PokerStars Summer Series Qualifier Elias Garney is Crushing it on the Felt
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The return of PokerStars live events in the United States has brought about massive fields and excitement to Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia's Summer Series.
One of many players who competed in the first event of the series, Elias Garney from White Haven, Pennsylvania, a town about 100 miles away, qualified for the $550 buy-in tournament on PokerStars PA via a $50 satellite.
Garney, 35, might not be a household name, but he's become an accomplished poker player both live and online. The Penn State University graduate with a degree in electrical engineering chopped with Matthew Gross heads-up and received $69,568 in Event #1. Gross took home the trophy, but both players were paid the same amount.
It wasn't the first big score this year for Garney, who also won a World Series of Poker (WSOP) online bracelet this summer in the $500 No-Limit Hold'em Summer Saver event.
Garney, who spoke with PokerNews following his Summer Series chop, attributed his poker success "largely in part" to his supportive girlfriend, Julie, and his two young children.
Great for Poker
Garney, who plays on PokerStars PA under the screen name "TightIsRight570," referred to the tournament at Philadelphia Live! as the "best run event I have played thus far" at the host casino. He raved about the structure.
"The chatter and vibes at the tables was full of excitement, for this series and also what the future will bring to the Philly poker scene," Garney said.
PokerStars is currently hosting its first live event in the United States in years. The online poker giant will host a second event in Las Vegas come November with the return of the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) for the first time since 2012.
"PokerStars' name associated with these tournaments appeared to have brought in a lot of new faces," the online qualifier said of the Summer Series.
Garney Discusses Impressive Year of Poker
Garney began playing no-limit hold'em in high school and his "love for the game grew around this time." Earlier this year, he lost his job and had some tough decisions to make. That is when he began to take poker more seriously with the support of his family, and it's paid off in spades.
"It’s been a pretty unreal few weeks for me," Garney said. "Winning a bracelet and then my high score in a few short weeks of another seems too good to be true."
It might seem "too good to be true" right now for Garney, but if he keeps it up, deep runs in major events will become something he just comes to expect.
"I am playing my best poker right now and my confidence is sky high."
As a result of that increased confidence, Garney is producing the best results of his poker career. And there's no reason to think the heater won't continue.
