
Alvaro "Exit9Polarizer" Holguin
$2,142.25
4
David "phatchoy" Cheng
$1,692.90
5
Hashtag_Hashtag
$1,274.90
6
Paul "Getchipz82" Silva
$1,045.00
7
im_riley
$836.00
8
Yong "OWNEDLOLUMAD" Kwon
$658.35
9
turtle102
$522.50
GSSS #39 - MAJOR: Daily $10,000 GTD NLH
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$50+5
185
$10,000
Place
Player
Prize
1
RickSanchez
$2,300.00
2
Ted "roystalin" Ely
$1,545.00
3
chipperrr
$1,050.00
4
Anthony "YouPayMyRent" Pagan
$825.00
5
jimlarry
$610.00
6
Vinny "brownmagic" Pahuja
$500.00
7
Ryan "iLikeTo4betU" Hohner
$400.00
8
thekdwood
$315.00
9
pitt72
$250.00
GSSS #40 - $15,000 GTD Sunday Seconds
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$150+12
106
$15,900
Place
Player
Prize
1
Kevin "ExiledLegend" Roster
$3,901.47*
2
Keith "T1mB3y_B33F" Donovan
$3,571.54*
3
pokerypf
$2,146.50
4
Hashtag_Hashtag
$1,431.00
5
theborg123
$1,152.75
6
Andrew "laumserg" Glauberg
$914.25
7
Royalty
$715.50
8
Noone1014
$556.50
9
Joseph "megolaman1ac" Liberta
$437.25
$10,000 Warriors’ Opening Strike
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$45.50+4.50
169
$11,329.50
Place
Player
Prize
1
JD1234
$3,058.96
2
onoreally
$1,784.39
3
Joshua "BruceLeroy" Baer
$1,019.65
4
David "phatdaddy" Cheng
$793.06
5
John "hop0019" Hopkins
$679.77
6
Ted "olmuggins" Ely
$566.47
7
RIP_Neiko
$430.52
8
Jigsaw
$271.90
9
Yong "LuckySpewy1" Kwon
$192.60
$50,000 Ultimate Warrior
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$185+15
184
$50,000
Place
Player
Prize
1
bucknaked64
$13,500.00
2
Maggs
$7,875.00
3
poneeboi
$4,500.00
4
David "draiman517" Raiman
$3,500.00
5
mag8500
$3,000.00
6
Deezer
$2,500.00
7
sps8710
$1,900.00
8
John "hop0019" Hopkins
$1,200.00
9
Joshua "thejberg" Rothberg
$850.00
$35,000 GTD R&A Fall Poker Festival Main Event - Ring Event
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$185+15
77
$35,000
Place
Player
Prize
1
ohudidntknow
$10,500.00
2
pokerypf0102
$7,000.00
3
Andrew "smaulerg" Glauberg
$4,200.00
4
n.h.t.w
$3,325.00
5
Fred "BiggDaddy" Farrell
$2,800.00
6
Blacktomas
$2,100.00
7
Michael "LeftSid3" Haberman Jr
$1,750.00
8
HelloFriend
$1,400.00
9
mrsblonde6
$1,050.00
$10,000 Fierce Warrior
Buy-in
Entrants
Prize Pool
$91+9
103
$13,104
Place
Player
Prize
1
Anna "JewJon" Antimony
$3,669.12
2
Bob "SLHalper" Taylor
$2,122.84
3
John "hop0019" Hopkins
$1,218.67
4
Av1988
$956.59
5
Anthony "Flawlessbink" Maio
$825.55
6
abiyatzee
$694.51
7
Fred "BiggDaddy" Farrell
$550.36
8
solidrock
$366.91
9
Ted "olmuggins" Ely
$275.18
If you play regulated online poker tournaments in New Jersey and would like your real name appearing in future articles, please contact this editor at [email protected] or on Twitter under @JaxonPoker.
*Special thanks to PocketFives.com for some of the data in this article.