Monday, April 25, 2011

Event 18: Level Last

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

15 Tables Remain

145 players remain on 15 tables.

We're now into the final Level of the night - Level 11.

Average chip stack is 67,035 and Mark Wahba is up close to 400,000.

Bag and tag at the end of this Level.

Event 18: Wahba Booyah

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Mark Wahba - 280,000

Mark Wahba is among the chip leaders after hitting a huge hand that ended with him hugging the dealer. Hint, hint, I think they prefer tips in the form of cash.

Mark, holding 3♠ 3 decides to tangle with the table chip leader who has K K♠.

The flop falls J 3 2. Mark hits his set but the hearts scare him and his opponent's got a high one.

A non-heart bricks the turn and all the chips tumble in.
We're talking every bit of Mark's 140,000.

If a heart hits the river, it's over for Wahba.

No heart and Wahba wins!

In his true double-up excitement, Mark hugs his female dealer.

Event 19: Final Results

$350 + $50 NL Survivor


Place - Name - Amount

1st Stephen Spence (Monroe, NY) $3,500
1st Jonathan Rago (N. Babylon, NY) $3,500
1st Jeffrey Kaplow (New York, NY) $3,500
1st Robert Israeli (Short Hills, NJ) $3,500
1st Arthur Bressler (Manalapan, NJ) $3,500
1st David Kim (Silver Spring, MD) $3,500
1st Jules Mencher (Long Island, NY) $3,500
8th Brian Minders (Lakewood, NJ) $1,981

Bubble

Farid Ebrahim (Fredricksburg, VA)

Event 18: Ryan Looking For Rally

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Ryan Eriquezzo - 90,000

Don't let his intimidating poker face scare you - Ryan is actually a pretty nice guy.

He won the 2011 Borgata Winter Poker Open 6-Max 1K but hasn't gone deep in any of the Championships.

Eriquezzo is hoping this is his year.

He's currently sitting on 90,000 but was questioning a couple calls where he recently dusted off some chips.

Event 18: Glantz Rantz

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Matthew Glantz (Lafayette Hill, PA)

After 1% four flushing K-K vs. K-K, Glantz is currently right at the average chip stack of 55,000.

I asked how his table was and Matt responded, "Three good internet kids and a bunch of amateurs...pretty soft table".

Apparently Matt's 2-5 of spades scoop made an impression to the kid on his left. "Ever since I won that hand he's had a condescending comment towards me." The kid defended himself laughing, "No no, I said you played it good."

Glantz was lucky enough to pick up pocket kings yet again. This time his opponent accidentally exposed an ace and still played the hand against him.

"That was interesting" said Matt trying to take down the Championship and tack on to his already impressive career tournament cash earnings totals.

Event 18: Tight Table Ten

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

After eleven hours of play nine out of the ten original players at table ten are still there.

Only two people have exited the tournament from this super tight table and both came from the same seat.

Tom "Shamrock" Gilligan

Now sitting in that revolving chair is Tom "Shamrock" Gilligan from Jacks Casino - Manor Hamilton in Ireland.

Tom says he's not afraid of the seat, instead he embraces it.

One player had quads and still couldn't get any action.
Then there was what should have been an elimination hand - set over set.

Francis Anderson - Middle Set vs. Top Set

Francis Anderson (Poughkeepsie, NY) is lucky to still be here.

He held 6♠ 6♣ and saw a flop of 10 6 2. Both players checked the flop. Turn card K caused Francis to check call the turn. Q on the river froze the action - both fearing the other hit the flush.

"I have a set" said Anderson which caused his opponent to say the exact same thing.

Francis' middle set of sixes lost to opponent's top set of tens.

Francis ecstatic to have only lost the minimum.

Tight table ten just keeps passing chips around.

Most of em can't wait till they get broken up.

One thing is certain, make it through Level 11 and you'll get a new seat for tomorrow.

Event 19: Bubble Breaks

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

Sullivan & Ebrahim

Sean Sullivan (Sayerville, NJ) and Farid Ebrahim (Fredricksburg, VA), go out in 10th and 9th places respectively. The final 8 players are in the money and still playing for the top 7 spots, as 8th place pays $1,981.

Event 18: Eighteen Tables

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

178 players remain on 18 tables.

Average chipstack - 54,606

Level 9 continues: Blinds 300 / 600 with 50 antes.

After level 11 we'll call it a night.

Event 18: Que Sara Saraceno

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

John Saraceno Catches Lucky - 85,000

John Saraceno turns the joint and gets paid off!

Over at table one Saraceno holding 10 9 picks up a gutterball against a 6 8 K♠ flop.

On the turn card 7 John ships the rest of his stack all in.

"I have to call" says opponent who senses he's beat. "Do you have a straight?" says opponenet as he flips over 8♠-8 for a flopped set.

4♠ on the rivers gives the hand to Saraceno and sends another to the rail.

Event 18: Badda Bing - Badda Busto

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

My Cousin Vinny Teutonico - Knocks Out Three

Vincent Teutonico enjoys some fine whine while he busts out three players so far.

He's been picking up some pretty good starting hands but one memorable knock-out blow came from a great river call.

"I had K-9 and the guy goes all in on the river. I called him and he was on a flush draw that missed" said Teutonico whose now up to 80,000.

Angelo Modica is to Vincent's right and worried he might be next even though Vinny is calling him his "good luck charm".

Event 18: Senior Champ In The House

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Seniors Champion Harvey Layton (Devon, PA)

So many of our Event Champions are playing in the Championship so this field really is the 2011 Spring Poker Open best of the best.

I asked Harvey how he's been keeping up with all the youngster?

"They're definitely more aggressive than the Seniors who are more conservative and go at a slower pace" explained Layton.

Harvey is happy with the structure. He's below average in chips but still feels he has a chance to come back thanks to the long levels.

When I took this picture for the blog, a young gun shouted out "Hey, are you a star?" to which Harvey quickly replied, "I'm one of the best players in the world."

Seniors may play slower, but Harvey's wit is still very quick.

Event 19: Final Table

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

Here's a look at the remaining 10 players, as the final 8 cash in this the final Survivor tournament of the Borgata Spring Poker Open.

Seat-Name

1 Stephen Spence (Monroe, NY)
2 Jonathan Rago (N. Babylon, NY)
3 Farid Ebrahim (Fredricksburg, VA)
4 Jeffrey Kaplow (New York, NY)
5 Robert Israeli (Short Hills, NJ)
6 Sean Sullivan (Sayerville, NJ)
7 Brian Minders (Lakewood, NJ)
8 Arthur Bressler (Manalapan, NJ)
9 David Kim (Silver Spring, MD)
10 Jules Mencher (Long Island, NY)

Event 19: Cotton Snuffed

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

Survivor Final Table

After Cotton Snuffer is eliminated in 11th place, the remaining 10 players are drawing for seats at the final table. Snuffer is still alive in the Championship Event after bagging 87,900 in Day 1A as he awaits for Tuesday's Day 2 play.

"I'm disappointed I didn't cash, but I'm glad it's over and can focus on tomorrow," says Snuffer, who has a 5th place finish ($6,635) in Event 17 ($1k - 6 max). "I lost with pocket kings, but I misplayed it, It happens."

Two more eliminations and players hit the money. The top 7 players take home $3,500, while 8th place finishes with $1,981.

Event 18: Moore Fun With Joanne

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Star Moore & Joanne Monteavaro

Whereas some players are very serious, contemplating every move, never breaking their poker face, Star Moore and Joanne Monteavaro are joking, laughing, and having a lot of fun.

Right before dinner Joanne won two nice pots to climb up to 44,000 which spawned Moore to say, "It was like an appetizer before dinner".

But Joanne is looking to get to the dessert. She already has her eye on the cash.

Event 18: They'rrrrrrrre Back!

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Dinner break is over and everyone is filtering back into their seats.

We began the day with 324 players each starting with 30,000 chips.

So there are 9,720,000 chips up for grabs.

The 215 players on the 22 remaining tables are all trying to survive through Level 11 so they can return tomorrow.

Average chip stack: 45,209

Blinds: 250 / 500 with 50 antes.

Event 18: Chip Leaders at Dinner

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Andrew Brown

A look at some of the chip leaders who are on dinner break until 8 pm

Andrew Brown 185k
Joseph Brattole 153k
Jeremy Stein 135k
Bart Dowling 125k
Saad Ghanem 112k
Bob Santilli 105k
Wayne Lewis 102k

Event 18: Big Hand Before Break

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Lewis Looks to Dentale for the Double Up

On the penultimate hand before dinner break, Mike Dentale (Brooklyn, NY) is in a hand with Wayne Lewis (Wayne, NJ) who's all in for nearly 50k.

"You got aces?" Dentale asks, and Lewis shows him the bad news.

Lewis: A♠ A
Dentale: A K♣

The board runs clean for Lewis who doubles to 102k, while Dentale is mad at losing half his stack, saying he made "one mistake," all day. Dentale is down to 50k as players are now on a one hour dinner break.

Dentale (center) About to see Pocket Aces, while big stacks
Jeremy Stein & Bob Santilli look on

Event 18: Childs Cut

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

After a player opened for 1,500, Lee Childs moved in his last 10k with pocket Tens.  He was in bad shape against pocket Queens. 

The flop came  9 8 7, giving Lee some hope and more outs with an open-ender, but the last two came 7 5 and were no help.  Lee hit the rail.

Down to 22 tables (220 players) remaining on day 1B,

Event 19: Two Tables

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

They're down to 2 tables as 20 players remain. Notables Leanne Rosenblatt and Cotton Snuffer are still in the mix to finish in the money.

Place - Amount
1st - 7th $3,500
8th - $1,981

Event 18: Hook Gets the Hook

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship    
 

On a flop of 7 6 3 with two clubs, Steve Russell (Coolville, OH) led out for 1k and Chalie Hook (Philadelphia, PA) moved in for his last ~4,600.  Steve called, showing 73 of spades for two pair. 

 Sirous Jamshidi and Steve Russell

Chalie held T8 of clubs for the flush draw.  It was all over when a 3 came on the turn, giving Steve a full house.

Steve is up to 105k and is making the most of his second day one in this event.

Event 18: Payouts

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship    


Entries: 447
Total Buy-In: $1,117,500

Place  Payout
1        $276,949
2        $159,886
3          $97,558
4          $78,588
5          $61,787
6          $51,489
7          $41,191
8          $31,435
9          $21,680
10-12   $14,092
13-15   $10,840
16-18     $8,563
19-27     $6,721
28-36     $5,962
37-45     $5,420

Event 18: 24 Tables Remain

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship   

Reggie Franklin busted and Nancy Martin was moved into his seat at table 3, joining these guys:
Keith Crowder
Christian Harder
Al Grimes
David Zeitlin

End of level 6 and players are taking a break.

24 tables remain in action today.

Event 18: Ghanem Going Wild

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Saad Says, "Quads"

Event 16 ($350) runner-up Saad Ghanem (Rosedale, MD) has emerged as the Day 1B big stack. He's up to 130k after winning a monster pot with quad 5s.

Ghanem flops a set of 5s, three-bets to 10,500 and gets two callers. On the turn Ghanem bets 20k and both players call leaving themselves short.

The river is the 5♣, giving Ghanem quads and completes a flush for anyone on a club draw. Ghanem moves all-in and has both players covered. Lee Seunghwan makes the call for his last 9k, while the other player folds.

Ghanem, who won $14,000 in Event 16, shows the winner to scoop a 120k pot, Seunghwan mucks and is on the rail.

Event 18: Young Yanked

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship  

It took a terrible beat to do it, but Jason Young has been dispatched.

On a flop of Q 4 3 -- all hearts -- Jason checked, the player on his left bet, Jason moved in for his last 12k, and got the call.

Jason held KT of hearts for the 2nd-nut-flush.  His opponent held KQ for just top pair.  Then the last two cards came 4 Q, double-pairing the board and giving his opponent a runner-runner full house.

Jason is now joining these other players in the departures lounge:
Anthony Caruso
Matt Iles
Patricia Barsanti-Chou
Wooyang Lin
Sammy Elkassir
Alan Colon
Richard Woodall
Julian Miranda
Mickey Woll
Trevor Savage
Mike Castaldo
Dan Spirer

Event 18: Rigotti Rattles Young

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship 

As I was passing by table 15, Jason Young pointed out David Rigotti (Northern Virginia) as the player that's got him on tilt.  Table 15 has quite a collection of names:

Mark Wahba
Daniel Chan
David Rigotti
Robert Ford
Jason Young

Jason then raises the next hand to 650, utg+1.  Action folds around to Mark Wahba on the button, who calls.  Then Daniel Chan raises to 2,100 from the small blind.  David Rigotti flats from the big blind and Jason makes it four to the flop...

 David Rigotti

Which was K 7 2 with two clubs.  Daniel checked.  David bet 6k, Jason folded, Mark folded, and Daniel gave it some thought, then folded.

David showed AK off for top pair/top kicker as he collected the pot.

No wonder Jason is on tilt.

Event 18: KK vs KK

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Matt Glantz (Lafayette Hill, PA) is all in for 25k and at risk with pocket kings, against Barry Leventhal (Brooklyn, NY) who also has pocket kings.

Leventhal says he tells the dealer no flush for either one of us. "I wish there was rule that you don't even play the hand," he adds.

The flop brings two clubs and Glantz is free rolling as he holds the K♣. The board goes runner-runner club and Glantz gets the double up with the king high flush.

"I think he felt worse than I did," says Leventhal as pocket pair vs pocket pair results in a chopped pot 95% of the time. Glantz doubles to more than 55k, while Leventhal is left with
17k.

Event 19: Avoiding the Payne

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

Antoine Payne (Baltimore, MD) is looking for redemption after being one of the chip leaders at the dinner break in Event 10 and failing to cash. Today he says his 12k starting stack was down to 1,200 and he's now worked it back to 50k.

"Don't worry, I'll be around," Payne says with confidence. "This will be a good story when I make the money."

The field is down to 4 tables as 38 players remain. The top 7 players collect $3,500 with 8th place nabbing a little less than $2,000.

Event 18: Boatwright Sunk

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship        

Playing in level 5 with blinds of 100/200 and 25 antes.

As tables break and players are moved around, more interesting tables are forming:

Table 3
Keith Crowder
Christian Harder
Reggie Franklin
David Zeitlin

Table 21
Mickey Woll
John D'Agostino
Cliff Josephy

Table 22
Trevor Savage
Krzysztof Perka
Angelo 'Pinky' Modica

Carless 'Joe' Boatwright is now card-less Joe.  He busted out and Dan Fischer was moved into his seat on table 12.  Dan is working on his second entry into this event.

Event 18: Break Time

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship       

End of level 4 and players are enjoying some time away from the tables. 

29 tables are still in action today.

Everyone keeps asking about day 1A:
Entries:  123
Survived the day:  42
Average stack: 87,857
Leader:  Joe Liberta - 183,100

Event 19: Registration Closed

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

The cage is verifying the numbers, but the unofficial count is 78 players, which means 7 players will win $3,500 (1 in 10). The left over prize pool goes to 8th place.

Event 18: Busted (Twice)

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship      

Kathy Liebert, Bob Courtney, and Neville Darrell join John Myung as players who have busted out of this tournament for the second time today.

Player count is still rising.  Up to 446 total entries.

Players will still be able to register until the end of level 4 and the break that follows.

Event 18: All-a-Twitter

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship     

Blinds are up to 100/200 for level 4.

The poker industry has adopted twitter like no other business.  It is the perfect tool for players to use to keep their followers updated on their progress while playing live tournaments.

Here are some samples from players in this event.

THEPOKERKAT  (Kathy Liebert)
Lost most of my stack to Internet kid.
Josh Brikis
Down to 20k from 30k already
Jason Young
48K...climbing
Lee Childs
Up to 36k now. Drug two nice pots, one with massive river overbet against on of my calling station targets :)

Event 18: Name Dropping, Names Dropping

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship    

More interesting tables:

Table 11
Meikat 'May' Siu
Josh Brikis
Heung Yoon
Matt Iles


Table 16
Sammy Elkassir
Alex Torres
Miguel Borrero
Rick Austin

Adam 'Lippy' Lippert had his pocket Queens cracked by AK, then ran AK suited into Aces and AK into Kings.   He's was doing OK until he ran into these three serious cooler hands.  He's out now and looking to blow off some steam.

Event 19: No Off Day

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

Three players who bagged and tagged chips from Day 1A in the Championship Event are using their off day to play in the Survivor tournament.

Elliott Zaydman (98k in the Championship Event) Eric Siegel (95k) and Cotton Snuffer (88k) are all in the middle of the pack of yesterday's 42 remaining players.

Siegel says, "this is like a vacation compared to yesterday. I'll be here fishing all afternoon."

Event 18: Name Dropping

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship    

Tables up through 31 currently playing.

Sheree Bykofsky says her friend Mark told her she shouldn't play today "because they [the other players at her table] are afraid of you".  Sheree did not heed that advice because she is playing today.

More interesting tables developing:

Table 2 (has been dubbed the 'Michael' table):
Michael Shasho
Michael Buttacavoli
Mike 'Little Man' Sica
Will Heger (must be an anomaly)

Table 5
'Smiley' Chin
'Hollywood' Dave Stann  (winner of event 11)
Bob Courtney


Table 7
Jim Hayduk
Eric 'clownfish' Doerr
Ted Geier
Franco Bonacci  (winner of event 17)

Event 18: Million Dollars, Baby!

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship   

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

Josh Brikis arrived just before the break to take his seat.

Tab Duchateau announced 303 entries so far today (with late registration still possible through the break after level 4).  Added to the 123 entries from day 1A makes the field 426 players (so far) and makes the total buy-ins $1,065,000!

Event 18: Before the Break

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship  

End of level two and players are getting 15 minutes away from the felt.

During the previous level:

Mike Dentale back-doored a straight-flush against an opponent who rivered a straight.  Mike collected all his chips and sent him packing.  Mike's up to ~80k.

 Alek Givotovsky

Alek Giviotovsky, who won the Leaderboard Contest, has landed in the seat vacated by Mike's victim.  Mike Dentale came in third in the points contest, winning a seat in the $250+$30 Deepstack, event 23, on Friday the 29th.

Mike 'Little Man' Sica has busted one player and crippled another.  This Mike is up to 76,500.

Event 19: Grinding

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

The last Survivor tournament of the series is set up near the restrooms in the Poker Room and has been underway for about an hour.

Familiar Faces include:

Allen Chou, Leanne Rosenblatt and Mirsad Kovaci

Players began with 12k chips and levels are 30 minutes long. Approximately 1 in 10 wins $3,500 cash.

Event 18: Interesting Matchups

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship  

Some interesting tables are taking shape today:

 Table 25

Table 25
Ian Palomo
Nancy Martin
Bill Gazes
Dan Spirer
Larry Gold

Table 20
Julian Miranda
Bob Santilli
Adam Lippert

Event 18: More Double-Players

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship 

Blinds are up to 50/100 for level 2.

They've opened up tables 27 and 28 and there are still a handful of players waiting to get registered.

Alek Givotovsky played yesterday, busted out, and is back to play again today.  Good thing he won two entries, one in a satellite and one in the Leaderboard Contest.

More Double-players have turned up.  Steve Russell busted out yesterday from table 9, seat 10.  Today's he's back and landed in...table 9, seat 10.  He's hoping it will work out better for him today.

 Svetlana Gromenkova and Brock Parker

Patricia Barsanti-Chou is back again today and has drawn a tough table.  She's sharing the felt on table 12 with Brock Parker†, Carless 'Joe' Boatwright, Svetlana Gromenkova*, and Eric 'sheets' Haber.

*Svetlana won a WSOP bracelet in the 2008 Ladies event.
†Brock has two WSOP bracelets won in 2009, playing 6-max Limit and No Limit.

Event 19: I Will Survive

$350 + $50 NL Survivor

In addition to Day 1B, there's plenty of other options this week at the Borgata Spring Poker Open. Today's Survivor tournament kicks off Events 19-23 and Events 49-53.

Event 19: ~1 in 10 wins $3,500 cash
Event 20-23: Main Events (Trophy)
Events 49-53: All 6 pm starts (M-F) $150 + $30

Event 18: Medrano Masters Myung

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

John Myung played day 1A and busted out, so he returned today to take another shot.

His second attempt was shorter than the first.  He got tangled up in a pot with George Medrano (Rego Park, NY).  John opened for 125, George raised to 650, and John called.  On the flop of 8 5 2 with two diamonds, John checked, George made a pot-sized bet, John raised to 4 times the bet, George shoved, and John called all-in.

John held A4 of diamonds for the nut-flush draw with gutshot draw to a wheel.  George was ahead with pocket Tens.  The last two came offsuit running 9s and John was busted.  George chipped up to about 55k.

Event 18: Lugo Likes Jacks

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Daniel Lugo won the Borgata Spring Poker Open online contest, winning a seat into the main event.  He's here today from Fredericksburg, VA, taking his shot at fame and fortune.

 Daniel Lugo

Back home in Virginia, Daniel is a Finance Manager in the car business, so he must know how to manage money.  We'll see if that talent translates into managing chips on the felt.

I just watched Daniel (sb) flop a set of Jacks and drag a nice pot. 

The staff have opened up some more tables in the back, so it looks like we may be approaching the 300-entry-mark today.

Event 18: Still Arriving

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

There's a line about 20 people deep at registration.

26 tables are currently in action with some empty seats waiting to be filled.  They may have to open another table.

I've seen a few faces that were here this time yesterday morning on day 1A that are taking advantage of the "Double Play" feature of this event:
Brock Parker
Roland Israelashvilli
Richard Woodall
Mike Dentale
Kathy Liebert

Some players who registered in advance are taking advantage of the large starting stack and low starting blinds to get some extra sleep.  Their stacks are being blinded off until they arrive.

Event 18: Championship Cards In The Air

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

There's a little bit of a line at registration as players arrive and find their seats this morning.  The dealers were just directed to "Shuffle Up and Deal!"  Well, actually, they don't have to shuffle, as the ShuffleMaster machines are being used for this event and they take care of that little chore.

This is day 1B and the last of two starting days.   123 players took the felt on day 1A and 42 of them survived the 11 levels of play and will return tomorrow for day 2.

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

Level 1 blinds are 25/50.

Monday, April 25

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
  • 3-Day event with two starting days
  • Day 2 starts Tuesday at 11AM | Day 3 starts Wednesday at 11AM

12PM: Event 19 - $350 + $50 SURVIVOR NLH
  • Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips
  • Levels last 30 minutes each
  • Approximately 1 in 10 will win $3,500 Cash
  • 1-Day event
6PM: Event 49 - $150 + $30 No Limit Hold'em
  • Players start with 10,000 in tournament chips
  • Levels last 20 minutes each
  • 1-day event

Event 18: Day 1A Unofficial Chip Counts

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Level 11 is finished and so are our remaining 42 players.

They'll return 11:00 AM on Tuesday to join the 1B finishers.

Players............. Unofficial Chip Counts
1. Joseph Liberta..........183,000
2. Alex Muscarella.........169,000
3. Alexander Queen.......154,000
4. Aleksandr Bolotin.......147,300
5. Paul Volpe................145,000
6. Feming Chan.............128,500
7. Kalid Ali....................127,600
8. Edward Cotter...........124,400
9. James St. Hilaire........121,200
10. Jeffrey Chotikul........110,200

A great day of Borgata Poker has Joseph Liberta on top with 183,000 and defending Spring Poker Open Champion Alexander Queen third in chips with 154,000.

Notable players Eric Siegel has 95,000, Gordon Eng has 60,000, and Maria Ho has 29,400.

If you busted out today, try try again tomorrow.

Event 18: Sing Along With Ephie

$2500 + $200 Double Play NL Championship

Scott Davis (Wayne, PA)

Most people root to get pocket Aces but for the next 20 minutes Scott Davis (Wayne, PA) is praying he doesn't get them.

If pocket rockets make an appearance, whether they hold up or get cracked, he's agreed to sing a duet with Ephie Lowinger (Brooklyn, NY) in front of everyone.

They're going to sing Bob Dillon's "Blowing In The Wind".

Ephie told me he wants to sing. The question is does anyone else at the table want him too?

If Event 18 turns into a round of Kareoke Poker I'll be sure to let the world know.