Event 1: Silver Linings

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Event Center Registration

While waiting in a long line at 11 pm isn't what poker players want to be doing, it beats the alternative, which is to be potentially shutout of Day 1B.

Players are taking heed that there's a good chance there will be an alternate list Wednesday and no certainty on how many entries will be in the field.  The registration desk is expected to take players up until midnight when the line will eventually be closed off.

The $1,000,000 Guaranteed prize pool always brings out big numbers and the opening event of the 2013 Borgata Poker Open is a great way to kick off the series.

Waiting Beats Being Shutout

Event 1: Chips and a Chair

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

 Parad Parades with Chair

Yury Parad (Chicago, IL via Ukraine) is one of 220 players remaining and because of a back problem travels with his own chair.

The average stack is 138k (28 BB) as Level 17 (2,500/5k/500 ante) is underway.

Event 1: Ladies Everywhere

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

So & Parker

Lots of recognizable women are still in the field including two of our favorite Borgata grinders. Alyson Parker (Plainsboro, NJ) and Jenny So (Galloway, NJ) are side-by-side.

Another duo next to each other are Lynn Le (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ) and Stephanie Hubbard (Hazlet, NJ).  Cherish Andrews (Brigantine, NJ) is another recognizable face still in the field.

Event 1: New Big Stack

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Carmen Collecting Chips

Carmen Traina (Bayonne, NJ via Cicily) found out just in time that there's an end of night bonus of $3,000 for the chip leader.  Why? Because he has more than 400k.

"I didn't know until ten minutes ago," says Traina, who appears to be the chip leader on the last break of the night.

"I just keep knocking them out," when a player asks how he got all his chips, "If it was a bounty, I'd have a lot of money. A lot of money.

Former chip leader Paul Spitzberg (Tenafly, NJ) has dropped into the 250k-300k range where a lot of players are licking their chops at the chance of the top prize or the $2,000 that goes to second place.

~300 players remain with an average stack of 102k (25 bb) as blinds are now 2k/4k/400 ante.

Event 1: Tweet Humor

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Gordon Eng ‏@Flashgordon227

Just got aces and they held up @BorgataPoker new year baby. I've lost so many times wit them here

John Allan Hinds ‏@JABistro

207k at 1200/2400/300 in Borgata one drop #teammurder

You can read these gems and more by signing up for the Borgata-WPO-2013 list by blogger extraordinaire @Kaelaine.

Event 1: More Big Stacks

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

(l-r) Lampert, Reed & Tran

The two big stacks from dinner break are still healthy on Table 6 and are both in the 200k range.

George Lampert (Naples, FL) and Tony Tran (Bensalem, PA) have made it tough for Phil Reed (Washington, DC) who's sandwiched in the middle.

Reed is extremely short and moves all in with K♦ 3♣ against A♥ 10♥. The board of A K 4 5 2 gives Reed the winning hand as he called for a deuce on the river to complete a gutshot straight.

Level 15 (1,500/3k/400 ante) is underway.

Event 1: 300k Club

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Spitzberg Stands Tall

As the short stacks grind along, the big stacks are focusing on the end of night bonuses.  The end of night chip leader earns $3,000, while second overall grabs $2,000.

A scan of the 330 remaining players reveals two stacks north of 300k with Paul Spitzberg (Tenafly, NJ) leading the way at 370k.  Lynn Le (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ) is in the elite club with 310k, while
a host of other players are in 250k range.

Level 14 (1,200/2,400/300 ante) is winding down.

 Lynn Looking Good

Event 1: Attention Day 1B Players.....

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

......REGISTER NOW!!!

With more than 1,500 entries on Day 1A, it is strongly advised that anyone looking to play Day 1B that they register tonight.

More than 500 players are already signed up for tomorrow and with 1A players busting tonight the number will continue to grow.  The Event Center registration window is staying open until midnight.

1B fields are always crazy big, so to avoid the long lines and the possible alternate list, sign up now and avoid what will be a hectic Wednesday of poker.

Event 1: Rivered Flush is No Good

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)    

One of the original WSOP November Niners is running well and hit a big hand before dinner break.

On a flop of 10 5 4 with two clubs, Ylon Schwartz (Brooklyn, NY) has a set of 4s against his opponent's pocket queens.  The turn brings a third club and Schwartz faced a flush draw.

Another club brought the river flush, but it's the 4♣ to give Schwartz quads.

Schwartz finished 4th in the 2008 WSOP Main Event earning him $3.8 million. He earned his first WSOP bracelet this summer in HORSE.

Event 1: Play Resumes

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Players are back from their one hour dinner break and playing Level 13 (1k/2k/300 ante).  The average stack is 63k (32 BB).

Event 1: Tweeter-verse

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Players reporting their chip counts on dinner break include:

Lee Childs 125k
Joe Cappuccio 117k
Mike Dentalee 110k
Clayton Crotty 105k
Phil Weast 87k
Ryan Eriquezzo 63k
Cathy Dever 62k
Vinny Pahuja 52k
Dave Zeitlin 48k
Gordon Eng 46k
Stephanie Hubbard 36k
Daniel Chan 36k

Event 1: Dozen Tables Relocate

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Before going on dinner break, the remaining 12 tables in the Poker Room bagged and tagged their chips so they could be moved to the Event Center.

When play resumes the entire field will be in the same room for the first time today. ~480 players remain of the 1,520 that started Day 1A.

They'll play six more levels before bagging and tagging for real later tonight at right around midnight.

Event 1: Chow Time

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

 David Stefanski (Waterford, CT) is Impressed with Bitker's Stack

Players are on a one hour dinner break, and while we don't have an official chip leader, we did find a table with a ton of chips.

On Table 2 Adam Bitker (New Haven, CT) has 185k and is third fiddle to two other players who bolted early for break.  Seat 4 is at 230k, while Seat 6 has 190k.

Play resumes at 8:15 PM.

Event 1: "I Almost Folded"

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

 Leong (left) Watches the Flop as his Opponent Can't Believe the Bad Timing

Chris Leong (New York, NY) was put to the test on the last hand before the color-up break and he passed with flying colors.

Leong three-bets with pocket jacks after two players called the big blind, but one of the limpers moved all in and put Leong to the test for 60k, 3/4 of his stack.

Leong made the call and his opponent is in bad shape with pocket 10s.  "I almost folded," says Leong, as his jacks hold. "He hadn't played a hand all day."

Leong is now up to 140k as blinds continue with Level 12 (800/1,600/200 ante).

Event 1: Going Green

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)    

Jeff Nichols (Baltimore, MD) 

Green Chip Table Captain

Players are back from the color-up break and playing Level 12 (800/1,600/200 ante). This will be the last level before dinner break.

Event 1: Buz-Gone

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

After a player opened and got one caller, Dan Buzgon (Marlton, NJ) shipped his last ~20k.  The opener folded, but the caller called.

Dan's pocket Queens were crushed by pocket Aces and he was busted.

Dan's a fixture here a Borgata, with more cashes than you can count.  During the 2012 Winter Open, he cashed 5 times, including one final table.  He also made the 2011 Borgata Poker Open WPT televised final table, finishing 3rd for over $335,000.

Dan will be back tomorrow for day 1b.

End of level 11 and time for a color-up break.

Event 1: Borgata Winners Still Playing

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)    

Busquet Biding his Time

A couple of former Borgata Champions are still playing here on Day 1A including 2009 WPT Borgata Poker Open winner Olivier Busquet (New York, NY).

Busquet is at 30k and to the left of Michael Borovetz (Pittsburgh, PA), who has a mountain of chips.   Dan Spirer (Mechanicsville, PA) is also at the table.

Across the room is 2011 Spring Poker Open Champion Russell Crane (Howell, NJ) who is sitting with 50k. Crane is joined by Dan Buzgon (Marlton, NJ) who was third in the 2011 WPT Borgata Championship Event.

Level 11 (600/1,200/200 ante) continues.

Russel Rolling Along

Event 1: Chip Leader?

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

 Niberson Dorleus

Although we don't have an exact count, Niberson Dorleus (Long Island, NY) appears to be the chip leader among the players in the Event Center with about 230k.  (He took a hit before I got this posted and was down to about 200k).

He also gets the award for Best Dressed as his pressed shirt and tie outshine the rest of the room (and James 'Suits' Salters is not present).

46 tables remain in action in the Event Center.

Event 1: All In, All In, All In

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

With stacks ranging from just a few chips to one big stack that tops 250k, there are lots of players
on the short side and there seems to be an all in at every other table.

Jimmy Wong (Brooklyn, NY) knocks out a player with AK vs AQ, while Albert Roh (Rutherford, NJ) gets a much needed triple-up with pocket jacks.

But the best hand has the biggest sweat as Mike Newman (Nanuet, NY) and his pocket aces dodge a lot of outs. His opponent misses a flush draw and a gutshot straight draw and ends up on the rail, giving Newman some breathing room.

Wong, Roh and Newman are all in the 20k-30k range (20-30bbs) as Level 10 (500/1k/100 ante) continues.

Event 1: Goners

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)       

Victor Ramdin (Las Vegas, NV) got his chips in with A8 on an A8x flop, thinking he was good.  Unfortunately his opponent had pocket Aces for the set to take the pot and send Victor to the rail.

No more re-entries today, but Victor will try again on day 1b tomorrow.

Jose Montes (Bronx NY) got his last chips in good with AQ, but was run down by an inferior hand.  He'll also be back tomorrow for another try.

Jerry Callahan (Oyster Bay, NY) suffered a similar fate.  Not sure if he's planning to fire another bullet tomorrow.

Event 1: 1,500 Plus for 1A

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Level 10:  Blinds 500/1,000 with 100 ante.

Down to 59 tables in the Event Center and approximately 21 tables remain in the Poker Room, leaving ~80 tables in action today (about 800 players).

The final count is not yet in, but over 1,500 entries have played today. (That 1700+ number showing on the monitors in the Poker Room includes day 1B entries that have registered and paid already).

Event 1: Tweets Galore

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)     

The Twitter-verse is abuzz with updates from the last break:

 Tony Sinishtaj ‏@ToNiSiNz
One bullet gone. Gonna try again tomorrow. #bwo

Heon-Jo Kim ‏@PokerJourney
1,750 players for day 1A. Level 9. Av chip stack 23,000. At 61,000.

Chris Leong ‏@ChrisLeongPoker
~70k at 75/400/800

Mark Bee ‏@markbeenyc
#wpo2013 #1 Busto QQ < AA retry tomrrw

Antonio Payne ‏@Anthony_1Payne
@BorgataPoker E1 $1,000,000 Guarantee. After level 8 got 25k surviving. #TeamBSO #TeamProPayne #2013ItsRturn #BWOITM

Timothy Finne ‏@HighlandFox
Made it thru reentry period on first bullet. 14.4 over 800. #biggestdoltinborgatahistory

Stephanie Hubbard ‏@StephHub31
50K on 2nd break.. This bullet is going a tad better thankfully :) 400/800 now

Joe Cappuccio ‏@poochpoker
64k 400/800/75 borgata million

Dan Spirer ‏@danspirer
99.4 break 2 borgata #BWOITM

monro secor ‏@suited4battle
53k going to 400/800.

Jose Montes ‏@suganills
25k on break most chips I've had so far

Pierre Deissler ‏@PierreDeissler
Borgata 2nd break. 53k. 1500+ runners #tpedge

John G ‏@JohnGsss
33k 2nd break 4/8 blinds

Jason Estock ‏@JasonEstock
Up to 48k and the end of late registration. Happy to only be in for one entry. #bwo

Cathy Dever ‏@CathyDever
2nd break 70K.

Lana O'Brien ‏@lanaob22
70k at second break didn't have to re enter yay. first time under 100 bbs in awhile :( going to 400/800

Mark Bee ‏@markbeenyc
#bwpo2013 #1 2nd break..card dead all day..Sat in the wrong seat again..direct right has 130k... 25.1k

Lee Childs ‏@leechilds
58k. End level 8 & reentry for day 1a. 800/75 coming up @BorgataPoker #BWOITM

James Tedrow ‏@teddyrowe
26k on break, lost AK<AA for 90k pot after deciding to 4b/c pre. Going to 400-800.

Jerry Callahan ‏@callahanja911
Down to 24.3k at end of re-entry. Made awful hero call on river for 13k. 400/800 (100) #BWO2013 #BWOITM

David Stefanski ‏@DaveStefanski
Had it up to 56k..just lost 80k flip AK<QQ..down to 18k going to 400/800

Event 1: Big Stacks

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Level 9:  400/800 with 75 ante.

Before the break I located a couple of other big stacks in the event center.

Khoi Ta

Khoi Ta (Greenbelt Pg, MD) is up to about 140k and the biggest stack I've found so far.

 Jia Liu

Jia Liu (Brooklyn, NY) is up to ~130k.  Jia won the 2012 Borgata Spring Open championship, good for over $312k.

Event 1: Break Two

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)    

End of level 8 and time for another break.

They've got 15 minutes to take care of business. 

The end of the break will also be the end of the entry/re-entry period for today.

Late arrivals checking in via Twitter:

Gordon Eng ‏@Flashgordon227
Just got to @BorgataPoker and decided to jump in wit 20k blinds 300/600 that's plenty

Eugene Fouksman ‏@efouks
borgata $1mm guarantee. left work at 1 pm, pleasantly surprised to be able to register & w no line! fun tbl w comeback kid

Michael Dentale ‏@Mikunbelievable
@Mikunbelievable came in late reg, build It up to 50k and lose it all after getting rivered in 5 pots in a row. Glad I took a break.

Event 1: Big Stack

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)     

Anthony Scaturro

Anthony Scaturro (Elizabeth, NJ) is up to about 120k and among the big stacks in the Event Center.

Not bad, considering he's sharing the felt on table 30 with Mukul Pahuja, Jason Young, and Travis Greenawalt.

Anthony was not aware of the bonus for the top two in chips at the end of the day -- but he is now.

Event 1: Pahuja Checks In

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)    

Level 8:  Blinds 300/600 with 75 ante.

This is the last level for entering/re-entering today.

Vinny Pahuja (Hicksville, NY) has checked in via Twitter.   He's down in the poker room and tweets:

The obligatory @BorgataPoker 560 1mm guar tweet: 55k from 20k SS. Over 1600 runners already in 1A so easily > 4k total prob. GL all in 2013!

Vinny won his second Borgata Poker Open title here back in September for over $58k.  His lifetime tournament earnings are now over $1.3 million.

Event 1: Free-Rolling

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

Robert Haavind (Boston, MA) is a regular here at Borgata and decided to invest some time and money in his game by attending the Inside The Minds poker training yesterday. 

Bob Haavind

For students registered and paid by a certain date, there was a drawing for a free entry into Event 1 and Bob was the lucky winner of that drawing.

That means he's free-rolling this event today.  So far he's up to about 25k from his 20k starting stack.

Event 1: Recent Sightings

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

Level 7:  Blinds 250/500 with 50 ante

Players continue to arrive and move around the Event Center.  I've just spotted these frequent flyers in the room:

Travell Thomas
Carl Restifo
Joe Liberta
Ilya Dyment
Anthony Caruso
Michael Drabot
Esther 'E-Tay' Taylor (Brady)
Orson Young

Event 1: 1,340 and Counting

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

With two more levels (after the current one) remaining in the late registration/re-entry period today, they have 1,340 entries.

They were down to 75 tables, but then re-opened one to accommodate new enties.  Apparently players weren't busting fast enough.

Dan Spirer did his part, busting an all-in player.  Dan had pocket Aces and flopped quads to lock it up.

Martha Patella was all-in with the best of it, but her opponent caught a three-outer to bust her.  She's not sure if she wants to re-enter.

Both Dan and Martha were in yesterday's Inside The Minds training session.

Jason Young also reported back to registration and returned with a new seat assignment.

Event 1: Break Time Tweets

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Level 6:  Blinds 200/400 with 50 antes.

Players have returned to their seats and are back in action.

Here are their thoughts Tweeted during the break:

Robert Hwang ‏@ActionBobNJ
First break 23k from 20k start.

Joe Cappuccio ‏@poochpoker
First break 50k from 20k 200/400/50 

Lee Childs ‏@leechilds
51k at break. @BorgataPoker $1Milly. 200/400/50 coming up. #BWOITM 

Dan Spirer ‏@danspirer
48.7 @ First Break Event 1 Borgata #BWOITM

Pierre Deissler ‏@PierreDeissler
Break Borgata event 1 57k 400bb #tpedge

Philly Poker Pro ‏@phillypokerpro
On break need traction? Is that a poker term? @LuckyJadeJules or am I in labor? FML I'll never make the blog. Oh wait,borgata staff is great


Clayton Crotty ‏@ClaytonCrotty
@ClaytonCrotty: Borgata $1mil gtd after level 5 have 18.575k from 20k ss #itsmyeffinturn

Amanda Musumeci ‏@TheReaLMander
Made hero call for most of my chips...was right for nearly a double. 40k at first brk...

David Stefanski ‏@DaveStefanski
First tment of the year..borgata 1 million guarantee..36k from 20k ss

Chris Leong ‏@ChrisLeongPoker
26k at 50/200/400

Cathy Dever ‏@CathyDever
1st break 33K.

Mark Bee ‏@markbeenyc
#wpo2013 #1 26.7k 1st break.. from 20k ss

James Tedrow ‏@teddyrowe
~41k on first break.

Jerry Callahan ‏@callahanja911
21.4k on first break. 3 more levels til end of re-entry. 400bb (50) after break #BWO2013 #BWOITM

Ryan Eriquezzo ‏@RyanEriquezzo
Starting stack of second bullet. On first break. 20k goin to 200 400

Antonio Payne ‏@Anthony_1Payne
@BorgataPoker E1 $1,000,000 Guarantee. 20k starting stack after level 5 got 9.1k ( Table 38) #TeamBSO #TeamProPayne #2013ItsRturn #BWOITM

monro secor ‏@suited4battle
20k->43k going to level 6 200/400 borgata 560.

Phil Weast ‏@Prowannabe
Sitting on 14k from 20k. Nothing too exciting yet. Great turnout with lots of fun players. Time to run it up!

Event 1: Break Time!

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Also appearing in the crowd:

Jimmy Wong
David Kim
Mike Linster
Andrew Klein
Jia Liu
Amnon Filippi
Jake 'Team Snake' Deutsch

Apologies to the players down in the poker room for lack of coverage.  Just too much real estate to cover.  Keep those Tweets coming.

 End of level 5 and players were rewarded with a 15 minute break.

Event 1: Interesting Tables

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

More players arriving and re-entering are creating some interesting table lineups.

Chris Leong fired his second bullet and landed at table 70 with locals Jenny So and late arriving Chris Reslock.

Abe Faroni and Steve Dannenmann have joined Jason Young at table 26.

Table 27 held Ray Shackelford, Alex Smith, DJ Whorley, and Mark Sykes until Ray busted out.  He's planning to re-enter, so he'll be back, but at a different table.

Avdo Djokovic and Todd Terry have turned up at table 17.

Event 1: No Break (Yet)

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Level 4 ran out and players were disappointed to hear they were not getting a break.

Level 5:  Blinds 150/300 with 25 ante.  Levels are now 40 minutes long.

The first break of the day will come after level 5.

Steve Scales has busted out and is apparently not re-entering today.  He tweeted his demise:

89h in the bb, 4 limpers I shove 2550 on top, guy calls 44 and we brick to bust, GG try again tmrw #goodstart

Cathy Dever, Jose Montes, and Chris Leong have also busted out.  All three re-entered.

'Action' Bob Hwang has announced his late arrival via Twitter:

 Late reg Borgata 1 mil guarantee. Table looks good. Don't they all?

Event 1: More Familiar Faces

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

More familiar faces from tables 70+ and late arrivals and/or just spotted:

Cherish Andrews
Sirous Jamshidi
Mike Kalfa
Chris Brand
Will Failla
Marsha Wolak
David Zeitlin
Timothy Finne
Alex Smith

Event 1: Out & In Again

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 4:  100/200.

The bust-outs are starting to pick up.  Four tables have cleared out in the Event Center, leaving 86 in action.

Among those busting was Alex Queen, who tweeted:

First buyin didn’t work out, on to number two #borgatatimbeyfest

Alex has two Borgata Poker Open event titles, including the 2010 Spring Open Championship.  He also just took home over $100k in the Borgata December Deep Stack event.

Austen Johnson and another player at his table were rewarded with one orbit penalties.  After the hand was over, they exchanged words that were, shall we say, 'heated'.

They'll surrender one round of blinds (300 chips) but since the antes have not yet started, that is all.

Event 1: Tweet-Time

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Checking in via Twitter:

Monte Hoover ‏@MHoover10
After months of no tournament poker, im back in action today at the borgata, alantic city playin the 500.. Lets go

James Tedrow ‏@teddyrowe
Day 1A $560 1M, 20k SS

Andrew Davies ‏@cheekbeater55
Playing in the 1 million guarantee tournament today at the borgata in AC... Wish me luck!

Gags30 ‏@Gags30poker
Playing massive borgata $560 today. Should be over $250k to first. Starting with 20k at 25/50, here we go

Stephanie Hubbard ‏@StephHub31
BPWO Event 1 underway.. GL everyone playing!

Manh Nguyen ‏@MunMunny
Just took my seat in Event 1 #BWO2013

Antonio Payne ‏@Anthony_1Payne
@BorgataPoker E1 $1,000,000 Guarantee. 20k starting stack after level 2 got 17.4k (Table 38) #TeamBSO #TeamProPayne #2013ItsRturn #BWOITM

Chris ‏@Chr1s_Brand
At the Borgata for the $1mill guarantee winter open starting event. #rungood #onetime pic.twitter.com/uIoodrqZ

Event 1: Inside The Minds

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

All four Inside The Minds instructors are in action today.

top:  Lee Childs & Jason Young

bottom: Amanda Musumeci & Ryan Eriquezzo

Lee Childs, Jason Young, Amanda Musumeci, and Ryan Eriquezzo  held their ITM poker training session here at Borgata yesterday, will a room full of eager students looking to soak up some poker knowledge.

Most of their students are also playing today.  It will be interesting to see who lasts longer and goes deeper.

Blinds are going up in a few minutes to

Level 3:  Blinds 75/150.

Event 1: Familiar Faces

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Level 2:  Blinds 50/100.

Lots of regulars, who recognize the value in this event, have turned up to play today.

On my first pass through part of the room, I spotted these familiar faces:

Ibra Ibraimovic
Austen Johnson
Allyson Parker
Jerry Callahan
Frank Ficadenti
Alex Queen
Mike Summers
Brian Mooney
Dallas Williams
Frank Ingardia
Dan Spirer
Daniel Chan
Bob Santilli
Bart Dowling
Russell Crane
Dan Buzgon
Victor Ramdin
Martha Patella
Mark Baatz
Pierre Diessler
Joe Pitti
Ray Shackelford
DJ Whorley
Mark Sykes
Travis Greenawalt
Abe Korotki
Cornel Cimpan
Paul Shedaker
Vincent Basilicata
Cotton Snuffer
Ara Melikian
Maurice Paradis
Vitaly Kovyazin
Ryan Eriquezzo
Mike Lydon
Jim Wylie
Chris Leong
Dean Schultz
Bruce Frank
Javier Fernandez
Scott Wardell
Cathy Dever
Ari Albilia
Brian O'Donoghue
Tony Sinishtaj
Natale Kuey
David Stefanski
Mike Borovetz
Bob Haavind
Grace Sun
Joe Gibbons
Collin Whyte
Jenny So
Jason Deutsch
Russ Dykshteyn

and that's just tables 1-70!

Borgata Winter Poker Open Leaderboard

Borgata Winter Poker Open Tournament Leaderboard 
Win prizes for the Borgata Winter Poker Open Tournament Leaderboard promotion

How To Qualify:
By participating in any Borgata Spring Poker Open event (April 2013), players earn points based upon Borgata’s poker tournament leaderboard formula, which takes into consideration these criteria:

• Participation 
• Tournament Buy-In Amount 
• Total Event Entries 
• Place Finished

Players earn points for participating in tournaments and earn bonus points based on cashing in tournaments.
The Borgata Tournament Leaderboard will be updated throughout the tournament.

Prizes*:
1. $2,700 Entry into Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship (April 2013)
2. Entry into Borgata $25,000 Guaranteed Friday daily tournament
3. Entry into Borgata $7,500 Bounty Monday daily tournament
4. Entry into Borgata $7,500 Bounty Monday tournament
5. Entry into Borgata $15,000 Guaranteed Wednesday daily tournament
6. Entry into Borgata $15,000 Guaranteed Wednesday daily tournament
7. Entry into Borgata $15,000 Guaranteed Wednesday daily tournament
8. Entry into Borgata $15,000 Guaranteed Wednesday daily tournament
9. Entry into Borgata $15,000 Guaranteed Wednesday daily tournament
10. Entry into Borgata $15,000 Guaranteed Wednesday daily tournament

Winners will be announced Wednesday, February 6, 2013.

* All "Entry" prizes must be used towards tournament entry for tournament identified. All prizes are non-transferable and have no cash value. Prizes must be redeemed for tournament entry by April 30, 2013. 

Event 1: Event Center Overflowing

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Today's massive starting field has already overflowed the event center.

Tables 1 through 90 are up the escalator in the Event Center.  Tables 90+ will be down in the Poker Room.

At 10:30 this morning, they already had over 900 players registered for day 1A.

As usual with re-entry events, the ten seats are held open for early re-entries.

Another twist on today's event is the end-of-day-one chip-lead bonuses.

The player with the most chips at the end of day will collect $3,000 in cold, hard cash.  The player who is second in chips will collect $2,000 in cash.

Same goes for day 1B tomorrow, so keep your eyes on the prize!

Event 1: Off With A Bang

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)
             $1 Million Guaranteed

Today's opening event is a first-time ever event for the Borgata Winter Poker Open.

It carries a $1 million guarantee on the prize pool and has two starting days.

Players who bust out today (day 1A) may re-enter through the end of level 8 and may also re-enter tomorrow (day 1B).

Levels 1-4 are 30 minutes long, then levels 5-18 will last 40 minutes.

That's all they'll play on day one -- 18 levels -- then call it a night.  Survivors will bag their chips and return for day two on Thursday at noon.

Players began with 20,000 chips.

Level 1:  Blinds 25/50.

Cards are in the air!!

Tuesday, January 15

TODAY'S EVENTS (Event Center) 

11AM: Event 1A - $500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)
             $1 Million Guaranteed

• Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips 
• Levels 1-4 will last 30 minutes each | Levels 5-18:  will last 40 minutes each |
  Day 2 Levels: will last 50 minutes each 
• Players may Re-Enter through Level 8 
• 2-Day event with two starting days.  Day 2 begins Thursday at 12PM
• $3,000 will be subtracted from the prize pool and awarded to the chip leader at the end of Day 1A and the chip leader at the end of Day 1B
  $2,000 will be subtracted from the prize pool and awarded to the player finishing second behind chip leader at the end of Day 1A and the player finishing second behind chip leader at the end of Day 1B. 

7 PM: Event 26 - $150 + $30 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

• Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips 
• Levels will last 20 minutes each 
• Players may Re-Enter through Level 6 
• 1-Day event

Exclusive Offers for Tournament Participants

Present your Borgata Winter Poker Open Tournament Receipt and receive the following offers:

• 15% off Roma, The Metropolitan, Bread+Butter, Borgata Buffet, Tony Luke's and Lettuce Head
  (Sun - Sat)
• 15% off Wolfgang Puck American Grille, Fornelletto and Izakaya
  (Sun - Fri)
• 15% off Barbershop services (reservations required - call x7556)
• $50 Fitness Pass Package for Spa Toccare (7-day access)
• $30 Day Pass to Spa Toccare men's spa or women's spa (includes use of spa lounge, whirlpools, steam room, sauna and locker area, and use of Pump Room) 
• $20 Ladies manicure (valid 1/21 - 2/1/2013) 
• Special hotel rates available during tournament for participants, based upon availability

Exclusions apply. Management reserves all rights. Only valid January 15 - February 1, 2013 at Borgata. Tax and gratuity not included. Must present tournament receipt along with valid identification at time of purchase/service to receive offers. Offers not transferable. Food and Beverage: offers are not valid in conjunction with other promotions; valid for participant only; and must surrender blue tournament receipt at time of redemption.  Hotel Room: reservation must be made in advance to receive special rates. Must present tournament receipt at checkout to receive tournament rate quoted at time of reservation. Subject to availability, change or cancellation.  Spa:  Ladies manicure offer not valid 1/26/2013.  Certain restrictions apply.