Event 12 Recap

$170 + $30 Deep Stack Double Play NLH (2 Re-entry)

After more than 24 hours of poker, it only takes 10 minutes of heads up play for James Governa (Richboro, PA) to defeat Will Hart (Huntington, WV) and win Event 12 at the Borgata Winter Open (BWO). Governa takes home $46,870 when his pair of 2s holds while holding A♠ 2♠.

"It hasn't hit met yet," said Governa, a 19 year Upper Dublin, PA police officer. "It's a long grind, but certainly rewarding."

Governa seized the chip lead when he knocked out Nick Markatos (Dix Hills, NY - $11,718) in 5th place with pocket jacks against AK. The hand gave Governa 14 of the 32 million chips in play and a 2-1 chip lead over the four remaining players.

After Governa knocked out James Rosmoser (Washington, DC - 4th/$14,274) and Hart took care of Jeff Finkelstein (Bala Cynwyd, PA - 3rd/$17,044), heads up play was over in seven hands. "I had to make a move and felt it was a good spot," said Hart, who correctly thought Governa was weak and pushed with ace high, but didn't count on a gutsy call. "I'm happy, but it was a tough grind to end up second."

Governa, survived 1,292 entries and began the day 18th out of 199 returning players with an above average stack as the field chased the total buy-in of $219,640. Hart was the chip leader after Days 1A & 1B and held a top 10 stack all day as the top 100 players cashed.

The final table was dotted with Borgata regulars including Nicole Rowe (Salisbury, NY - 9th/$3,941), Ryan Eriquezzo (Danbury, CT - 8th/$5,572), who was the first player over the $2 million chip mark, and Dave Zeitlin (Brooklyn, NY - 6th/$9,480).

Governa is also no stranger to Borgata as this is his second cash at the BWO (Event 8 - 58th/$817) and was the runner-up in the 2010 Borgata Poker Open Senior Event ($12,340).