Last Break of the Day

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

End of level 6 and players have evacuated the Signature Room for 15 minutes. The sound level in this room has dropped from a roar to near silence, except for the player yelling in the back of the room.

Shortly before the break, Geb Goitom shoved on a flop of Q 7 5 with two hearts. His opponent beat him into the pot showing AJ of hearts for the flush draw. Geb held 96 off for nothing but a gutshot. The last two came Q 3 and Ace-high was good to take the pot. Geb hit the rail.

Geb Goitom - Goner

Frangos Fragged

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

When action folded to him on the button, Nick Frangos moved his last chips in. The player on his left in the small blind looked him up with pocket 8s. Nick was racing with A9 offsuit. The board came 5 4 3 6 T and missed Nick completely. He headed for the exit.

Players continue to exit and tables continue to break. They're down to 19 active tables now so 190 or fewer players remain.

Nick Frangos

383 = $355k

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

The final numbers are in:

Entries 383 (254 for Day 1B)
Buy-in Amount: $1,263,900
Top Prize: ~$353,000
Places Paid: 36
Min Cash: ~$6,100

We'll post a complete prize list breakdown shortly.

Cimpan Crushed, Kicked to the Kurb

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

James Woods' table was broken and he landed at table 5 along with Cornel Andrew Cimpan & Kevin Saul. All three were involved in this hand. I picked up the action after the flop, which was 9 8 3 with two hearts. It was checked to Cimpan on the button, who bet 2,700.

Kevin then check-raised to 7,700. Woods (cutoff) folded and Cimpan tanked for a bit. He eventually decided to move all in and Kevin snap-called, showing pocket 8s for the set. Cimpan held pocket Queens and was in dire shape. The last two came offsuit 3 5 and Cimpan was busted.

Kevin is now clearly the chip leader with 'heaps' of chips. My eyeball-estimate is about 165k.

Random Draws?

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Table 22 was broken and the players at that table were 'randomly' assigned empty seats throughout the room. Despite the 'random' nature of the draw, 2-time WPT titlist Cornel Andrew Cimpan has landed at the same table as WPT titlist Kevin Saul.

There was some discussion among the players about who he (Cimpan) was so I outed him. "You're about to be outed in the blog anyway, so they might as well know." I told him.

Cornel Andrew Cimpan - 2 WPT Titles in 2009

What's Your Bling Factor?

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

"Bling Factor" is a count of how many WSOP bracelets, WSOP Circuit rings, and WPT titles (bracelets) a player has. I was just going through the room calculating Bling Factors and here are the ones I spotted:

Dwyte Pilgrim - 3 (1 WSOP Circuit Championship and 2 WSOP Circuit preliminary events)
Cornel Andrew Cimpan - 2 (WPT titles)
Kevin Saul - 1 (WPT title)
Farzad Rouhani - 1 (WSOP bracelet)
Rick Rossetti - 1 (WSOP Circuit Championship)
Jeff King - 1 (WSOP Circuit Championship)
Chris Klodnicki - 1 (WSOP Circuit Championship)

That's a lot of bling. The winner of this event will get some bling of his own as there is a bracelet and a trophy for the winner. This is the bracelet awarded for event #4, the East Coast Championship.

Blinds Up

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Play has resumed with Level 5, blinds 100/200 with 25 antes.

During the break, I scoped out the stacks and Sirous Jamshidi, aka "Junk Yard Tony", is the chip leader with ~98k. Some other random chip counts:

Kevin Saul - 78k
Mike Dentale - 70k
Adam Junglen - 55k

22 Tables remain, so 220 or fewer players remain today. Still waiting for the official, final numbers.

Satellite Table

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Van Driesen & Chang (l-r) and Lipson (far right)

Currently four players at table 15 are satellite qualifiers from earlier in the week.

Roger Van Driesen (Whiting, NJ), Allen Chang (Brooklyn, NY) and Rich Lipson (Feasterville, PA) all paid $390 and earned their $3500 voucher, while Johannsy Joseph (Spring Valley, NY) survived the $750 satty to get in.

"It's a fantastic opportunity and great experience," says Lipson, "I'm ready to win."

Kevin Saul in the House

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Kevin 'BeLOWaBOVe' Saul is playing today and I somehow managed to miss him on my previous orbits of the room. He's doing well, currently up to about 75k. Kevin has over $2 million in live tournament earnings including a win at the 2007 Bellagio Cup III $10k WPT main event, good for $1.3 million. He had to play Mike 'the Mouth' Matusow head-up to win that event.

Today Kevin is sharing his table with Maurice Hawkins, Eric 'sheets' Haber, and Robert Kalteux (8th in the $400 NL & 8th in the $1,500 NL event here a few days ago).

Kevin Saul

Lippy Lost, Left

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Adam 'Lippy' Lippert (small blind) raised to 625 after a couple of limpers. Tim Ulmer (Willow Grove, PA) called from the big blind and the limpers came along for the ride. The flop came A 8 4 -- all hearts. Adam checked, Tim bet 1,600, the limpers folded, Adam check-raised to 3,100, Tim raised to 7k straight and Adam called.

Turn was an offsuit Jack and Adam bet 11k. Tim moved in and Adam called all-in, showing pocket 4s for the set. Tim held 62 of hearts for the flush. River was a brick and Tim collected a big pot. New daddy Adam headed for the door.

Tim Ulmer

Glantz Gone

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Playing 50/100, Matt Glantz opened for 300, Vinny Pahuja raised to 825, Joseph Capalbi (small blind) flatted as did Matt. The flop came J 6 2 with two diamonds. They checked to Vinny, who bet 1,600. Joseph kicked it up to 6,600 straight. Matt raised to 16k, Vinny folded, and after some thought, Joseph moved all-in for about 12k more.

Matt called, showing KQ of diamonds for the flush draw with two overs. His overs were no good, however, as Joseph held pocket 2s for the set. The last two came offsuit A 8 and Joseph took the pot. Matt took the walk to the rail.

Matt Glantz and Vinny Pahuja

They're now in level 4 with blinds of 100/200. Table 25 has broken, so 24 tables remain.

Baby Boom in the Poker Room

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

It seems that the poker world is experiencing a Baby Boom. We've already blogged about Maurice Hawkins' newborn and Matt Brady's 5-month-old. Today I learned there's another new dad in the house.

Adam Lippert (Brooklyn, NY) and his wife Nicoleta had a baby girl on March 28th, just one month ago. Her name is Julianna and she's a cutie. The proud papa wasn't able to play as many events during this series as he normally would due to trips home, but he's here today showing off the baby pics.

Congrats Nicoleta & Adam!

Adam Lippert & Baby Julianna

McGraham Triples

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Colleen McGraham got her last 2k in from the cutoff, getting action from both Mike Leah and Han Oh. They checked down the board of K 5 5 9 A and Colleen thought that Ace was the killer, but Mike showed pocket Tens and Han mucked. Colleen held pocket Jacks and they were good for the triple-up.

Colleen McGraham

The Ladies are sparsely represented today in the Signature Room. In addition to Colleen, I spotted Joanne Monteavaro, Jenny Nguyen, Mary Shilale, and Gissel Heredia. Five women out of about 250 players...that's 2% of the field.

Blinds Up

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Players have returned from break and are playing Level 3, blinds 75/150.

During the break, the last tables in the Poker Room were broken, so all the Day 1B players are now in the Signature Room. That's 25 tables in action, so 250 or fewer players.

Two Big Names - Gone

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Roy Winston

We haven't hit the first break of Day 1B and already two recognizable pros are on the rail.

Roy Winston, who won the 2007 Borgata Poker Open Championship worth $1.5 million, is gone and stops by media row to ask, "I'm I the first one out? I couldn't win a hand."

It doesn't make him feel any better to know that Todd Terry, who also won an event during the 2007 Poker Open and has $1.5 million in career earnings, was sent home even earlier.

Terry can't get away from his flopped straight when William Loonstyn turns a flush.

The unofficial count has around 250 players in Day 1B and puts the total field at approximately 375, more than the necessary count to reach the $1 million guaranteed prize pool.

Level is 2 winding down.

Todd Terry

Looney Bin

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Loonstyn's Time

Talk about getting hit by the deck. During the first 90 minutes of Day 1B, William Loonstyn (Philadelphia, PA) has won with quads, a full house and a flush over a straight to take his stack to more than 100k.

With the J♠ 8♠ Loonstyn flops a flush draw on a board of A♦ K♠ Q♠. The turn brings the 3♠ and that's when the action heats up.

Loonstyn checks, Todd Terry bets 9k.

"I have no choice," says Loonstyn, "I'm all in." Terry tanks and calls, showing he flopped a straight with J♦ 10♦ and like that, one of the more respected players in the room, is drawing dead and out the door.

One player says about Loonstyn, "on break he's going to the beach to see if he can walk on water."

To put things in perspective, Looystyn's 105k puts him in the top 5 stacks from Day 1A, the leader has nearly 124k.

Level 2 (50/100) continues.

Woods Watch

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

James Woods

Actor James Woods is back at Borgata after making it to Day 3 in the 2008 Summer Open Main Event.

"I'm shooting for a solid first day, and then looking to do some damage on day 2 when it counts," he says while playing at table 22.

Level 2 (50/100) underway.

Name Game

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

A quick scan of who's in The Signature Room:

Actor James Woods
Joe Simmons
Mike Leah
Roy Winston
Al Riccobono
Matt Glantz
MJ Bernstein
Todd Terry

Day 1B Up & Running

Championship Event
$3300 + $200 NL

Mike Leah & Alex Kuchic

The Signature Room is buzzing with double the entries from Sunday's play. The dead stacks are slowly disappearing as players find their seats.

Everyone gets 30,000 chips, the blinds start at 25/50 and levels last 75 minutes.

Cards are in the air!

End of Day 1A Chip Counts

Place-Name-Count

1	EUGENE	CASTRO	$123,525
2	ROCCO	LUCIANO	$117,850
3	JASON	MIN	$114,175
4	JASON	PASTER	$106,775
5	ADAM	GERBER	$104,000
6	CHARLES	FUREY	$96,850
7	MICKAEL	MORGOUSKY	$95,000
8	NICHOLAS	SKYLLAS	$88,675
9	CASEY	PETERS	$85,450
10	AL	GRIMES	$85,200
11	ROBERT	DEPPE	$83,225
12	LEO	WALKER	$79,200
13	STEVEN	WOLANSKY	$72,475
14	HAKIMA	MUHAMMAD	$70,650
15	MATTHEW	BRADY	$70,075
16	RICHARD	RICE	$70,000
17	TODD	REBELLO	$66,450
18	ROSLYN	QUARTO	$65,550
19	MARC	MANIN	$64,900
20	NICHOLAS	GUAGENTI	$64,400
21	ANTHONY	COLOMBO	$63,900
22	LEONARD	WEISSMAN	$63,500
23	MATTHEW	EHRLICH	$61,250
24	JUSTIN	SCHWARTZ	$60,775
25	JOSH	SPIEGELMAN	$58,375
26	IGOR	BORUKHOV	$58,250
27	ANTHONY	CARUSO	$58,050
28	YAT	CHENG	$58,000
29	STEVEN	DANNENMANN	$56,675
30	DANIEL	KLODOWSKI	$55,025
31	ROLAND	ISRAELASHVILI	$52,275
32	BRUCE	WILLIAMS	$51,700
33	ANTHONY	CAMPAGNA	$51,050
34	YUGESHWAR	RAJKUMAR	$48,425
35	CYRUS	SAMII	$48,350
36	ROBERT	MCLAUGHLIN	$47,350
37	KONSTANTINO	DIMITROULAKOS	$46,500
38	ALEXANDRE	CAPERONIS	$46,425
39	BRIAN	NICHOLS	$46,150
40	SAMUEL	BERNSTEIN	$45,400
41	RYAN	ERIQUEZZO	$45,150
42	ALBERT	BARBIERI	$45,000
43	LAWRENCE	SAHR	$43,275
44	WILLIAM	BEASLEY	$43,000
45	BERNARD	COLLINS	$40,550
46	ADAM	ADLER	$40,500
47	RAY	SHACKELFORD	$39,725
48	HA	SIU	$39,475
49	AKIVA	PEARLMAN	$36,150
50	GEORGE	CHEN	$35,700
51	ARTHUR	PETERS	$34,725
52	ROBERT	WISIAK	$33,500
53	GREGORY	MERSON	$32,400
54	ROBERT	HWANG	$30,700
55	RAYMOND	COBURN	$29,425
56	RICHARD	HALL	$28,775
57	MICHAEL	LEWIN	$28,700
58	MATTHEW	COHEN	$28,425
59	EUGENE	TODD	$28,350
60	VINH	NGUYEN	$27,925
61	JOHN	MOORE	$27,375
62	GREGORY	FISHBERG	$27,250
63	RYAN	MILLER	$25,500
64	CHINMAY	PATEL	$25,200
65	CHRIS	RESLOCK	$24,900
66	GARY	SCHOENGOLD	$22,725
67	JAMIE	KERSTETTER	$21,575
68	GORDON	ENG	$21,100
69	PATRICK	CARNEY	$20,750
70	JEREMY	BROWN	$20,100
71	RICHARD	MURNICK	$20,100
72	KEN	GOLDIN	$18,625
73	JASON	LASO	$18,175
74	ERIC	DOERR	$17,275
75	DAVID	CLARKE	$17,125
76	JOSEPH	CUTLER	$16,150
77	LAURENCE	WOLF	$14,950
78	STEVE	KARP	$14,600
79	ROBERT	NGUYEN	$14,425
80	JOHN	DAGOSTINO	$13,625
81	CHRISTOPH	ALBANESE	$13,575
82	ALFRED	CABAN	$11,650
83	PETER	MAVRO	$10,625
84	WILLIAM	LOOPER	$10,000
85	MAURICE	PARADIS	$9,425
86	RAJASEKHARA	MUNNANGI	$8,500