Friday, February 4, 2011

Jack It Up

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

Players are back from a 10 minute break and the blinds going up are a bigger story than the chip counts. Blinds are now 150k/300k/30k ante.

Chip Counts (in millions)

Vadim Shlez 8.9
Trevor Savage 5.1
Bobby Suer 3.3
LJ Sande 4

Savage Doubles Through Shlez

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

Trevor Savage moves all-in for 2.25 million, Vadim Shlez calls.

Savage: AK
Shlez: AJ

Ace-king is good for Savage and the chips continue to go round and round.

With blinds at 120k/240k/30k ante, any player with 2.5 million chips barely has 10 big blinds.

10 minutes left before the next break.

Final Four

Event 26: Black Jack

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

21 players remain as there's a steady stream to the cage.

Still in the running for the $12,873 first prize:

James Boyle
Howard Wolper
Joanne Leban
Jesse Dara
Hamilton Dimaya

Shlez Doubles Through Savage

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

The chips are all-in preflop and Shlez is at risk for 2.75 million

Shlez: KK
Savage: 5 3 off suit

The board runs clean and Shlez doubles to more than 5 million, Savage is cut in half to less than 4 million.

Another Break

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

It's been quiet since the only post dinner break elimination. While there hasn't been any double ups in a while, there have been decent pots that swing the chip stacks.

Chip Counts (in millions)

Bobby Suez 8.4
Trevor Savage 6
LJ Sande 5
Vadim Shleth 2.7

Blinds are 120k/240k/30k ante.

Event 26: Bubble Breaks

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

The top 27 players are in the money and a new chip leader has emerged.

David Eisenstein is up to 235k and says he won a 140k pot when his AQ beat pocket 9s.

A reminder of what they're playing for.

Place-Amount

1 $12,873
2 $7,586
3 $4,367
4 $3,540
5 $2,758
6 $2,298
7 $1,839
8 $1,379
9 $920
10-12 $598
13-15 $506
16-18 $460
19-27 $414

Savage Doubles Through Sande

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

LJ Sande raises from the button, Trevor Savage is all-in for a little less than 2 million. Sande tanks and calls with A 9 vs Savage's KK. The kings hold and Savage goes to 3.5 million.

Savage moves all-in several more times without a call and twice Sande show s the same A 9 he just lost with.

Sande Doubles Through Suer

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

The board is 9 4 10♠ 4♣ K and on the river LJ Sande moves all-in for 2.7 million

Bobby Suer counts down his stack and see he'll have 5.5 left if he loses the hand. Suer makes the call and quickly turns over A K♣ , for top pair, top kicker, but is beat by the Q♠ J♠ as Sande hits the straight.

Sande doubles to 5.4 million, while Suer drops to 5.5 million.


Event 26: Back from Break

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

As play resumes in the last trophy event, the field is down to 31 players, just three from the bubble and four away from the money.

The top two stacks continue to be Brandon Guss and Mark Stafford who are at the same table.

Stafford Watches Chip Leader Guss Stack More Chips

Suer Still Sizzling

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

There's a big pot brewing and the board is 4♠ 7 J 3♠ A.

Bobby Suer quickly moves all-in on the river and has Vadim Shlez covered. Shlez mucks and Suer takes his stack to more than 10 million chips.

Back from Break/Chip Counts

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

Savage Secures the Hoody

Count in Millions

Bobby Suer 6.9
Vadim Shlez 6.4
LJ Sande 6.0
Trevor Savage 2.8

Blinds are 100k/200k/20k ante

Last Hand Before Break

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

From the cutoff LJ Sande leads out for 350k
Trevor Savage from the button makes it 875k
Sande Calls

Flop: Q 10 8

Check, Check

Turn: A♠

Check, Check

River: 6

Sande bets 700k and Savage calls.

Sande shows 8 ♣ 10 ♣ for two pairs, Savage mucks.

Savage, the former chip leader, is now the short stack with less than 3 million.


Suer Doubles and More

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

Bobby Suer doubles through Trevor Savage and now has 3.2 million chips.

The flop is 2 J♣ J

Suer checks
Savage bets 350k
Suer raises to 800k
Savage moves all-in
Suer calls

Savage: J♣ Q (trip jacks)
Suer: 9♣ 2♣ (two pairs)

Turn: K♣ (Savage picks up flush draw)

River: 8

Suer dodges a club on the river and doubles his stack to 4 million.

On the very next hand Suer and and LJ Sande go to the river and Sande has the higher straight for another 3.5 million chip pot and has gone from 2 million to 7.5 million in back to back hands.

Suer (left) Wins a Pot from Sande

Rough Chip Count Update

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship            

With four players remaining, the leaderboard has taken another shakeup.

Vadim Shlez has reclaimed the chip lead with ~7.7 million.

Trevor Savage is second with ~6 million.

LJ Sande is third with ~5.5 million.

Bobby Suer is fourth with ~2.3 million.

5th Place - Gil Sacks

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship           

Gil Sacks got his chips in against LJ Sande. 

 Gil Sacks

Gil held AK and was racing against LJ's pocket 6s.  The board came T 8 4 3 J and LJ's pair held up.  The stacks had to be counted down, but in the end, LJ had him covered.

Gil Sacks finished in 5th place, earning $126,407.

Gil was the oldest player at this final table and did very well, outlasting some much younger opponents.  He's retired and lives in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.

This is Gil's biggest score to date, but he won a $200 No Limit event during the 2010 Borgata Summer Open, good for $28,077.  In September 2007, he played the $5k WPT Championship during the Borgata Summer Open and finished 14th, taking home $21,905.

For his greatest accomplishment outside of poker, he says "I'm still alive."

Event 26: Dinner Break

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

Here's a look at various chip counts as players are on a one hour dinner break. Three stacks top the 100k mark.

Chip Leaders:

Brandon Guss 197k
Mark Stafford 173k
Hamilton Dimaya 112k

Various Stacks:

Robert Scott Fisher 89k
Calabria Pasquale 80k (up from 9k)
Glenn Faegenburg 75k
James Boyle 65k
Willis Robert 55k
Joseph Gillies 45k
Matt Damon 43k
Richard Sarkisian 43k
George Reid 26k (AKA as anonymous when QQ was cracked by AK)
Anthony Casale 9,300 ("write it down so when I come back to win you'll have a story."

35 players remain with an average stack of 68k

Play resumes at 8:45 pm

Savage Ships it to Suer

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship           

Bobby Suer moved in from the button and Trevor Savage called the 1.39 million (total) from the big blind.  Bobby held A3 off and was ahead of Trevor's QJ offsuit.  The board came 9 7 3 9 5 and Bobby doubled up to ~2.8 million.

Play Has Resumed

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship          

The final five players (well, four of them) have returned from dinner break and resumed play with blinds of 80k/160k and 10k antes.

Chip leader Trevor Savage has not yet returned.  Blinds and antes are being posted for him.

(Trevor returned after missing a couple of hands.)

Event 26: Featured Table

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

Borgata regulars James Boyle, Patti Haggerty and Howard Wolper are all at the same table.

Boyle, who was the PPI Points Leader heading into the Championship Event says, "this is my last tournament," of course this is the last event of the Borgata Winter Open.

On a board of 3♣ Q♠ 9 8 K♣, Joe Gillies (Philadelphia, PA) moves all-in for 15k, Haggerty tanks and calls. Gillies shows J 10♣ for the rivered straight and now has 60k.

Haggerty is left short and is out shortly after that, her replacement? Joanne Leban (New York, NY) who bubbled the final table in Event 25, finishing 11th.

Truly this is the featured group as players are gearing up for the 7:30 pm dinner break.



Savage Beats Sande Before Dinner

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship         

On the last hand before the dinner break, LJ Sande (cutoff) got involved with Trevor Savage (button).  At the river the board read Q J 7 2 Q (no flush possible).  LJ checked, Trevor bet 560k into the million-dollar pot.  LJ tanked until time ran out in the level, then called.  Trevor showed AJ for two pair.  LJ mucked.

With that pot, Trevor reclaimed a commanding chip lead.  He's up to 8.2 million.

LJ dropped to 3.1 million.

Remaining chip counts:

Vadim Shlez-  6.2 million
Gil Sacks - 2.3 million
Bobby Suer - 2 million

Players have been sent on a 75 minute dinner break.  Play will resume at about 7:25pm

Event 26: Payouts

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

Entries: 237
Total Buy-In: $47,400

Place-Amount

1 $12,873
2 $7,586
3 $4,367
4 $3,540
5 $2,758
6 $2,298
7 $1,839
8 $1,379
9 $920
10-12 $598
13-15 $506
16-18 $460
19-27 $414

Savage Gets Some Back

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship         

After LJ Sande opened for 300k, Trevor Savage raised to 850k on the button.  LJ tanked for a bit, struggling with the decision, then vigorously mucked his hand, causing one of them to flip over - a Ten.

Sande Chipping Up; Suer Chipping Down

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship         

LJ Sande (bb) tangles with big-stack Trevor Savage (utg).  At the river, the board read Q T 5 6 3.  LJ showed Q9 off for top pair.  Trevor mucks.  LJ picked up a nice pot, chipping up to ~4.7 million and taking a bite out of the chip leader.

On the next hand, after Bobby Suer raised to 275k on the button, Trevor (bb) announced he was all-in.  Bobby gave it some thought, then let it go.

Event 26: 3 Way All-in

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

Marmol Can't Believe Dara (right) Hit the King

A short stack moves all-in, a player in middle position flat calls, Jesse Dara (New York, NY) moves all-in and the caller stays to put both players at risk.

Short Stack: JJ
Middle Position: QQ
Dara: AK

A king hits the flop and the short stack is gone, while Dara takes his stack to 100k. The third players takes a big hit and is even more frustrated when Ernie Marmol (Brooklyn, NY) says he folded ace-king and got out of the way.

Dara is a Borgata regular who won the 2009 Borgata Summer Open $1k event for $73,000

73 players remain with an average stack of 34k as blinds are 500/1k/100 ante.

Break Time Chip Counts

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship        

Another level gone.  Players on break.  Approximate chip counts:

Trevor Savage - 6 million
Vadim Shlez - 5.7 million
LJ Sande - 3.8 million
Gil Sacks - 3.2 million
Bobby Suer - 2.6 million

Play resumed after the break with blinds of 60k/120k with 10 antes.

Suer Doubles; Savage Takes the Lead

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship       

On a flop of K J T, Gil Sacks (bb) bet 600k and Bobby Suer (utg) shoved for another ~1.3 million on top.  Gil made the call showing KQ for top pair with open-ended draw.  Bobby tabled Q9 for the flopped straight.  Gil needed an Ace or 9 just to chop the pot.  The last two came Q 3 and Bobby doubled up to ~3.2 million.

Trevor Savage tangled with Vadim Shlez, who paid off Trevor's river bet, only to see that Trevor had made a back-door flush (Vadim did not show).  It appears that Trevor has now edged out Vadim for the chip lead.  Fresh chip counts coming up at the next break.

Savage Scores

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship      

Three players took a flop of A 4 3 rainbow.  LJ Sande (bb) checked, Trevor Savage (utg) bet 360k, Vadim took some time, then called, and LJ folded.

Turn was another 4.  Both players checked.

River was a King. 

Trevor checked, Vadim fired 525k, and Trevor called, showing AJ for Aces-up.  Vadim mucked and Trevor picked up the juicy pot.

Event 26: Registration and Re-Entry is Closed

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry) 

Level 7 has begun with blinds of 300/600 and 75 antes.  Levels will now last 40 minutes.

Registration is closed and players will no longer be able to re-enter if they bust out.

13 tables remain with 130 or fewer players.

Break Time Chip Counts

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship     

Another level is history and here are chip estimates for the final five:

Vadim Shlez - 7.3 million
LJ Sande - 5.04 million
Gil Sacks - 4.4 million
Trevor Savage - 3.3 million
Bobby Suer - 1.9 million

Play resumed after the break with blinds of 50k/100k with 10k antes.

6th Place - Patrick Carney

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship    

Patrick Carney (button) managed to get all-in against Gil Sacks (sb) before the flop. 

 Patrick Carney

Patrick held AK offsuit.  Gil held pocket Aces (again!).  The flop came Q J 5, giving Patrick a glimmer of hope with a Broadway draw, but the last two fell 7 K and Gil took the pot.

Patrick Carney finished in 6th place, earning $103,425.

Patrick was born in nearby Philadelphia, but now lives in Galloway, New Jersey.  For the last 3-4 years, poker has been his profession, despite graduating from law school.

Prior to today, his biggest finish was in the Borgata Poker Open WPT Championship in September 2008.  He finished 14th for $47,500.

7th Place - Steve Ryan

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship      

Steve Ryan

Steve Ryan got all-in pre-flop against Gil Sacks (bb).  Unfortunately for Steve, Gil held pocket Aces.  Steve had Q9 and needed help.  He got none as the board came 8 6 4 2 5.  "The first hand he plays all day and he runs into Aces" commented LJ Sande.

Steve Ryan finished in 7th place, earning $82,740.

Steve is a poker pro from New York and his biggest cash before today was in September 2008 when he finished 3rd in the $1k No Limit event, earning almost $41,000.  He's also won a WSOP Circuit preliminary event.

He's quite a baseball player, too.  He played for 13 years and was inducted into the Little League Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Break Time Chip Counts

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship     

End of level and time for another break and another set of chip count estimates:

Vadim Shlez - 5.6 million
LJ Sande - 5 million
Trevor Savage - 3.2 million
Patrick Carney - 3.1 million
Bobby Suer - 2.15 million
Gil Sacks - 1.5 million
Steve Ryan - 1 million

Play resumed after the break with blinds of 40k/80k and 5k antes.

Carney Doubles; Suer Doubles

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship    

On the turn with a board of K 4 3 6, Bobby Suer (bb) bet 160k and Patrick Carney (button) moved all-in for 1.235 million more.  Bobby tanked for several minutes, then called.  Patrick held KJ offsuit for top pair.  Bobby held 96 off for second pair.  River was a blank and Patrick doubled up to nearly 3 million.   Bobby was left with just over 1 million.

Soon after, Bobby was all in for 1.075 million holding pocket 9s against the AK of Vadim Shlez.  The board came J T 8 4 T and Bobby doubled up to over 2.2 million.

With seven players remaining, the average stack is nearly 3.1 million.

8th Place - Osagyefo Greene

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship     

Osagyefo Greene opened for 185k on the button and Vadim Shlez called from the small blind.  The flop came J 9 4 and  Vadim checked.  Osagyefo bet 325k, Vadim shoved, and Osagyefo called all-in, showing pocket Kings.

 Osagyefo Greene

Vadim tabled 98 for middle pair with flush draw.   The turn was the 4d and changed nothing, but the river delivered the 9, giving Vadim trip 9s for the win.

Osagyefo Greene finished in 8th place, earning $63,204.

Osagyefo was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he still lives today.  His finish today is his greatest poker accomplishment in poker.  Outside poker, he counts his child as his greatest accomplishment.

Carney Doubles Through Savage

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship    

Trevor Savage opened for 135k.  Patrick Carney was the small blind and he moved all-in.  After Gil Sacks folded his big blind, Trevor called, showing AK off. 

 Patrick Carney

Patrick was ahead with pocket 8s.  The board came 9 6 2 2 T and Patrick doubled up.

Event 26: Familiar Faces

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry) 

There are lots of Borgata regulars in this event today.

Abe Korotki (far left) and Ed Corrado (far right)

Over on table one are Abe Korotki and Ed Corrado, a couple of tournament veterans.

Also playing today is James Boyle, who already has three cashes during the series and won his seat into the main event via a PPI points contest.

Matt 'muffiins' Mazzeo has a couple of cashes during the series and is back today going for the hat-trick.

Break Time Chip Counts

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship   

The level ran out without further fireworks and the eight remaining players were rewarded with a ten minute break.  The orange 1k chips were colored up and the pale yellow 100k chips were introduced.  Here are the (approximate) chip counts as of the break (in millions):

LJ Sande - 5.61
Vadim Shlez - 4.185
Bobby Suer - 2.9
Trevor Savage - 2.88
Osagyefo Greene - 2.505
Patrick Carney - 1.1
Steve Ryan - 1.095
Gil Sacks - 1.03

Following the break, play resumed with blinds of 30k/60k with 5k antes.

Evevt 26: Underway

$200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (1 Re-entry)

Cards are in the air for the final trophy event of the Borgata Winter Poker Open.

Players began with 10,000 chips and blinds of 25/50.

The first six levels are 30 minutes long.  During this time, players who bust out may re-enter (but only once).  The following levels will be 40 minutes long.

9th Place - Allan Vrooman

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship  

After action folded to Trevor Savage in the small blind, he moved all-in.  Allan Vrooman called all-in from the big blind, showing A7 off.  Trevor held pocket 3s and it was race-time.

 Allan Vrooman

The board came K 8 3 2 6 and Trevor flopped a set of crabs to take the pot.

Allan Vrooman finished in 9th place, earning $43,669.

Allan has a few cashes here at Borgata, but this is his first final table in a major event.  He's originally from Queens, but now resides down south in Greenville, North Carolina, where he makes a living as a coin and currency dealer.

He lists his greatest accomplishment outside of poker as "killing and skinning a grizzly bear with just a pair of toenail clippers".

10th Place - Tom Hu

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship  

Just a few hands into play, we've already seen the first departure.

LJ Sande opened for 110k utg+1, Tom Hu called from the hijack, and Gil Sacks called from the big blind.  The flop came 8 4 4 and Gil checked.  LJ bet 275k and Tom moved all-in.  Gil mucked and LJ asked for the count.  It was 678k more to call.

 Tom Hu

After a little think-time, LJ made the call, showing pocket Tens.  Tom rolled over pocket 9s and was in bad shape, looking for a two-outer to survive.

The last two cards were Q 3 and LJ took the pot with Tens-up.

Tom Hu finished in 10th place, earning $28,729.

Tom is from Oakton, Virginia, and considers poker his profession of the last three years.  He used to work in accounting.  Although he cashed (31st) in the $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha event at the 2010 WSOP, he considers his greatest poker accomplishment playing next to John Juanda and Tom 'durrr' Dwan in Macau.

Tom is friends with well-known and greatly-feared high-stakes online player Di 'Urindanger' Dang, so he keeps good company, poker-wise.

Cards are in the Air

Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship 

Play has begun at the final table of the Borgata Winter Poker Open!

Blinds are 25k/50k with 4k antes.  Just over 67 minutes remain in this level.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4

TODAY IN THE POKER ROOM

11A - Event 21: $3,300 + $200 Championship No Limit Holdem
Day 5 - FINAL TABLE

12P - Event 26: $200 + $30 No Limit Hold'em
  • 1 Re-Entry
  • 10,000 in starting chips
  • Levels 1-6: each will last 30 minutes Levels 7+: each will last 40 minutes
  • 1-day event

6P - Event 59: $100 + $20 No Limit Hold'em

  • 10,000 in starting chips
  • Levels last 20 minutes
  • 1-day event

Event 25 Final Results

Borgata Winter Poker Open
Event 25: $260 + $40 No Limit Hold'em
January 3, 2011

Entries: 186
Total Buy-In: $48,360

FINAL RESULTS
1. MARK WAHBA (CLEVELAND, OH): $14,073
2. CHRISTOPHER GROVE (PASADENA, MD): $7,740
3. MARCO JANSEN (MUNCHEN, GER): $4,456
4. MICHAEL MATRONE (MORGANVILLE, NJ): $3,753
5. ONOFRIO REINA (ELIZABETH, NJ): $2,815
6. FRANCIS DOUGHERTY (PHILADELPHIA, PA): $2,346
7. ROBERT BEN AVRAM (CANOGA PARK, CA): $1,876
8. VIMY HA (BROOKLYN, NY): $1,407
9. ABRAHAM GORDON (LAKEWOOD, NJ): $1,055
10. JACK BATTAGLIA (STATEN ISLAND, NY): $938
11. JOANNA LEBAN (NEW YORK, NY): $938
12. ROBERT FETZKO (JOHNSTOWN, PA): $938
13. JEFF SEQUEIRA (RED BANK, NJ): $821
14. MICHAEL SICA JR (N BRUNSWICK, NJ): $821
15. ROBERT HAAVIND (BOSTON, MA): $821
16. PATRICK GAGLIANO (FREEHOLD, NJ): $704
17. GREG RITZER (FREEHOLD, NJ): $704
18. FRANCIS FAZIO JR (CHESTER SPRINGS, PA): $704

Event 25 Recap

Event 25 started with 186 entries building a Total Buy-in of $48,360.

Players started the day at 12pm with 10,000 chips and were able to Re-Enter during the first six levels.

James Boyle made a deep run as did his friend Mike "Little Man" Sica. Both told us about their weight loss prop bet that will end at the WSOP.

Other notables included Eric "Clownfish" Doerr, Gene Castro, Ryan Eriquezzo, and Chris Reslock.

Top 18 got paid and the bubble drew some excitement with two all-in hands at two tables. When the dust settled, Yeeman Kitzerow was the bubble which made Joanna Leban the Last Woman Standing. Joanna kept climbing up the cash and finished one short of the final table.

Two players each had quad fives, Bob Haavind and Robert Fetzko. Mike "Little Man" Sica finished in 16th place for $704.

Third place went to German born, Marco Jansen for $4,456 and Second Place went to Maryland's favorite son, Chris Grove for $7,740.

But our big winner in first place was Cleveland Ohio's Mark Wahba who will add $14,073 to his bankroll.

Mark is taking the money and running, literally as he left at the 5am conclusion of the tournament to drive 8 hours back home to Cleveland.

Mark was very excited to win and felt he played solid all day which is why he was the chip leader for a good chunk of the match.

Mark is 25 and will use the money to play more poker and try to win more money.

This win came at the right time for Mark who almost didn't play this event. "We were gonna leave this morning then I said, "Let's play one more".

One more Mark did play, and one more did he win.

Event 25: Mark Wahba - 1st Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Mark Wahba - 1st Place - $14,073

Mark Wahba is the Event 25 first place finisher taking home $14,073.

He was the big stack most of the tournament, made some sick calls, and grinded it out at the final table, waiting for his spots then capitalizing.

Mark was supposed to leave this morning but begged his friend and ride home to play this tournament that started at 12pm. Good thing his friend agreed.

It's now 5am and the tournament is over. Mark is driving home 8 hours to Cleveland right now.

That ride will go much quicker since he has $14,073 to keep him warm and awake.

Mark is a student at Cleveland State University.

Congratulations to our winner Mark Wahba.

Event 25: Chris Grove - 2nd Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Chris Grove - 2nd Place - $7,740

The big hand for Chris Grove was when his pocket fives found a miracle straight on a board of 7-3-4-8-6.

Chris was way behind chip leader Jansen who had 9-9 going into the five card showdown.

Once Chris won that hand, it was smooth sailing into second for $7,740.

Event 25: Marco Jansen - 3rd Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Marco Jansen - 3rd Place - $4,456

The German born Marco Jansen was the chip leader for most of the final table.

At one point he had 1.5 million in chips.

His play was taxing at times and he negotiated himself into third place after knocking out several players with big starting hands.

Event 25: Mike Matrone - 4th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)


Mike Matrone - 4th Place - $3,753

Mike Matrone woke up to A-Q of clubs and shipped his stack all in.
Marco Janzen insta-called as he was holding pocket Aces.

Board:J-9-7-6-K.

"The guy woke up to Aces. What can you do?" said Matrone.

Mike's second final table of Borgata Winter Open. Congratulations!

Event 25: Onofrio "Frank" Reina - 5th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Onofrio "Frank" Reina - 5th Place - $2,815

Frank got an Ace three hands in a row. He shoved the first two without any callers. The third time he called off his stack up against Marco Janzen's (chip leader) pocket Queens.

Board of: 10 6 J 2 K wasn't what Frank wanted to see as his A-3 didn't connect.

Frank played 4 events during Borgata Winter Poker Open and cashed in two.

He had a lot of fun and I assume will be back.

Event 25: Francis "Doc" Dougherty - 6th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Francis "Doc" Dougherty - 6th Place - $2,346

Doc waited for a big hand, looked down at Queens and got it in good.

Unfortunatley Frank Reina played K-10 off and hit a King on the board of:

A-K-3-10-7.

Doc was pretty upset since he had the best hand pre-flop and it didn't hold up.

Event 25: Robert Avram - 7th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Robert Avram - 7th Place - $1,876


Robert Avram is out in 7th place at the hand of Mark Wahba's pocket Kings.

Robert held 9 10, picked up a ton of outs on the flop, and shoved all in. Wahba called.

Flop: 4 10♣ 7

Turn: Brick
River: Brick

Avram scrams for $1,876

Event 25: Ha Not Laughing - 8th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Vimy Ha - 8th Place - $1,407

Vimy Ha lead out under the gun with pocket fives and was smooth called by Mike Matrone.

Flop came 6-2-4 so Vinny shoved all in with his pair and gutterball.

Matrone snap calls with 8-8 over pair to the board and wins the pot.

Vimy enjoyed the chip lead during this tournament and now will enjoy $1,407 for 8th place.

Event 25: Abe Out - Gordon Done - 9th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Abe Gordon - 9th Place - $1,055

Abe played well throughout Event 25 but just came up short at the final table.

His A-10 all in couldn't run down Opponent's A-J.

Abe will take home $1,055 for his 9th Place finish tonight.


Event 25: Battaglia Busted - 10th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Jack Battaglia - 10th Place - $938

What Jack Battaglia accomplished tonight was virtually statistically impossible. He rode a very short stack for over 6 hours all the way to the final table of ten.

He seemed to miraculously get big hands at the right time and when he was all in, he won. Orbit after orbit Jack somehow survived.

Mark Wahba has been playing with him most of the day and agreed that Jack's feat was nothing "short" of spectacular.

His luck ran out when Jack's A-K got called by A-8 and Opponent saw an 8 in the window which held up.

Event 25: Joanna Leban LeBusts - 11th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

It was nice to meet Joanna Leban tonight who was down as short as seven big blinds with just a few tables to go.

She battled back and played great making the right folds and reads at the right times.

Congratulations as Joanna was our Last Woman Standing.

Got her chips in good with JJ but a bigger stack with A-10 called and spiked an Ace on the flop.

Joanna replayed the hand and her move but with five people at the table there wasn't anything she could do.

Joanna will pocket $938 for her 11th place finish.

Event 25: Fetzko Busto - 12th

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Robert Fetzko (Johnstown, PA) had quad fives earlier but ran out of luck when his A-10 ran into a larger stack's A-K. Robert raised pre-flop, A-K shoved and Robert called.

When the cards flipped Fetzko saw he was drawing thin and didn't connect on the board.

He'll go out in 12th place for $938.

Players are on the final table bubble and have taken a ten minute break.

Event 25: Sequeira Sequestered - 13th

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Jeff Sequeira had 130,000 and lost 116,000 of it when his A-Q got run down by A-9.

His parting hand though was Q-4 up against A-4.

Board: 5-2-A-4-6

Jeff wants me to take his picture not for his 13th Place finish but when he finishes first.

13th Place gives Jeff $821.

Event 25: Sica Shuffles Off - 14th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

It's mucked around to Mike "Little Man" Sica whose on the Dealer button with A-6.

Mike's short with 50,000 and there's 13,000 in blinds and antes.

He shoves and runs into Aces of Frank Reina.

Aces hold and Mike is out in 14th place for $821.

Good luck on the weight loss bet Mike.

Thanks for being a good sport.

Event 25: Bob Haavind - 15th Place

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Bob Haavind - 15th Place - $821

It was a good run for Bob Haavind who took a bad beat when his A-Q flopped an Ace then his Opponent rivered a wheel with pocket 3-3's.

"That was the hand that did me in" said Bob.

After being severely crippled, Bob was forced to shove all in with 9-6 and this time his Opponent had A-Q and the board ran clean.

Bob finished in 15th Place for $821

Event 25: Coolest Protector Of BWO

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Frank Reina & "Buddy" striking same pose


He bobbles up and down and talks!

Frank made this card protector he calls, "Buddy" from an old pen.

The marker even talks when you push him saying, "Thank you very, very much. Thank you so much."

We're down to 15 players.

Blinds: 3000 / 6000 with 500 antes.

Event 25: Quadruples Up With Quad Fives

$260 + $40 NL (1 Re-Entry)

Robert Fetzko (Johnstown, PA)
5-5-5-5

Robert Fetzko has pocket fives and flops a set.

He shoves his last 6,000 into the middle, still up against two players.

Bob Haavind was holding A-Q and another Opponent had Q-6.

Opponent says to Bob, "You might have quad fives again" referring to when Bob had quad fives against Joanna Leban earlier.

"Turns" out it was Robert Fetzko who hit quad 5's this time. Got it on the turn.

He's now up to 140,000, basically quadrupling-up on his quads.

Robert has hit quads before but never this close to the end of a big tournament.