$1,650 Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em
Players Remaining: 3
Level 4: 150/300

Early in this heads-up match, finalist Ari Engel dropped by the table to offer Alex Foxen and Aaron Mermelstein a deal. He proposed that they forgo the best-of-three final, regardless of who his opponent would be, and chop the first- and second-place money evenly. Both potential opponents agreed to the deal, and Engel was declared the winner. All that was left was to decide with whom he’d be chopping.

In the Mermelstein/Foxen semifinal, Mermelstein had recovered from the early chip disadvantage to take a lead of his own, and he was eventually able to win the second game outright.

With the score tied at one game apiece, the two men decided to chop up their own shares of the remaining prize money and call it a night. Foxen officially gets credit for a runner-up finish, though he and Mermelstein each received the same payout.

Here’s the official results from the deal:
1st: Ari Engel – $28,800 + trophy
2nd: Alex Foxen – $19,200
3rd: Aaron Mermelstein – $19,200

A recap of Engel’s victory will be published shortly.