Event 2: (Day 1) Recap

$300 + $50 NLH (1 Re-entry)

Steve Dannenmann, the 2005 WSOP Main Event runner-up to Joe Hachem, is in striking distance of adding a Borgata title to his resume. Dannenmann is 4th in chips with 21 players remaining from a starting field of 520 in Event 2 ($300 + $50 NL) of the Borgata Winter Poker Open.

The Baltimore area native trails Jessy Pulido (Pembrooke Pines, FL), who took the chip lead away from Benchino Chan (New York, NY) when the two clashed in several big pots before Day 1 ended. Pulido finished with 638k, while Chan dropped from 525k down to a precarious 125k.

"I kept ending up with second best hands," said Chan as he bagged and tagged half the chip average. Pulido said he siphoned off 100k or more from Pulido on two different hands and picked up an additional 60k when he was dealt pocket aces. "I'm making the final table for sure," said Pulido, who has a 200k lead over second place Qiaosun Wu.

Players in the field with notable Borgata and national accomplishments included Josh Brikis, James Boyd, Dave Inselberg and Gordon Eng. But when Day 2 resumes Friday at 1 pm all eyes will be on Dannenmann, who has 8 major Borgata cashes since his 2005 dual with Hachem.

The remaining 21 players are eyeing the top prize of $37,679 out of the total buy-in of $156,000.