Event 19: Zilm Zonked

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Brian Zilm - 16th Place - $1,611

Private Banker, Brian Zilm (Yonkers, NY) takes a rough river hit and is out in 16th Place.  While walking out he let out his frustrations in the form of a yell.

Brian's Q-Q vs. Opponent's K-Q

Opponent jammed a J high flop and Brian called.

Board: J-5-2-9-K

Congratulations to Brian Zilm who banks $1,611.

Event 18: Last tweets...

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Here are some parting end of night tweets from our Event 18 field.  Good night (morning) from the Borgata Event Center!

Daniel Chan ‏@DanielChanPoker
Bagged 226k, playing 1500/3k at 1pm, itm 35/344 left, and $81k ftw! @BorgataPoker #sixmax

Josh Templeton ‏@the_dude_3
Bagged 314k. Starting at 2 tomorrow. 36 left. In the money

Edward Pham ‏@EdwardPhamPoker
finished the day w 150k, 35 left, 80k up top!

Orson Young ‏@YoungOrson
Made Day 2 of 1k 6 max in the $. I'm super short. 35 left, restarting tomorrow.

Alex Queen ‏@ArgentinaBoy
50k going to day 2 of the 1k 6 max with 35 people left, blinds will be 1500/3k lost an absurd 300k pot on the bubble but lucky to be thatfar

Matthew Affleck ‏@mcmattopoker
Bagged 165k w 40 mins left at 1500/3000. 35 left and in the money. This is a big one.... 81k up top.

alex rocha ‏@THE_ALEX_ROCHA
Bagged 240k for day 2 of the 1k. Good for top 5 in chips with 34 left. $81,000 for first place. #Leggo #DueThousandThirteen

Jared Jaffee ‏@jaredjaffee21
Bagged 392k... Either 1st or 2nd in chips with 34 left and in the money... Comin back to 1500-3k tommorrow at 1 #winning

Aaron Massey ‏@nevermissmassey
Made the money of #borgotapoker $1k 6max re-entry.. 34 players left between me and another title.. Hey, I can dream right? #stallone

brock parker ‏@brock_parker
176k (avg 150kish) day over. 35 ppl and in the money, 80k for first

Event 18: End of Night Chip Counts

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 15 - Blinds: 1500/3000/ 400 ante

Chips have been bagged and tagged, and the remaining 34 players will be coming back to 40 minutes left on Level 15.  Start time will be 1PM.

Our Event 18 chip leader heading into Day 2 is Nickolaos Alafogiannis with 397K.

Here are the end of night names & chip counts according to what I could read off of their respective bags:

Nickolaos Alafogiannis	397,000
Jared Jaffee	392,800
Joshua Templeton	316,400
Kyle Frey	281,700
Tim Bryan	265,000
Alex Rocha	240,100
Daniel Chan	226,300
Mike Linster	177,700
Brock Parker	176,000
Greg Katragis	170,400
John Dibella	167,500
Matt Affleck	165,700
Edward Pham	151,800
Lawrence Kostelpe	142,300
William Tonking	140,700
Norman Cohen	138,100
Ryan Tongen	134,400
Seta Berger	132,300
Troy Congo	131,900
Craig Feldherr	127,100
Bruce Yamron	125,000
Aaron Massey	120,200
Vyacheslav Eyzerovich	113,700
Kirron Chan	111,700
Steve Scales	110,700
Jerry Maher	101,300
Vinny Ha	91,300
Jerry Payne	86,400
Alex Queen	50,700
Emmanuil Digilov	49,700
Allie Prescott	41,400
Tyler Kenney	40,600
Darrell LaDow	40,200
Orson Young	17,500

Check right back here in the morning for a random redraw of seating assignments.

Who will be crowned 2013 Borgata Winter Poker Open Event 18 Champion, and become $81,754 richer??  See you back here at 1pm for all the Day 2 action!!!

Event 19: Gone But Not Forgotten

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

The following Players each earned $1,266.

19. Amir Genzel (Fresh Meadows, NY)
20. Joseph Opie (Fair Haven, NJ)
21. Mark Hopkins (East Windsor, NJ)
22. Thea Byock (Matawan, NJ)
23. William Brindise (Rumson, NJ)
24. Travis Williams (Reading, PA)
25. Raymond Gormley (Little Egg Harbor, NJ)
26. Diane Grippo (Holbrook, NY)
27. Sardor Gaziev (North Brunswick, NJ)

Final two tables are ready to go.

Good luck to our final 18 Players.

Event 19: De Ja Governa

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Jim Governa - 1,600,000

Feels like only yesterday Jim Governa was the chip leader, was seated in the back of The Event Center, and cashed deep in a Borgata major Event.  Oh that's right, it was yesterday.

Jim played 'till the wee hours of the morning 24 hours ago in the Seniors tournament and took 3rd Place for $6,902.

He's at it again tonight.  One monster double I saw was when his A-K improved over 88.

Board ran A-10-2-9-4 for the scoop.

We'll have to wait and see if Jim can improve upon his 3rd Place finish.  One thing is certain, the kid is running good during the 2013 Borgata Winter Poker Open.


Orange chips are coming off the table as our 18 remaining players get a 10 minute break.

Event 19: Klafter Is The Best Medicine

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Rob Klafter (Roslyn, NY) was down less than one big blind.

First he doubled up when his A-10 was auto called by 9-2 in the big blind.

Board ran out A-10-2-9-4.

A couple hands later he shipped again - this time holding A-Q.

10-8 suited called and both gentlemen hit one of their cards on the flop.

Board ran out 10-Q-3-3-J

"Now we're rolling" said Klafter.

Rob credits Eric "Pools" Siegel for changing his poker life.

"I never would have cashed in three tournaments if not for a conversation I had with Eric" explained Klafter.

21 players remain.

We're playing down to 1 winner who'll take home $55,260.

Event 19: Supersized Stack

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Greg Ostrander - 1,500,000

WSOP bracelet holder Greg Ostrander has supersized his stack courtesy of Bill Brindise.

Three Players were all in and Greg had the best starting hand possible with AA.

AA vs. AK vs QQ on a clean board of 5-J-4-4-6.

Diana Shamshoum (Montreal) whispered that Bill has been going in almost every hand.

23 remain with average stack at 706,250.

Event 18: No Day 2 for these 2...

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 15 - Blinds: 1500/3000/ 400 ante

These 2 players have been eliminated right before end of play.  Each will take home $1,668 for theirefforts today.

35 - Kevin Saul (Warrenville, IL)               $1,668
36 - Chris Molica (Rochester, NY)            $1,668

Event 19: Outta Here

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

The following players each earned $1,188.

28 - Gregory Glassman (Brooklyn, NY)
29 - Chris McCloy (Green Lawn, NY)
30 - Michael Azzaro (Yonkers, NY)
31 - Alex Dadoyan (Secaucus, NJ)
32 - Sonny Chau (Leesburg, VA)
33 - James Boccanfuso (Brooklyn, NY)
34 - Richard Caplan (Fair Haven, NJ)
35 - Cahrles Boncich (N. Massapequa, NY)
36 - Micahel Lengenfelter (Eau Claire, WI)

Event 19: Robert Running Good

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Robert Quigley - 1,700,000

Event 3 winner, Robert Quigley is making his mark in Event 19.  He is amongst the chip leaders holding on to 1,700,000.

He's been chipped up all day but padded an extra 400,000 after a table change when his AA held vs. AK.

25 players are at three tables as the field has definitely been thinned out.

Blinds are 15,000 / 30,000 with 4,000 antes

Event 18: $howww Me The Moneyyy

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 14 - Blinds: 1200/2400/ 300 ante

Aaron Massey raises, and Ben Grise shoves the rest of his chips in the middle.  Massey makes the call and Grise is in danger of elimination.

Massey:  Q♠6♠
Grise:   K♣Q♣

Grise is ahead, but sees the very bad news when the flop comes 6AJ, giving Massey the lead with a pair of sixes.  The rest of the board is no help when 4th and 5th street come 8J...giving Massey 2 pair and sending Grise out the door.

The remaining 36 players are all in the money and guaranteed at least $1,668.  The floor just announced we'll be bagging and tagging after another 5 hands are played.   

Event 19: Bounced

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

The following Bust-outs each earned $1,013 for their Prize today.

37 - Tam Minh Nguyen (Lancaster, PA)
38 - David Harris (New York, NY)
39 - Steven Berkowitz (Little Neck, NY)
40 - Gregory Bonsignore (Bayside, NY)
41 - Travis Robertson (Kahnawake, Can)
42 - Alvin Li (Brooklyn, NY)
43 - Yevgeny Botvinnik (Staten Island, NY)
44 - Shane Edwards (Frederreksburg, VA)
45 - Joseph Kent (Bridgeport, PA)

Congratulations on cashing at Borgata. 

Not bad for one day at the office.

Event 18: Hand for Hand

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Level 14 - Blinds: 1200/2400/ 300 ante

We're on the money bubble and Kevin Saul shoves his <10 big blind stack, getting called by Ed Pham.

Saul: 99
Pham: A8

Pham bricks the board and Saul doubles up with his pocket 9s.

We are playing hand for hand, one more bustout before the money.  

Event 19: Sham Wow

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Diana Shamshoum (Montreal, Canada) is one of three ladies still remaining in the tournament.

Just one level ago Diana was down to 150,000 and now is sitting on 900,000.

"I had AA and was called by KQ - first he hit a straight and then I hit a bigger straight using one of my aces" explained Shamshoum.

Broadway puts Diana amongst the chipleaders in the room.

Even though she can legally play on-line poker in Montreal, Diana only play brick and mortar like here at Borgata.

Diana is having the time of her life - we'll see if she'll be the Last Woman Standing, or better yet, the Last Person Standing.

36 Players remain with average stack at 470,833.

Event 18: LinSanity

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 14 - Blinds: 1200/2400/ 300 ante

Meikat Siu (NY, NY)  is all-in on the button pre-flop for about 36K, and is looked up by 2013 Borgata Winter Poker Open double champ Mike Linster.

Linster - 88
Siu -  K7

The board comes: J♣3♠7♥4♣10♦ and Linster's pocket 8s hold up to bust Siu in 39th place.

Event 19: New Chipleader

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Bill Brindise (NJ) accomplished his goal of mad double-ups.  Before the break he doubled his stack of 509,000 plus and sat with1,900,000 making him the tournament chip leader.

Bill had A-Q vs. Opponent's 9-10.  Opponent jammed the flop and Bill called off his stack behind.

Flop: 9-3-3

Turn gave Bill a diamond draw and sure enough it came through on the river.

Once Bill hit his miracle card he stood up and cried out, "One time for the kids!"

Event 18: Grise Grabs it...

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 14 - Blinds: 1200/2400/ 300 ante

Aaron Massey (Chicago, IL) faces a mid position 6K raise and makes the call.  Action gets to Ben Grise (Indianapolis, IN) in the big blind who shoves about 20K more into the middle.  

Massey thinks it over before mucking his 55 face up, asking if  Grise will show his cards as well.  Grise obliges and turns over his A 10 and rakes in the pot.  Massey sighs in disappointment.  

Grise is hanging on to 34K, hoping not to bubble.   

Event 19: Body Bags

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Corri Pranevich Pinched

47th Place and $898 for Corri Pranevich (Pittsburgh, PA) who has cashed in every Event she played in during the 2013 Borgata Poker Winter Open.  "I cashed in Event 1, 10, and 19", said Pranevich.

Corri had A-4 along with 14 bigs so she shipped and ran into A-Q.

Also making an exit, in 46th Place is Roland Israelashvili who had a $500,000 summer after scoring 5th Place for $317,882 in the WSOP Event 43 (he satelliting in for 2000) then a couple weeks later landing 25th Place in the WSOP Main Event earning $294,601.  Today he pockets $898.

Both Corri and Roland will be playing in the Championship.

Event 18: Turn-ing the goods

$1000 + $90 Six-Max No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 14 - Blinds: 1200/2400/ 300 ante


On a K♠4♦9♣ flop, Greg Katragis bets out 7500.  Kevin Saul (Chicago, IL) asks "What's your name again?", Katragis says "Greg".  Saul then calls.

5♥ comes on fourth street.  Katragis bets 12K this time.  Saul thinks it over while he fiddles with his chips and calls.  8♥ comes on the river.  Katragis tosses out 19,500 into the middle.  Saul calls the bet.

Katragis turns over 5♣4♥ for a turned 2 pair, and Saul mucks his hand.  Katragis has about 180K.  

Event 19: Brindise Buys Time

$350 + $50 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Bill Having Fun

Bill Brindise came to fame after beating Men "The Master" Nguyen heads up in the 2009 US Poker Championship and taking down $261,800.  Borgata's Gordon Eng captured 4th in the event.

The NJ native just survived Event 19 by the skin of his teeth.  Three players were all in.

Bill had 94 suited vs. A-K and 10-J.

Board fell A-2-Q-Q-2.  It took the dealer and all the players a few seconds to realize the board played and everyone would chop.

With 143,000 Bill announced, "Anybody wanna double me up?  Two more double-ups and I'm right back in this thing.