High School Reunion

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)           

At the end of level 17 players took a break while the purple 500 chips were colored up.  I took the opportunity to eyeball the stacks in the room and Lana Maier is still the leader with ~720k.

Larry Gold is up to ~444k.

 Thomas Balla and Tim Dougherty

There are a couple of big stacks over on table one.  Thomas Balla (Bellerose, NY) has 525k and Tim Dougherty (Queens, NY) has 425k.   Thomas just figured out that they went to high school together, so they had some catching up to do.

Thai Vu Throws Down The Gauntlet

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)           

After his table was broken, Michael Buttacavoli (Ventnor, NJ) landed at table 4 with his big ~600k stack, two seats left of Thai Vu.

Thai Vu (far left) and Michael Buttacavoli (far right)

Thai Vu (Manhattan, NY) has his avaricious eyes on Michael's stack.  Thai is currently sitting behind about 450k and he thinks Michael's chips will be coming his way soon.

Michael, on the other hand, has his Bose noise-cancelling headphones on and is apparently cancelling out the noise coming from Thai Vu.  

Down to Double Digits!

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)          

Ten tables remain now with one empty seat, leaving 99 players still in the hunt.  (Average stack is over 180k.)

Only 72 of these players will get paid.  27 more will leave with nothing.

They're currently playing level 17 with blinds of 3k/6k and 500 antes.

Dentale Doubles

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)          

A bit of controversy occurred on table 9 and not surprisingly, Mike Dentale was smack in the middle of it.

They were at the river with a board of K 4 3 9 4 (no flush possible) and Mike's opponent in seat 9 moved all in.  Mike was put to the test for his tournament life since his opponent had him covered.

 Mike 'Unbelievable' Dentale

This is when the controversy arose, as his opponent called for the clock.  Apparently Mike didn't feel he had been given enough time to consider his options and called form a second opinion.

Regardless of that, Mike eventually decided to call and what a call it was.  He held A9 suited for nines-up.  His opponent held A6 suited (missed a flush draw).  Mike collected the pot, doubling up to over 430k.

Don't Mess With Little Man

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)         

Abul Moborrod was up to ~575k, good for second in chips behind Lana Maier.

Then this hand took place:

Mike 'Little Man' Sica opened for 12,500 from the middle and Abul called from the small blind.  The flop came 8 4 3 with two spades.  Abul led out for 30k.  Mike gave it some thought, then min-raised to 60k.  Abul called to see an offsuit 9 on the turn. 

Abul announced he was all-in and Little Man snap-called all-in for 141,500, showing pocket 8s for the set.  Abul held T7 of spades for the flush draw with open-ender and a lot of outs.  Mike faded them all when the river bricked.  He doubled up to ~435k to join the leaders.  Not bad considering he was down to 11k just a couple of hours ago.  Abul dropped below 400k.

Blinds Climb

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)        

Play resumed after the color-up with blinds of  2,500/5,000 and 500 antes.

More all-ins and more short-stacks hitting the rail.

Pocket 8s fall prey to pocket Aces (as they should four out of every five times) and another short-stack is dispatched. 

Steve Ryan got his last chips in and surrendered them to his opponent.

12 tables remain now with about 115 players.

Color Up Break

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)       

Mike Sica got his last chips in with AT against JT on a Ten-high board.  Top/top held up and Mike doubled up to ~135k.

End of level 15 and players are taking a 15 minute break while the staff color up the black 100 chips.

13 tables remain.  Average is about 130k.

Lana Maier is approaching 700k and way out in front.

Chips & Cards Flying

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)       

Cards and chips are flying furiously now:

Larry Gold took out a player and chipped up to ~420k, good for second right now.

AT out-flopped pocket 9s to double-up a short-stack.

Gregory  Bock got his last chips in with pocket 7s, only to run into pocket 8s.  The better pair held up and Gregory reported to the rail.

Leading Lady

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)      

Lana Maier (East Brunswick, NJ) has loudly staked her claim to the chip lead, much to the dismay of her table-mates.  She's up to about 470k and looks to be leading the field.  She's not playing with nobodies, either.  She shares the felt on table 6 with Steve Ryan, David Zeitlin, and James 'Suits' Salters, all to her left.  David is the next largest stack at her table with ~290k.

 Lana Maier

Lana has a couple of WSOP cashes on her poker resume, the largest of which was her 10th place finish in the $1,500 HORSE in the summer of 2009.  She claimed over $19k in that event.

14 tables remain.  They're currently half-way through level 15 with blinds of 2k/4k and 400 antes.  Average is ~130k.

Dropping Like...Rain?

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)     

The departures are coming faster and faster as the short-stacks make their desperation moves.  Level 14 (blinds 1,500/3,000 with 400 antes) expires in about 10 minutes and they're down to 15 tables (150 or fewer players).

Abul Moborrod (Ventor City, NJ) may have crept into the lead with about 350k.  He shares the same piece of green felt with Julian Miranda and WSOP bracelet holder Mike 'Little Man' Sica, who is hanging on with a below-average stack.

Miranda Doing It Right

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)    

Julian Miranda (Union City, NJ) has chipped up to ~318k and could be our chip leader.  (There are several players flirting with the 300k mark.)

 Alesy & proud father-to-be Julian Miranda

Julian's wife Alesy is here sweating him, despite being 8 months pregnant with their first child.  Their baby girl has already been named Zoe, which means 'life'.  Julian would like to start her life off properly with a nice win here today.  First place prize of over $57k would make a nice start to her college fund.

Down to 18 tables now.  Average stack is ~100k.

It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)   

Play resumed after dinner with 13 minutes remaining in level 13.

Surviving through dinner has given these players some newfound hope.  The all-ins are coming rapidly again now as players have been reminded that about 200 remain, but only 72 get paid.

They will play until 2am or to the final table, whichever comes first....that means they'll play until 2am.

'VIP' Nguyen got his chips in good holding A7 against QT.  It appeared he was headed for a double-up when an Ace flopped, but the last two came Queen, Ten, giving his opponent two pair and the pot.  VIP headed for the door.

Matt 'muffins' Mazzeo accomplished the same feat when he had a shorter-stack all-in with pocket 9s.  Matt held T8.  Matt caught an 8, then a Ten, to make two pair and claim the pot, sending another player home.

19 tables remain.

Dinner Time Has Arrived

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)  

With 20 tables remaining, the dinner bell was rung at 7pm and players were dispatched on a 50 minute dinner break.

Play will resume at 7:50pm.

All You Can Eat

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)

Chan (left) Watches as his Opponent "Paks" it in

On the last hand before dinner break Chan Pak (Woodbridge, VA) opens the pot in early position and the player on his left moves all-in. It folds back to Pak who makes the call with pocket 5s.

Pak is against AK and when the board run cleans he takes down the pot while taking his stack up to 175k.

"This time so far, so good," says Pak, who's making a return trip to Borgata after a short stay during the Winter Open. In Pak's first tournament he says he only lasted one hour, today he made it to the dinner break.

Not Your Typical "Coin Flip Situation"

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)  

A total of 22 tables are still in action here today, leaving fewer than 220 players in the hunt.

Blinds 1,200/2,400 with 300 antes.

Back in the back of the room, Chris Richardson (Dix Hills, NY) opened for 7k and the player in seat 6 came over the top to the tune of ~45k.  When the action folded back to Chris, he had some trouble deciding what to do.  He pulled out a quarter and said "Heads I play, tails I fold". 

He flipped the coin onto the table and it came tails.  Being a man of his word, he showed his pocket 5s before folding them.  His opponent showed an Ace, but only one, mucking his other card unseen.

Counting Down to Dinner Time

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry) 

It was announced that the dinner break will be at 7pm.  That seems to have set a goal for many of the remaining players ("If I can just hold on until the dinner break...") so a lull has settled over the room. 

While the players seem to be showing some wear after playing for seven hours, a fresh batch of dealers have just arrived and pushed in with fresh faces and revving with energy.

They're currently in level 12 with blinds of 1k/2k, 300 antes.  At the end of this level they will take a break and move the remaining tables over from the Poker Room (a total of 24 tables remain, leaving fewer than 240 players.  Average is about 80k.

Dentale & Siegel Each Claim a Victim

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)

On a flop of A♣Q♥T♣, Mikey 'Unbelievable' Dentale calls the short-stack's all-in.  Mike's J♣8♣ (flush draw with double-gutshot) was about even-money against his opponent's AQ (top/top).  The turn was the useless 5♦, but the river delivered the 9♠ to complete Mike's straight and ship him the pot.  He's now up to ~150k.

Across the room, Eric 'Pools' Siegel called an all-in on a flop of 8 4 2 with one spade.  His opponent's overpair was ahead of Eric's 5♠3♠ (open-ender), but not for long.  The last two came running spades (King, Ace) to give Eric the back-door flush and the pot.  He's up to ~200k.

Two more players reported to the rail.  The cries of "Seat Open" are coming rapidly

Down to 11 tables here in the Signature Room.  More than that remain over in the poker room.

3 All-in, Plus the Side Pot

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)

No Joshing with Jacks

Josh Lawson (Quarryville, PA) is starting to love the opening events of Borgata. After a second place finish in January's Winter Open kick off tournament ($94,236), he's putting himself in position to make a deep run in Event 1.

Lawson is in a huge pot with three players all-in and action in a side pot. On a jack high flop, the remaining active player leads out for 22k and Lawson comes over the top all-in. The initial bettor folds and Lawson takes the side pot.

Lawson flips over pocket jacks for a set of jacks and easily eliminates the three remaining players, who are holding AK, AK & A 10. Jennifer Sostak (Long Island, NY) has the A 10 of hearts and picks up a flush draw on the turn, but when the river bricks she's on the rail.

Lawson now has 180k and is easily one of the biggest stacks in the tournament.

New Chip Leader

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)

Now that the re-entry period is over, there is no safety-net for those players who bust out.  And the bust-outs are coming quickly.  Down to ~320 players now, making the average stack about 68k.

Eric Rondon (Bronx, NY) has just made a mockery of that average.  On a flop of T 7 5, three players got all their chips in the middle.  Eric had the other two covered in chips and crushed with his pocket Kings.  He was up against pocket Jacks and pocket Queens.

Eric Rondon

Then last two cards bricked off and Eric chipped up to ~330k while sending two players to the rail.  Needless to say, this puts Eric well out in front of the field and solidly in the chip lead.

Hiders in the House

Event 1: $350 + $50 DS NL (2 re-entry)

Because the field is divided between the Signature Room and the Poker Room, a few more recognizable faces have surfaced in the Poker Room.

Dave Zeitlin (Brooklyn, NY), who has nearly $1.2 million in career earnings, is in a three way all-in with QQ vs 99 vs 44. Zeitlen's queens hold, taking his stack to 94k.

Also in the house is Keith Crowder (Elkins Park, PA), who has several Borgata cashes, including a first place finish in the 2010 Spring Open $700 tournament ($37,079), his second largest cash to date.

Crowder's biggest pay day came at the final table of the 2009 Borgata Poker Open, WPT televised final table when he took home $188,126 with a 5th place finish.