Event #1 Day 1-B Deep Stack Chip Counts

Gregory Allan Bock (Day 1-B second place)

Event #1 Day 1-B Unofficial Chip Leaders:

Ryan Wolfson ......................................288,000

Gregory Allan Bock .................................281,300

Yat Cheng ...........................................259,200

Eric Doerr .............................................251,400

Michael Johnson ...................................249,200

Derek Belfoure .....................................232,700

Al "Jedi" Nepomnyaschiy ............................226,200

Jason Loss .............................................223,500

Stephen Gerber .......................................222,400

Dave Zeitlin ..........................................210,700

John Panza ............................................210,000

James Graff ...........................................202,300

Brendan Kashuba ..................................175,000

1B - 207 players remain.
1A - 103 players remain.

310 total players combined from 1A + 1B (both days)

Average chip stack: 98,000

Official chip counts will be posted after 10am Monday.
Play resumes at noon.

Level 13 - Final of the Night

This is it - Level 13 1200-2400 blinds.....300 antes. Last level of the night.

Tables from the Poker Room will bag chips there and are not condensing into The Signature Room.

We'll have unofficial chip leaders up shortly.

Felted Friends Await Next Tournament

Frankie "Calzone" Monte & Norman Barao

Frankie "Calzone" Monte (Hammonton, NJ) and good friend Norman Barao (Chester, NY) both were short stacked and both get knocked out with pocket kings.

Frankie's K-K loses to Q-Q and Norman's K-K loses to A-A.

So what's next I asked as they sit at an empty table plotting a strategy for the remaining tournaments. "I love the second chance tournaments. I'm gonna play it every night I can" says Norman.

Frankie's not giving up either. He plans on coming back strong in the Spring Poker Open - either the 400 or the 300.

Babyface Killer Up To 250,000

Anthony "Babyface Killer" Merrill chops down and felts a monster stack in three consecutive hands.

Anthony grows his stack from 80,000 up to 250,000 in back to back to back hands.

The final blow was Killer's A-A vs. A-K. Three hearts on the flop four flushes big slick.

All-in and A-A holds up - no heart. Babyface Killer is living up to his name.

"Loss" Wins with A-A Thrice

Jason Loss (McSherrystown, PA) had A-A hold up three times to pad his 140,000 big stack.

Just started Level 12 (1000/2000 blinds) antes - 300.

Once we finish 13 we're done for the night!

Snake Bitten

Jake "The Snake"

Usually the snake pit is teaming with vipers, but Jake Deutsch is the only member of "Team Snake" playing in Event 1. The rest of the four member crew couldn't make the trip from Staten Island, leaving Jake "The Snake" alone in the pit.

"I slither in and then snake out," says Deutsch which prompts the rest of the table to join in with the puns.

"Aces were snake bitten earlier," adds one player as he rolls his eyes.

Deutsch doubles up with pocket 10s against pocket aces when he spikes a 10 on the turn. He's turned 38k into 87k and is around the chip average.

300 Club

Half the tables in The Signature Room are empty as the field continues to shrink. The goal is to clear enough tables so the remaining players in the Poker Room can move to the Signature Room.

Right now there's 18 tables left in the Poker Room and 12 in The Signature Room (25 max). A total of 300 players remain from Day 1B and the average stack is 77k.

After playing through Level 13, play will stop for the night and the remaining players join the 103 players from Day 1A. The combined field returns Monday at Noon to play for the Borgata Spring Poker Open's first championship.

Not Clowning Around

Eric "Clown Fish" Doerr

Happened to stumble over a huge hand.

Once the river card fell, Eric "Clown Fish" Doerr bet a pot sized 35,000 from the big blind.

Opponent was struggling over a board of A♦10♥7♠7♦K♣. Eric - "I put him on Ace rag since he limped in. With the king falling I know he thinks he's looking at a chop."

Opponent calls and Eric tables A-7 for the full-house.

150,000 in the pot. Eric is now sitting among the leaders with 195,000.

Looking for the Double-Up

Hang-Eng Around

Players who survived through the dinner break are now trying to make moves to stay around until Day 2. Unfortunately for a couple of Borgata regulars, their day is over.

Robert Varkoyni (Great Neck, NY) is on the rail and as the former WSOP bracelet winner walks by the media table says, "you can't win them all."

Cathy Dever (Ephrata, PA) is also out. "Mark my words, my luck will turn around tomorrow," she says while looking forward to Event 2 which kicks off 11 am Monday.

Those still hanging around include Michele Hughes (Martinsburg, WV) and Gordon Eng (Cliffside Park, NJ), who are below the chip average of 60k.

Eng doubles up after dropping to 11k. He then shoves all in with ace, king off suit to take down another small pot. Eng's now at 38k, while Hughes has less than 20k.

Level 11 (800/1600/200 ante) is underway.

Like Taking Candy From A Babyface Killer

Anthony "Babyface Killer" Merill

Anthony Merill (Long Island, NY) turned 21 in August of 2009 and is trying to make his entire table cry wee wee wee wee all the way home.

He chose Borgata and this deepstack for his first ever live tournament.

"They call me Babyface Killer" proclaimed Merill.
Has this kid's voice even changed yet?
"I've been playing underground in NY since I was sixteen" said Anthony.

Indeed Killer's pocket two's sliced up pocket kings after a 2 hit the flop.

With that double-up Babyface Killer is currently at 125,000.

Slow & Steady

772 players started Day 1B and half the field is gone. Right now 390 players remain and the tournament staff is hopeful that they can move the remaining tables from the Poker Room into The Signature Room.

The average stack is just under 50k.

Level 10 (600/1,200/200) is underway.

Nicoles Joins 100,000 Club

Fotios Nicoles (Clifton, NJ) has been at the same table in The Signature Room since "Shuffle Up And Deal".

He recently doubled up after jamming the flop with Q-Q on a board of under cards. Top pair called and lost.

Foti says hello to avid Borgata Blog readers "The Kavourakis Boys In The City".

Foti has 100,000 in front of him.

Fast Food

After a fast 45 minute dinner break players are back in action as Level 9 (500/1,000/100 ante) is underway.

Play wraps tonight after Level 13, sometime after 11 pm.

Dinner Time!

Since I keep getting asked this question, the total number of chips in play should be 30,350,000.

In a three-way pre-flop all-in, seat 6 was the short stack who open-shoved. Then Seat 7 shoved. Seat 10 gave it some thought, then called, having both other players covered. Seat 6 held JT off and was way behind. Seat 7 held pocket Queens for the lead and Seat 10 held AK off. The flop of K T 6 gave the lead to the big stack and left two players in jeopardy.

A Queen fell on the turn, giving seat seat 7 and set and the lead once again. The river card changed the lead once again as an Ace fell, giving the short-stack a runner-runner Broadway straight and the triple-up. Seat 7 took the side pot with his set of Queens and Seat 10 was left shaking his head.

Mike "Little Man" Sica

Over on Table 34, six players limped to the flop of A 9 7. The blinds checked to seat 3, who fired 1,800. Seat 5 (hijack) called and Mike 'Little Man' Sica called from the button. The other players dropped out. Turn was a Jack and seat 3 launched 3,300 into the pot. Both players called. River was another 9 and all three players checked. Mike declared "I've got an Ace" and seat 3 rolled over A6 suited. Seat 5 mucked and Mike showed A6 offsuit to split the pot.

Our suspected chip leader, Jason Nguyen, has dropped back to about 140k, but still appears to hold the lead.

In a hand that extended well into the break, Jason Flad of Brooklyn, NY (known as "seat 8" in an earlier post) bet 30k on a flop of 6 5 3 with two spades. Mark Hansen (button) tanked for about 12 minutes, well into the dinner break, then shoved for 42,500. The third player folded quickly and Jason called, showing AQ of spades for the nut flush draw. Mark held pocket Jacks. It was over quickly as the deuce of spades landed on the turn, completing Jason's flush and leaving Mark drawing dead. Jason chipped up to about 130k, closing in on the chip leader.

Level 8 is over and players have scattered to enjoy their 45 minute dinner break. Play will resume at about 6:45 pm.

Don't Feed The Siegels

Eric Siegel

P.P.I. - Poker Players International's Marketing and Player Development Leader Eric Siegel has built his stack to 100,000 to be among the unofficial chip leaders.

Notable hands include: pocket queens holding up against an A-5 shove, A-A holding up against A-K, and how about 10♠J♠ on a flop of 9♠A♠8♥ - Eric wins a monster pot when his 7♠ hits the turn.

One thing I noticed is that Eric, the New York poker veteran always seems to be having fun with the table while still playing good solid poker.

Payouts!

The numbers are finally official! The total player count for this event, combining days 1A and 1B, is 1,214, creating a total buy-in of $607,000. The final 100 players will get paid as follows:

Place Payout
1 $127,060
2 $83,902
3 $45,630
4 $39,742
5 $33,854
6 $27,967
7 $22,079
8 $16,192
9 $11,776
10-12 $7,654
13-15 $5,594
16-18 $3,533
19-27 $2,650
28-36 $2,237
37-45 $1,884
46-54 $1,649
55-63 $1,472
64-72 $1,295
73-81 $1,178
82-90 $1,060
91-100 $942

Gotta Give Props to Roxane

Roxane Duguay (Montreal, Canada) is smiling and having some fun with tablemate Mike. She's keeping track of what color cards hit the flop, turn, and river. No high-stakes money involved, just for fun claims Duguay.

Her black cards are winning to Mike's red 57-45.

Roxane just played all week at the NAPT and drove down with some friends to play here.

She's currently hovering at 38,000.

Level 8 has begun. Blinds 400/800. Ante - 75.

Final level before dinner break.

Multi-way Pots!

In a three-way pre-flop all-in, seat 6 was the short stack who open-shoved. Then Seat 7 shoved. Seat 10 gave it some thought, then called, having both other players covered. Seat 6 held JT off and was way behind. Seat 7 held pocket Queens for the lead and Seat 10 held AK off. The flop of K T 6 gave the lead to the big stack and left two players in jeopardy.

A Queen fell on the turn, giving seat seat 7 and set and the lead once again. The river card changed the lead once again as an Ace fell, giving the short-stack a runner-runner Broadway straight and the triple-up. Seat 7 took the side pot with his set of Queens and Seat 10 was left shaking his head.

Over on Table 34, six players limped to the flop of A 9 7. The blinds checked to seat 3, who fired 1,800. Seat 5 (hijack) called and Mike 'Little Man' Sica called from the button. The other players dropped out. Turn was a Jack and seat 3 launched 3,300 into the pot. Both players called. River was another 9 and all three players checked. Mike declared "I've got an Ace" and seat 3 rolled over A6 suited. Seat 5 mucked and Mike showed A6 offsuit to split the pot.

Our suspected chip leader, Jason Nguyen, has dropped back to about 140k, but still appears to hold the lead.

Nguyen-Nguyen Situation

Jason Nguyen

On the turn with a board of A♥J♦4♥5♣, Hiep Nguyen moved all-in. After a bit of time in the tank, seat 6 made the call, showing J♥9♥ for a pair of Jacks with the flush draw. Hiep held pocket 4s for the set and the lead. The river was the Q♣ and no help to seat 6. He was left circling the drain with less than 1k in chips.

Over on table 35 is our unofficial chip leader. Jason Nguyen is sitting behind about 155k and appears to be way out in front of the pack.

Final payouts have been announced and will be posted shortly.

Young Gun Firing

Malik Wiggins

Malik Wiggins (Columbus, OH) is sitting on 65,000 in chips.

Malik - "Basically no suck-outs and no bad beats. Doubled up after flopping a set of fours to an overpair of kings."

Malik just turned 21 so this is his first tournament at Borgata. He's young, but not young to the game. Wiggins has been playing live poker for four years at an Indian casino in NY that allows players 18 and older to play.

Look out Joe Cada.