Event 18: Last Years Champ

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Alexander Queen - Running Good

We're keeping an eye on Alexander Queen (Bethlehem, PA) who won this Championship event one year ago and took home $355,535.

Sequels are never as good as the original but they still make the studios money.
Queen is hoping he can re-peat for another big payday.

He got the better of Brock Parker earlier. Brock zigged when he should have zagged making a move right into Queen's pocket Aces. Alexander sent Parker packing!

"After getting aces multiple times, I've cooled down the last two levels" admitted Alexander who's up to 124,000 which is 40,000 above average chip stacks.

"He's nothing but a luck box" cried Paul Volpe sitting to Queen's right.

Last level of the night has begun. Half hour until we bag and tag...

Level 11: Blinds 500 / 1000 with 100 antes.

44 players remain on 5 tables.

Event 18: X Marks The Pot

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Paul Marzarella - 100,000

Paul 'TeamXFactor' Marzarella tells me 60 people around the country are following him on our blog.

So here's an update to all of Paul's fans.

He was card dead for three hours and the only pots he won came from strategic bluffs.

In a hand before the break, let's call it the two minute warning, Paul attempts a semi-bluff against Eric "POOLS" Siegel.

Paul holds 10-10 and Eric has A-Q. Paul three bet pre and Eric called.

Eric outflops Paul when the flop falls Q-6-8 but that didn't stop Paul from C-betting.

"I bet 5,000 and Eric flat called. The turn was a King so I continued bluffing with 15,000 and Eric just calls again" explained Marzarella.

You guessed it, the river was a ten giving Paul a set and the check mark.

So Paul pulls out every trick in the book trying to get Eric to call down his 25,000 river bet.

"I was fidgeting in my chair, trying to induce a call" said Paul.

Maybe the King scared him or he smelled something fishy but Siegel had the smarts to get away from the hand and the 80,000 pot.

Both men showed their cards and talked out the hand.

Paul is right above 100,000.

Event 18: Ahmadian Magic

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Elia Ahmadian (Fairfax, VA) 130,000

Elia Ahmadian (Fairfax, VA) knocks out Anthony Payne for a 45,000 four way pot.

Elia is now up to 130,000 and among the chip leaders.

He flopped the joint holding 9-7 off when the blinds were 300 / 600.

Flop came J-8-10 and Anthony Payne shipped his last 36,000.

Elia called. Payne showed J-8 for two pair.

9 on the turn gave Payne more outs but the river bricked earning Elia the pivotal pot and sending Payne off to the first tee.

Ahmadian makes the three hour drive from Fairfax four times a year to place in each season of Borgata's Poker Opens.

Event 18: One More Easterrific Level

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Players are grinding out Level 10 then will play one more Level (11) until calling it a night.

Levels last 60 minutes.

We're still holding strong at 50 players on six tables.

Blinds: 400 / 800 with 75 antes

Card dead Allen Chou was eliminated after shoving his short stack in and losing a 7-7 vs. A-Q coin flip. He outlasted wife Patty who was felted earlier when her turned straight was run down by a rivered full house.

The poker couple will certainly be back at Borgata next time.

Event 18: Table 1 Jokerstars

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Ephie Lowinger (Brooklyn)

Only three players have survived table 1 since the start of the tournament:
1. Gordon Eng (Borgata regular) - 80,000
2. Ephie Lowinger (Brooklyn, NY) - 135,000
3. Ed Cotter (Mont Vale, NJ) - 118,000

Each player has knocked out one or more players to collect their above average stacks.

This is by far the most talkative and fun table in the room.

Gordon told me, "It's good except I have to listen to Ephie's bad jokes all day".
To which Ephie replied, "He's right. I am making bad jokes. Like Michael Jackson Bad."

Some of the jokes I can't print for fear of losing our FCC license (if we had one).

In all seriousness, Lowinger said he loves this table and that the players have been amazing.

Event 18: Liberta Ton Of Chips

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Joe Liberta (Berlin, NJ) 165,000

Your current chip leader is Joe Liberta who flopped top two against opponent flopping top and bottom pair.

Joey's A-8 vs. A-3 on an A-8-3 flop. Clean turn and river for a monster pot.

Liberta had his opponent covered and sent him home.

With that scoop, Joe is now up to 165,000 which looks like tops among the remaining 57 players.

Liberta said things weren't falling his way early on but it looks like he's weathered the storm and now is ready to set sail.

Event 18: Satellite Winners

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Amy (seated) Fills Out the Paper Work

as (l-r) Sacks, Villarreal, Nair, Freda & Yoon Celebrate

The 1 pm satellite is in the books, the following 7 players punch their ticket into Day 1B, while
Stephen Freda earned $2,314 for finishing in 8th place.

Satellite Seats

Star Moore
Danny Mui
Jay Nair
Arihan Rizaj
Gil Sacks
Gonzalo Villarreal
Heung Yoon

Event 18: Cannonball Or Can Opener?

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

I raise!

Cotton Snuffer in the eight seat, always uses a lucky silver dollar from 1971 to mark his cards.

"That's the year I graduated" said Cotton who is currently up to 87,000. "I'm playing this two day tournament like a marathon, not a sprint".

So I had to climb up on the rafters to get this picture and a poker player offered me $300 to belly flop dive down into the middle of the table.

I was tempted but declined. My dismount was a lot less interesting.

Event 17: Third Times A Charm

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Moshe Vahan (Brooklyn, NY)

This is Moshe Vahan's third attempt at Borgata's Championship Event.

The first time was a WPT learning experience where he finished in the top 100.

The second time in the 2011 Winter Poker Open he felt more comfortable and was happy how he played.

Now in his third attempt, he feels like a veteran, ready to take it down.

Moshe is letting me know whenever a big hand takes place at his table. I missed a three way all in earlier where A-K vs 10-10 vs A-Q had the 10-10 player exiting and the A-Q doubling large when two queens and an ace hit the board.

Event 18: Chip Counts

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Big Stacks

Alex Muscarella 130k
Alex Bolotin 125k
Feming Chan 105k
Brian Lowinger 103k
Joey Liberta 100k
Kalid Ali 100k

Event 18: Anthony Looking To Dish Out Payne

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Anthony Payne (Hazlet, NJ)

With such an affordable buy-in vs. the guaranteed payouts, the room is filled with poker pros and regular joes.

Anthony Payne is a professional photographer and avid golfer.

Sometimes the hands you fold but should have called continue to haunt you.

Anthony wishes he would have stuck around in a big hand where he would have hit the nut flush and took down a four way pot.

"I'm a grinder so I'll come back" said a confident Anthony who is currently looking to double up.

7 tables remain.

Players are currently on a 15 minute break.

Event 18: T"ali" Ho

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Kalid Ali mixes it up with Maria Ho

Poker celebrity pro Maria Ho gets the best of Kalid Ali earlier when she turns a straight and crushes his flopped set of sixes.

Ali has since come back to rebuild to 75,000.

With Patricia Barsanti-Chou and Kathy Liebert out there are only three woman left in the room.

We'll keep track of Maria and let you know when a big hand occurs.

Event 18: Knock Out Punch

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Paul Volpe (West Chester, PA)

What Alex Muscarella started a couple hands ago, Paul Volpe finishes.

That same guy who just had aces cracked by AK, leads out the whole way holding A-9 on a 9-Q-5 flop.

Paul Volpe smooth calls.

Turn card 9 gives opponent three nines with an ace kicker. He ships and Volpe snap calls.

When it rains it pours.

Volpe tables pocket queens for the full house. He's now up to 60,000 and our other friend is OUT.

Also at table 8 is Eric Siegel fresh off his win from the other night. He's hovering at 70,000.

Event 18: New Chipleader?

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Ace Cracker - Alex Muscarella (Bronx, NY)

All the chips are in and you have A♠K♥ feeling pretty good up against almost every hand...the you realize your opponent has A♥A♦ .

Your tournament is now in the Poker Gods hands. For Alex Muscarella, luck struck at the right time.

Board ran: 9♥ 9♠ 3♠ K♠ 7♠

Alex four flushes opponent leaving him with only 6,000.

Muscarella now up to 150,000 amongst the chipleaders if not #1.

Event 18: Back from Break

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Exactly 80 players remain as we're down to 10 tables. With 123 players starting Day 1A, it puts the current average stack at 46k

Play resumes with 25 minutes left in Level 7 (200/400/50 ante).

Tonight's poker ends after Level 11 and will conclude sometime around 1 am

Event 18: Chip Leaders

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Alex Bolotin is the unofficial chip leader with 123k on dinner break.

Here's a look at some of the big stacks:

Alex Bolotin 123k
Feming Chan 105k
Paul Marzarella, 100k
Alex Queen 83k
Jeremy Stein, 81k
Matt Matros 72k
Eric Siegel 70k

Event 18: News Bolotin: Alex Takes Chip Lead

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Bolotin Flops Set

On the last hand before dinner break Alex Bolotin (Brooklyn, NY) flops a set of 4s and calls an all-in bet of 54k. His opponent flops two pairs aces and jacks, but can't connect on the turn or river for a full house.

Bolotin gets a true double up and is now the chip leader at 123k.

Players are on a one hour dinner break and play resumes at 7:30 pm

Event 18: Go Figa

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Dealers hate when they flip a card during the deal and the player who's ace is exposed and put into the muck hates it even more.

John Figa (Flemington, NJ) is the unlucky player who's ace is dead on Table 7. Figa is given a replacement card and is still in the hand and when he wins the pot with a post flop bet. He can't wait to show the table that he has pocket aces!

No harm, no foul as Figa gets his aces and wins the pot.

Player Update:

Daniel Voccia (West Hampton Beach, NY), who was trying to turn $80 into a big score has busted. He'll be back for Day 1B, but isn't playing in tonight's last chance satellite (6 pm start), saying, "I'll do what I should've done in the first place, pay my way in."

Event 18: Matros Makes the Call

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Seat 7 opens for 1600, Matt Matros reraises to 4k and gets two callers. The original raiser 4-bet shoves for 23k, Matros calls and the remaining players fold.

Seat 7: A♥ 9♠
Matros: A♠ K♠

Matros' ace-king holds and now has 75k as he sends his opponent to the rail.

Matros is a poker instructor and writer who has $1.5 million in career earnings. Here's a recent opinion article he wrote for the Washington Post defending poker since the government shut down the on-line game.

Event 18: Chip Counts

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

As players are on a 15 minute break, Feming Chan continues to lead the chip counts with 110k

Here's a look at the leaders and other notables.

Big Stacks:

Feming Chan 110k
Chris Lovett 94k
Jeremy Stein 80k
Cotton Snuffer 80k
Alex Queen 76k

Notables:

Eric Siegel 65k
Maria Ho 60k
Matt Matros 48k
Gordon Eng 40k
Jenny So 31k
Ross Mallor 25k
Miguel Borero 13k

Borero points out that he should be out of the tournament and has been grinding a short stack that was as low as 2300.

Event 18: Feming Fans Boyle

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship


Feming Chan, James Boyle and three other players see a flop of J♠ 2♠ 3♥. Chan leads out for 2200, Boyle makes it 6500, everyone else folds, Chan calls.

Turn: 9♥

Chan checks, Boyle moves all in for 18k, Chan calls.

Chan: A♠ J♦ (top pair, top kicker)
Boyle: Q♠ 6♠ (flush draw)

The board bricks for Boyle and Chan wins the pot taking his stack to 110k.

Other big stacks include:

Paul 'TeamXFactor' Marzarella, 95k
Jeremy Stein, 85k

Level 6 (150/300/25) is winding down.

Event 18: Numbers Crunch

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Play is down to 9 tables (10 handed) as less than 90 players remain. The unofficial count is 123 players for Day 1A as the cage is verifying the receipts.

The player movement has Matt Matros (Bronxville, NY) now on Table 1 along with Gordon Eng (Cliffside Park, NJ). The two have combined for more than $2.2 million in career earnings (Matros - $1.5 million, Eng - $700k).

Level 6 (150/300/25 ante) continues.

Event 18: Set over Set

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship




Feming Chan (W. Windsor, NJ) and the player to his right see a flop of A♠ 6♠ 5♠. Chan bets 2,700, Seat 2 raises to 8k, Chan calls.

The turn is the 9♣, Seat 2 moves all in for 23k and Chan reluctantly calls with pocket aces because of the three flush on board. It's a good call as his opponent has pocket 5s and is the victim of set over set.

James Boyle is at the table and says, "that's a heck of a call with all those spades. I don't know if I could do it." But then he adds, "who am I kidding I couldn't fold there."

Chan, who has $850,000 career earnings and a dozen Borgata cashes, barely has his opponent covered and is now at 68k. Despite the bust out the anonymous player is in good spirits and wishes everyone at the table well.

Event 18: Borrero Survives; Myung is Done

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship  

Miguel Borrero was all-in for his last 2,300 against two opponents, who get all in on the flop of T♥T♠3♠.  Seat 1 has pocket Jacks, (two pair) seat 3 has A♠Q♠, (flush draw and two overs) and Miguel is drawing slim with KQ off. 

The T♣ comes on the turn, giving seat 1 Tens-full of Jacks.  Then the K♠ comes on the river, giving seat 3 a useless flush, but giving Miguel Tens-full of Kings to take the main pot.  Seat 1 took the side pot and seat 3 was busted.

Miguel was up to ~8k after that hand.

John Myung has busted out and Matt Matros was moved into his seat on table one.

Satellite Campus

Mazzeo, Budor & Jamshidi

As Day 1A plugs along, scores of other players are looking for the 89% discount into Day 1B. "One way or the other I'll be there," says Keith Crowder (Elkins Park, PA) as he plays in the first of two Sunday satellites.

For $300, the players who win their seat get a huge savings on the $2,700 entry into the Championship Event. The last satellite is tonight at 6 pm and is also $300 as ~ 1 in 10 playes punch their tickets.

Other Notables in the 1 pm field:

Janos Budor
Barry Levy
Sirous Jamshidi
Matt "Muffins" Mazzeo
Gil Sacks
James "Suits" Salters

Jamshidi is looking for redemption after busting in Day 1A, he says he'll take advantage of the Double Play and will be playing Day 1B with or without the discount.

Event 18: Stout is Out

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship 

Play resumed after the break with level 5, blinds 100/200 with 25 antes.

Before the break, playing 100/200 blinds:

Player in seat 8 opens for 4k.  Matt Stout called.  Flop came 9 8 3 rainbow.  Matt bet 6k and seat 8 called.  Turn was a 6 and both players checked.  River was a Ten and Matt moved in, having his opponent covered.  He got the call.  Matt held AK for nut-no-pair.  His opponent held AT for a rivered pair of Tens to take the pot.

 Matt Stout - Out

Matt was left with about 10k after that hand.  He got those chips in with pocket 9s, only to run into Michael Noda's pocket Queens.  And that was the end of Matt.

Event 18: Busted Before Break

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

End of level 4 and time for another break.  The end of the break will be the end of registration for day 1A.

Goners:
Ray Shackelford
Sirous Jamshidi
Abe Korotki
Richard Woodall

The players all have to option to enter and play again tomorrow, so we may see them again.

Event 18: Quack, Quack

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

More side-by-side action comes from Table 5 where Event 5 ($1k) 3rd place finisher Jenny So (Galloway, NJ) is in the 9 seat, next to Event 16 ($300) 4th place finisher Truong Hung (Freehold, NJ).

When a king hits the river and pairs the board, So leads out, Hung is all in for 23k total and So snap calls showing pocket 2s for a rivered full house.

The pocket ducks takes So's stack to 58k, while Hung, a late arrival, is down to 10k. Day 1A is open until the end of Level 4 (100/200), registration closes at approximately 3:40 pm.

Event 18: TeamXFactor Tops in Chips

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Many players see the flop for a raise and it comes 7 6 5.  Paul Marzarella, Steve Russell and one other player commit 2,000 chips to see the Queen on the turn.  It is 5,500 to see the river and again three players are in.  River was an 8, which put a 4-card straight on the board.  Steve Russell and Paul Marzarella got all their chips in the middle (the third player held pocket Kings and wisely folded). 

Steve held 86 for two pair, but Paul held 87 for top two pair to claim the pot.  He had Steve covered, so Steve was busted.  Paul 'TeamXFactor' Marzarella chipped up to ~140k and is definitely the chip leader at this point.

Event 18: Nice Set Up

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Boyle with the Check-Call Grin

James Boyle (Havre de Grace, MD) and Douglas Friedmutter (Brooklyn, NY) see a flop of Q♠ 10♦ 4♠. Boyle checks, Friedmutter bets, Boyle calls.

Turn: 8♠

Boyle check-calls again.

River: Q♣

Boyle leads out for 6k and Friedmutter tanks. He eventually makes the crying call and Boyle shows a full house with 4♥ 4♦ for 4s full of queens.

Friedmutter says, "nice hand," and mucks. Boyle takes down the 20k pot and is now just above the 30k starting stack, while Friedmutter is down to 52k.

Friedmutter says he built his stack by hitting a set of queens against pocket aces at the end of Level 2.

Event 18: Poker Queens of Atlantic City

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship    

Gina Cannone and Roz Quarto have just finished filming a pilot called "Poker Queens of Atlantic City".  They hope to see it on TV this fall.

 Gina Cannone and Roz Quarto

It will be up to Gina 'Ginevil' Cannone to carry the torch for the Poker Queens today, since Roz has already busted out.

Event 18: Pillai v. Cohen

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship   

Blinds are up to 100/200 for level 4.

Table Eleven
Matt Matros
Shankar Pillai
Robert Saltiel
Leonardo Palermo
Jesse Cohen

On a flop of J 6 4 rainbow, Jesse Cohen check-called a bet from Shankar Pillai.  Turn was a Queen and both players checked.  River was a 9 and Jesse led out for 1,550.  Shankar kicked it up to 4,875 straight.  Jesse let it go.

Event 18: Yaginuma Yanked

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship   

Table Nine
Miguel Borrero
Paul 'TeamXFactor' Marzarella
Jesse Yaginuma (has busted out)
Eric Siegel
Steve Russell

Jesse Yaginuma moved in on the river with pocket Kings, but Paul 'TeamXFactor' Marzarella had made a straight with his pocket 4s and snap-called.  Jesse was busted.  Paul is now up to ~95k.

Miguel Borrero had his opponent all-in on the turn.  Miguel had turned a straight, leading his opponent's two pair.  The river paired the board, however, giving his opponent a full house.  Miguel was left with less than 6k.

Event 18: More Names

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship   

Table Five
Sirous Jamshidi
Brock Parker
Alex Queen
Jennifer So

Table Six
Patricia Barsanti-Chou (has busted out)
Bob Courtney
Michael Kaufman
Gina Cannone
Joe Liberto
Mike Dentale (has busted out)
Kathy Liebert

Table Seven
Abe Korotki
Ben Klier

Table Eight
Roz Quarto (has busted out)
Carl Restifo
Chris Wilson

 Patricia Barsanti-Chou

Patricia Barsanti-Chou got involved in a pot with Joe Liberto and on the river, the board read K T 5 5 A.  Patricia held QJ and had rivered Broadway, but Joe held pocket Aces and had rivered a boat.  Patricia was sunk and Joe chipped up to ~58k.

Event 18: Name Dropping, Names Dropping

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship   

Here are just a few players in action today, by tables:

Table One
Gordon Eng
Frank Gangemi
John Myung
Danny Yousefzadeh

Table Two
Alex Bolotin
Feming Chan
James Boyle
Ray Shackelford

Table Three
Daniel Voccia
Alan Sternberg
Richard Woodall
James Casement Jr.

Table Four
Roland Israelashvilli (has busted out)
Alek Givotovsky (has busted out)
Maria Ho (arrived during level 3)

Event 18: First Break

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship  

At the end of level two, players were rewarded with a 15 minute break.

Eleven tables are in action (ten-handed) and late registration will be allowed through two more levels.

Following the break, play resumed with level 3, blinds of 75/150.

Event 18: Good Laydown?

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship 

On the turn with a board of Q♥5♥4♣3♥, Eric Siegel (sb) fired 12,000 into the pot.  Miguel Borrero (utg+1) tanked for a few minutes, then open-mucked his 5♠4♠ (two pair).  " I shoulda shipped it on the flop" Miguel said, apparently putting Eric on a turned flush.

 Kathy Liebert

Kathy Liebert has just arrived and taken her seat at table 6, which is quite a well-populated piece of felt.  Patricia Barsanti-Chou (winner of event 7) is in the one seat.  Michael Kaufman (two cashes already in this series) is in the two seat.  Michael Dentale, winner of event 1, is in the 8 seat.

Event 18: Fischer Falls to Stout's Full House

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Dan Fischer (sb) and Matt Stout (utg) were involved in a hand and on the river, the board showed Q♦9♠6♥8♦6♦.  Dan led out for 8,150 (looked like about half his stack) and Matt moved in for 24,425 straight.  Dan tanked.

Matt Stout

After a few minutes, one player said "In four minutes, I'm going to call for the clock".  Dan said the clock would make his decision easier, so another player called for the clock.

Before his time expired, Dan called all-in.  Matt announced "Nines-full" as he rolled over pocket 9s.  Dan mucked his hand and headed for the exit.  Not sure if we'll see him back tomorrow, but he has the option to play again on day 1B.

Matt is now up to ~60k.

Event 18: TeamXFactor Crackin' Aces

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Blinds are up to 50/100 in level 2.

Paul 'TeamXFactor' Marzarella (Annandale, NJ) took 4th place in event 6, the $1,000 No Limit event ($7,857).  He's set himself up nicely for a deep run today.

 Paul 'TeamXFactor' Marzarella

In a three-way pot, he flopped two pair to crack pocket Aces.  He's up to ~60k and has already doubled his starting stack.

He's on table 9 with preliminary event winners Jesse Yaginuma and Eric Siegel, so he's got his work cut out for him.

Event 18: Interesting Match-ups

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

There are some interesting pairings in today's random tournament seating.

 Jesse Yaginuma and Eric Siegel

At table 9 are two preliminary event winners, seated side by side.  Jesse Yaginuma won event 15 and over $42,000 yesterday.  Eric Siegel won event 16 and almost $25k two days ago.

 Brock Parker and Alexander Queen

Over on table 5 are 2-time WSOP bracelet winner Brock Parker and defending Borgata Spring Poker Open champion Alexander Queen, also seated next to each other.

Borgata Cash Game Update

You still have time to earn Bonus Comp Dollars during the month of April playing cash games ...

and have a chance to win the Borgata Bad Beat Jackpot - now $302,714!

Event 18: Givotovsky Going Strong

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Alek Givotovsky (NY, NY) is having one helluva week.

 Alek Givotovsky

He won event 8, the $400 Deep Stack Double Play event on the 19th (over $47k).

He won a seat in the main event in a satellite ($2,700).

He won the Borgata Spring Poker Open Leaderboard contest, winning another seat in the main event ($2,700).

Since he already had a seat in the main event, he can use the second seat to enter on day 1B if he busts out today.  If he doesn't bust out today, he can claim the $2,700 in cash.

Event 18: Voccia Turns $80 Into $2700 Championship Seat

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Daniel Voccia (West Hampton Beach, NY) started out a week ago with $80 and is now sitting down in his seat for the main event.

 Daniel Voccia

Daniel took his $80, played a small tournament and won $240.  He then played in the $1/$2 No Limit cash game and turned that $240 into $600.  He then bought into a satellite and won his $2,700 entry to the main event.

Now he's hoping to turn that $80 into a win in the main event this week.  "I love to play poker" Daniel says.  We'll keep an eye on Daniel and see how he does.

Event 18: Championship Cards Fly

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Players are still arriving and finding their seats as Tournament Director Tab Duchateau directs the dealers to "Shuffle Up and Deal!"

This is day 1A and the first of two starting days.  Players who enter today and bust out may enter again on day 1B, hence the "Double Play".

Players began with 30,000 chips and levels are 60 minutes long on day one.

Level 1 blinds are 25/50.

Borgata Leaderboard Winners

BORGATA SPRING POKER OPEN LEADERBOARD

The top three Points Leaders at end of day Saturday, April 23 have won:

• 1st Place: Entry into Event 18-Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship (April 24-27)

• 2nd Place: Entry into Event 20- Six Max NLH (April 26)

• 3rd Place: Entry into Event 23-Deep Stack NLH (April 29)

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS:

1. ALEK GIVOTOVSKY (NEW YORK, NY): 326.500 Points

2. FRANK GANGEMI (LONG BEACH, NY): 300.275 Points

3. MICHAEL DENTALE (BROOKLYN, NY): 294.550 Points

See poker tournament podium to claim your entry.

Sunday, April 24

Today's Events in the Poker Room

11AM: Event 18 - $2500 + $200 Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool

• Players start with 30,000 in tournament chips
• Day 1 Levels last 60 minutes each | Day 2 & 3 Levels last 75 minutes each
• Players that bust on Day 1A may Re-Enter for Day 1B
• 3-Day event with two starting days
  Day 2 starts Tuesday at 11AM | Day 3 starts Wednesday at 11AM

1PM: Event 47 - $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier NLH

• Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips
• Levels last 30 minutes each
• Approximately 1 in 10 wins Entry into Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship Event (April 24-27) - Day 1B
• 1-day event

6PM: Event 48 - $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier NLH

• Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips
• Levels last 30 minutes each
• Approximately 1 in 10 wins Entry into Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship Event (April 24-27) - Day 1B
• 1-day event

Event 17 Recap

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

It’s a Happy Easter for our Six-Max champion, poker pro Franco Bonacci (Pittsburgh, PA), who just took down the $33,174 first place prize along with the 2011 Borgata Spring Poker Open trophy.

Franco hit quad 3333’s at the right time to become the chipleader three-handed but also got off to a great start from the starting pistol. “I was basically a card rack the entire first two hours…it was crazy” exclaimed Bonacci.

A suck out against his friend, Joey Cappuccio with 40 bb’s left didn’t hurt either. It always feels good when your A-8 topples your buddy’s A-Q.

The tournament ended at 4:30 AM in Borgata Poker Room, but lets rewind all the way back to11:00 AM in The Signature room where 114 poker players plunked down $1000 + $90 to see if they had the mettle to survive to the final 18 players, all of whom enjoyed part of the $114,000 total buy-in.

Players started with 15,000 in chips and were seated six to a table with no re-entries.
The cast of characters included: Mike Dentale, James Boyle, James Casement, Jr, Adam Gerber, Danny Yousefzadeh, Dan Spirer, Roland Israelashvilli, Mickey Woll, Charles Furey, Alexander Queen, Will Heger, Mirsad Kovaci, Chris Edwards, Tony Sinishtaj, Miguel Borrero and Josh Brikis. All these guys are great players and have impressive wins in big tournaments.

And don’t forget the only lady in the field, Jamie Kerstetter, who had quads early on and played beautifully all the way to an 11^th place finish for $2,212.

The entire field feared Brock Parker, who has two 2009 WSOP bracelets in the 6-max format, (No Limit and Limit) and who beat Daniel Negreanu heads-up for one of them.

George Medrano’s pocket aces knocked the bubble out and brought the final 18 into the cash. George went on to finish in 2^nd place for $18,245. “I’m feeling hot and ready for the Championship tomorrow” said the physical therapist / semi poker pro who felt he played perfect poker today.

The final table found seven players, not six, and included: Alan Lipson (7^th place), Nathaniel Marmur (6^th place), Cotton Snuffer (5^th place), Nicholas Lowry (4^th place), Brett Fox (3^rd place), George Medrano (2^nd place) and Franco Bonacci (1^st place).

Snuffer had some big hands including a straight flush with two tables to go.

Brett Fox takes home $10,505 for his third place showing. The internet poker teacher is fighting for his freedom to play on-line again.

But once again our big winner today was Franco Bonacci who will add $33,174 worth of candy to his Easter basket and a Borgata trophy made entirely out of chocolate. Or maybe it’s crystal, I’m not exactly sure – it is 5AM.

Event 17: Franco Bonacci - 1st Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Franco Bonacci - 1st Place - $33,174

It's a Happy Easter for Franco Bonacci who just took down the Six-Max 1K to the tune of $33,174.

The hand of Franco's tournament was hitting quad three's three-handed against the chip leader's pocket Jacks. Franco played the hand perfectly to get maximum value - a true double up.

This is Franco's biggest live cash to date to go with his other impressive internet cashes.

"I guess I'll be playing more live events from now on" said Bonacci realizing internet poker is currently down.

Franco played a great game and it paid off in a first place payday and the Borgata Spring Poker Open trophy. Congratulations!

Event 17: George Medrano - 2nd Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

George Medrano - 2nd Place - $18,245

Another impressive second place finish for George Medrano who took second in this same event in 2009.

Fresh off his Championship satellite Friday, George will add another great finish with his $18,245 cash on Saturday into Sunday morning.

George, a physical therapist from Rego Park, NY calls himself a semi-pro who only plays live tournaments - no cash or internet.

As for today, he was never short stacked, never had his big hands cracked, and played perfect poker.

He even flipped a coin (literally) to make the right call and knock out a player at the final table.

Smooth sailing for George Medrano into second place for $18,245.

Event 17: Brett Fox - 3rd Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Brett Fox - 3rd Place - $10,505

Brett Fox played on-line poker for a living until last week.

"Our rights as Americans are being violated and our freedoms are being taken away" said Fox who also trains players on-line as a coach.

His return to tournament play proved profitable with a third place $10,505 finish.

Brett felt that he missed his moment when he flopped the nuts then ended up chopping a pot thanks to a ridiculous runner runner turn and river.

Then there was the hand that chopped down his chip leader status when his JJ ran into Franco Bonacci's quad 7777's.

"Everytime I moved to a new table I went on a big rush" said Fox.

He gained the final table chip lead after making the right read and call against Cotton Snuffer with only K-7.

Well done and keep fighting the fight to get on-line poker re-instated and legal.

In his final hand of Brett's night, his 9-10 fell to Franco's KK.

Event 17: Threemendous

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Franco "3-3-3-3" Bonacci

With only three players left, Franco Bonacci comes from behind to crush Brett Fox's JJ with quad 3333's.

Board runs: 7-3-10-3-9

Franco doubled up on the hand.

It's anybody's tournament.

Event 17: Nicholas Lowry - 4th Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Nicholas Lowry - 4th Place - $8,846

The antique dealer from NY hit a case queen on the river to survive a few orbits ago, but then lost when his pocket queens fell to George Medrano's pocket kings.

Lowry was an animated character who liked to verbally spar with the other players, in a basically harmless way of course.

The estimated value of Lowry's first ever Borgata tournament - $8,846. SOLD!!!

Event 17: Cotton Snuffer - 5th Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Cotton Snuffer - 5th Place - $6,635

The table took a liking to Cotton Snuffer. He developed a tight image by showing the nuts over and over again but his table nemesis Brett Fox still called his river bet down with middle pair.

Brett had K-7 on an A-K-5 flop. These crazy internet kids!

Cotton said, "I had the right read on you and I guess you had the right read on me".

Cotton recovered from that blow but battled again with Brett.

Snuffer held A-Q up against Fox's K-J

Fox finds his K and his J on the flop and Cotton is out.

Look for Cotton in the main event or at least listen for him - you can't miss his West Virginia accent.

Event 17: Nathaniel Marmur - 6th Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Nathaniel Marmur - 6th Place - $5,529

Nathaniel Marmur literally lost a coin flip. Nathaniel shoved all in and small blind George Medrano grabbed Cotton Snuffers silver dollar and flipped it. While the coin was in the air he said, "heads I call, tails I fold". Heads and George called holding A-9.

George's A-9 vs. Nathaniel's A-5

An ace hit the turn and the board paired, but the nine kicker played.

Marmur is out in 6th place for $5,529.

We're down to 5.

Event 17 - Alan Lipson - 7th Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Alan Lipson - 7th Place - $4,423

Alan Lipson, a web programmer from Cary, North Carolina just ran into quad 10's of George Medrano.

"I told you I was running hot" said George.

Alan had been riding a short stack for the past three hours and was basically card dead. Impressive how he was able to hold on for so long and jump up the money board.

Fireworks on the final hand as Lipson had some heart outs on the flop:

Both all in pre-flop.

Alan's 5♥ 2♥ vs. George's 10♠ 10♣

Flop: 7 10♥ 9♥
Turn: 8♠
River: 10♦

First Cotton had a straight flush, now Medrano hits quads....what next?

Event 17: Easter Break

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Okay in full disclosure, this tournament went to 9am during the 2011 Borgata Winter Poker Open. We'll just have to wait and see how long it goes this morning.

Magnificent seven are holding strong and currently on a short break.

George Medrano was telling me how he has to be on top of his game to counteract all the internet players who bought into the field today.

George is on a heater as he won his Championship seat yesterday in a 1 in 10 satellite.

Nicholas Lowry is playing in his first big-time tournament and asked me if this is considered a major.

I told him this is a players tournament and some consider this field tougher than the Championship. It's a pretty big deal to win it.

As for the 6-Max being a major, it's a major Borgata tournament with a $114,000 Total Buy-In and maybe just one notch below a WPT or WSOP Main Event.

"So it's like the Masters in golf" said Lowry as he laughed.

Event 17: Final Table Set

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Magnificent Seven are ready to rock and roll.

Seat.....Name.........Home Town.......Chips
1. George Medrano (Rego Park, NY) .....600,000
2. Cotton Snuffer (Milton, WV) .....240,000
3. Brett Fox (Long Beach, NY) .....400,000
4. Franco Bonacci (Pittsburgh, PA) .....580,000
5. Nicholas Lowry (New York, NY) .....90,000
6. Nate Marmur (New York, NY) ......160,000
7. Alan Lipson (Cary, NC) ......100,000

That's right, there are seven players at the 6-Max final table.

Cotton continues to get big cards as his KQ turns a full house.

Event 17: Benjamin Early - 8th Place

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Benjamin Early - 8th Place - $3,317

Benjamin Early is out in 8th place after getting demolished on an unfortunate river card the hand before his final hand.

Ben had 7♥ 8♥ vs. George Medrano's K♣ J♥.

All the chips splashed in on the turn but George barely had Benjamin covered.

Board Q♥ J♥ K♠ 10♥ gave Benjamin the flush and George two pair with a full house and royal flush draw.

Early beggin for a heart not to hit...then the river 3♥ fell and Medrano leaped up to celebrate.

In Early's next blind, his Q♥9♣ fell to K♠K♣ of Cotton Snuffer and just like that he was out.

We're now down to 7 players and will square up for a final table.

Event 17: Cotton Snuffs A Str8 Flush

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Cotton Snuffer ships his short stack with a straight flush.

Board showed a 10-J-9-7 of clubs.

Snuffer shoved and Nicholas Lowry folded.

Cotton flipped over the 8 of clubs for the str8 flush.

Event 17: Into The Poker Room

$1,000 + $90 NL (6 Max)

Our final eight gentleman have bagged and tagged their chips and are headed off to the Borgata Poker room to finish out the tournament.

See ya later Signature Room...

Final table sets up when there are 7 players.