Saturday, January 21, 2006

Borgata Winter Open: Event #2 $750 NL and Event #1 $500 NL Day 2 & Final Table

I'm back here in the ballroom of the Borgata Hotel Spa and Casino in Atlantic City on a Saturday morning providing coverage of the Borgata Winter Poker Open. It's January in the Northeast, but it certainly doesn't feel like the brutal winter with the unseasonable balmy temperatures. The action has been heating up inside the Borgata as well as the ballroom was crowded with tournament players and spectators.

After a tough 16.5 hour first day of the inaugural Borgata Winter Open, action got off to an amazing start with over 1319 entrants for their first event. Dennis Scanlon ended Day 1 of Event #1 $500 NL with $227,500 in chips and will be fighting it out with 40 other players for a $171,944 first place prize. The top 100 players were paid out in Event #1.

Be sure to check out the super satellite schedule, and you can figure out when you can play in a satellite for the $10K main event or the $300 "Second Chance" tournament.

Today, I will be covering two events. Event #1 starts at 2pm. The updates will be color coded to help you follow a particular event a little bit easier.
Event #1 $500 NL Day 2 & Final Table = Black Font
Event #2 $750 NL Day 1 = Red Font
***** Live Blogging Update *****

11:20am... Event #2 update:Cards are in the air for Event #2 $750 NL. There are 864 players in the event including alternates. Players started with $4000 in tournament chips. Level 1 began with $25/$50 blinds and all levels are one hour in length.

12:20pm... Event #2 update: Level 2 started with blinds $50/$100.

1:35pm... Event #2 update: Level 3 has begun. Blinds are $75/150.


1:45pm... Event #2 update: Random Picture dump! These photos of Event #2 were taken by Borgata's event photographer Michael McRath. You can click on each of the photos to enlarge.


Steve Zoine (2005 WSOP $5K NL runner-up)


"Ellaspapi" from Brooklyn, NY


Nice bow-tie!




2:00pm... Event #1 update: Action is underway. There are 40 players remaining. Nick Frangos is still alive. He has $51,500 in chips. Dennis Scanlon is the chipleader. We're on Level 13. Blinds are $3K/6K with a $1K ante.
Event #1 End of Day 1 Chipcounts:
1. Dennis Scanlon 227,500
2. Carlos Ochoa 222,000
3. Anand Ravinderjit 203,000
4. Kenny Elazzeh 178,500
5. Jason Hickey 163,000
6. John DiSandro 160,500
7. Thomas Dale 156,500
8. Albert Frampton 156,000
9. Fatmir Cukovic 151,000
10. David Figgs 147,500
3:13pm... Event #1 update: We're on Level 14. Blinds are $4K/8K with a 1K ante. There are 28 players remaining on 3 tables. The five shortstacks that started today are still alive. Here's a list of bust outs:
The following players won $1,323:
40. Scott Lang
39. Gabriel Constanzo
38. William Braden
37. Kenny Elazzeh

The following players won $1,588:
36. Michael Klarman
35. Greg Monaldi
34. Daniel Tilipman
33. Douglas Rosen
32. Vincent Rappa
31. Frank Williams
30. Steven McNally
3:20pm... A few friends of mine are at the Borgata playing in the poker room. AlCantHang, EvaCanHang, Landow, -EV, and Helixx all stopped by to say hello.

3:30pm... Event #2 update: There are 490 players remaining on 49 tables. They are currently on Level 5. Blinds are $200/$400 with $25 antes.

3:45pm... Bouncin Round the Room: The Borgata Casino is as crowded as I have ever seen it. Saturdays are give-away days and this week the Borgata is giving away Wolfgang Puck's pots and pans. The poker room and the ballroom are both packed with players and spectators. Satellites just began in the ballroom.

4:00pm... Event #1 update: There are 23 players left on 3 tables. Here are recent eliminations, which included end of day 1 chipleader Dennis Scanlon:
The following player won $1,588:
29. Robert Fetzko
28. Dennis Scanlon

The following players won $3,308:
27. Fatmir Cukovic
26. Thomas Dale
25. Robert Bergamino
24. Nick Frangos

Day 1 chipleader Dennis Scanlon = 28th place


Nick Frangos = 24th place

4:20pm... Event #2 update: Players just returned from a break. They are currently on Level 6 with $300/$600 blinds and $50 ante.

4:30pm... Event #1 update: Players are currently on a break. 21 are left. Bill Towle busted in 23rd place. When they return, we'll be at Level 15. Blinds are $6K/$12K with $2K antes.

5:30pm... Event #1 update: There are 17 players remaining. I watched as Joe Caputo was busted by pocket aces. He had 7-7 and although he flopped a set, his opponent flopped a set of aces! We're now at Level 16 with $8K/16K blinds and 2K antes. Here are some recent bustouts:
The following players won $3,308:
23. Bill Towle
22. Daniel Saldana
21. Pedro Vicente
20. Justin Terranova
19. Matthew Gambino

The following player won $3,969:
18. Joe Caputo
6:25pm... Event #2 update: There are 24 tables and approximately 239 players remaining. We're now on Level 7. Blinds are $400/800 with $75 antes. After this level, players will be going on a dinner break.

6:30pm... Event #1 update: There are 13 players left. David Figgs was eliminated in 17th place when his K-K ran into a flush. Eric Weinstein ran into A-A when he had J-J.
The following players won $3,969:
17. David Figgs
16. Eric Weinstein

The following players won $5,954:
15. Frank Vecchio
14. Al Frampton
6:45pm... Event #1 update: Players are currently on a break. There are 12 players remaining. With a shortstack Richard Hall was eliminated in 13th place when his A-K lost to 8-7o.

7:30pm... Event #2 update: Players are on their dinner break and will return around 8:30pm. There are about 180 players remaining.

7:45pm... Event #1 update: Players have returned from a break. There are 12 remaining. Thanks to Sharla from Poker Pages for the chip count!
1. Anand "Ravi" Ravinderjilt 716K
2. Johnny Green 505K
3. Anthony Hill 320K
4. William Farilla 318K
5. Jason Hikey 285K
6. Dennis Levi 280K
7. Vincent Procopio 265K
8. John DiSandro 91K
9. Rohn Schufsky 91K
10. Lisa Pickell 62K
11. Carlos Ocha 50K
12. William Hill 48K

Ravi - Event #1 chipleader

8:00pm... Event #1 update: Carlos Ochoa was elimianted in 12th place. He was short stacked and his weak ace lost to 6-6. A few hands earlier, he doubled up a short stack when his 10-10 lost a race to A-K. He won $7,938 for his efforts.

8:15pm... Event #1 update: John DiSandro was busted in 11th place when his 10-10 lost to K-7o. He won $7,938. Lisa Pickell, who won a WSOP event at the Showboat in December, took 10th place. She was elimianted when she pushed with her shortstack. Her A-5 ran into the Hilton Sisters. She won $7,938. She was also the female who lasted the longest. There are nine players remaining.

8:30pm.... Event #2 update: Players are returning from a break. Level 8. Blinds are $600/1200 with $100 antes. Dealers are using a green deck. There are 170 players remaining. Paul Darden and Arnold Spee are still in the mix.

9:00pm... Event #1 update: William Farilla was busted in 9th. He won $13,561. Rohn Schufsky finished in 8th place. He won $19,845. Vincent Procopio busted out in 7th when his A-J lost to K-Q. He won $26,460. Dennis Levi took 6th and won $33,075. There are five players remaining.


Lisa Pickell - 10th Place

9:35pm... Event #2 update: Paul "The Truth" Darden was just busted.

9:45pm... Event #1 update: Players just went on a 15 minute break. There are five players still left. Ravi lost the chip lead to Anothony Hill, who then ran over the table and built up his stack to around 2M. Johnny Green was the shortstack at the final table and stormed back. He doubled up a few times and now his stack is over $450K. He picked up a big pot when his 9-9 held up against Ravi's Q-8.
Updated (approximate) chipcounts:
1. Anthony Hill 1.9M
2. Jason Hickey 660K
3. Ravi Anand 650K
4. Johnny Green 450K
5. Billy Hill 250K
10:30pm... Event #1 update: Billy Hill played very aggressive after the break. He moved all in preflop three times in the first orbit and picked up several pots. The final five players were good and solid. They didn't make any mistakes. Johnny Green was busted when his A-Q lost to Billy Hill's 10-9. Green moved all in preflop. And Billy Hill called and flopped trips. His hand held up and Johnny Green was eliminated in 5th place and won $39,690.

10:35pm... Event #1 update: Ravi flopped two pair with 7-3 and beat out Jason Hickey's 10-3. Hickey took 4th place and won $46,305.
Here's an updated chip count:
1. Ravi 1.47M
2. Anthony Hill 1.43M
3. Billy Hill 960K

The Final 3: Ravi, Anthony Hill (center), and Billy Hill (far left)

10:57pm... Event #1 update: On the river, Ravi bluffed at a pot with ace high on a 200K bet. Billy Hill sniffed out the bluff and won with a 6-3s and a pair of threes. Billy Hill moved up to 2.2M, Anthony Hill has 1M, and Ravi slipped to 800K.

11:05pm... Event #1 update: Blinds are going up to $30/60K blinds and 10K antes.

11:08pm... Event #1 update: On the button, Anthony Hill raised with K-K. Billy Hill called in the LB with J-6 and Ravi moved all in with A-J. Both Anthony and Billy called. Bolly picked up a straight draw on the flop, but Ravi turned an ace to triple up. He no has about 1.5M. Anthony was crippled.

11:12pm... Event #1 update: Ravi busted Anthony Hill. Ravi's J-J held up against 4-4. Anthony Hill won $52,920 for third place. Ravi is now dancing around and listening to his iPod. Billy Hill's friends from Maryland are all on the rail cheering him on and calling him "Turtle." We're now heads up. And the chipcount is about even with Ravi leading about 2.1M to 2M.

11:30pm... Event #1 update: After about 10 minutes of heads up play, Ravi crippled Billy Hill. Ravi raised 700K and Billy moved all in over the top. Ravi quickly called with 10-10. Ravi flipped over K-K and they held up. Billy had just 30K remaining and was all in on the next hand. he doubled up but lost on the next hand when his J-9 lost to Ravi's 8-8. Billy Hill won $91,155. Ravi Anand picked up the bracelet and $171,944 for first place. He told me that helikes to be referred to as the "Saint Solider." Congrats to Ravi and Billy. The first event has come to a close after over 20 hours of play.


Ravi Anand - Event #1 $500 NL Winner - $171,944

Ravi and his twin brother are from New York City. Ravi's brother bought him a poker table on eBay. They don't have much furniture, but they have a poker table. Ravi is a newcomer to the game and has only been playing for five months. His best friend introduced him to poker and he's been hooked ever since. This is Ravi's first ever live tournament. Amazing story!
Here are the Top 10 Finishers for Event #1:
1. Ravi Anand $171,944
2. Will "Billy" Hill $91,155
3. Anthony Hill $52,930
4. Jason Hickey $46,305
5. Johnny Green $39,690
6. Dennis Levi $33,075
7. Vincent Procopio $26,460
8. Rohn Schufsky $19,845
9. William Farilla $13,561
10. Lisa Pickell $7,938
1:00am... Event #2 update: We're still on Level 11. There are 50 players remaining. We'll be playing until Level 12 or around 2:30am. The top 81 places paid proze money out of 864 entrants. The total prize pool for Event #2 is $648,00.
Here are the official payouts for Event #2:
1. $176,968
2. $94,932
3. $51,840
4. $45,360
5. $38,880
6. $32,400
7. $25,920
8. $19,440
9. $12,960
10-12. $7,776
13-15. $5,832
16-18. $3,888
19-27. $3,240
28-36. $1,620
37-45. $1,426
26-51. $1,231
55-63. $1,167
64-81. $972
1:25am... Event #2 update: There are 44 players remaining. We're on Level 12. Blinds are now $2K/4K with a $500 ante. This is the last level for tonight.

3:00 am... Event #2 update: Action is over for today and will resumme at 2pm on Sunday. There are 38 players left on 4 tables.
Event #2 End of Day 1 - Top 10 chipcounts:
1. Daniel Baldev 328,000
2. Victor Johnson 222,000
3. Rob Siegal 182,500
4. Michael Hickman 167,500
5. Kenny Schuyler 154,000
6. Dipen Patel 153,000
7. Steve Cohen 146,500
8. Ezra Teitelbaum 143,000
9. Sung Cho 136,000
10. Anthony Scott 117,500

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