Borgata Summer Poker "Opens It's Doors"

The 8th Annual Borgata Summer Poker Open begins in less than 24 hours, and continues to grow in popularity among the "East Coast" tournament players. While players from all over the world congregate at the Rio in Las Vegas for the 2013 WSOP, the Borgata Summer Poker Open ("BSPO") attracts staggering numbers from the right coast. The one consistent throughout the seven years that have passed, is the jump start so many players we now know have gotten during the BSPO.

Within the backyard of so many different geographic poker hot spots, and only a short drive or plane ride from others, the Borgata Summer Poker Open is no longer an "alternative" to the WSOP.   It's become the better option for so many players, for so many different reasons. Whether it's the proximity to home for the players, great structures, or financially accessible tournament buy-ins, we're seeing more and more grinders choose this tournament series.

I've been following poker since I was in college (1998-2002), and I happened to take some time to research the history of the Borgata Summer Poker Open. This is where I saw the handful of well known tournament pros who used this summer series as a key stepping stone to successful careers:

Bianco (2006)

Ben Bianco (Franklin, NY): Ben had two major cashes under his belt before the 2006 BSPO (1st Annual) $5,000 NL Championship Event. Bianco would go on to finish 4th for $60,750 in that event, raising his earnings to just over $150,000. Ben would go on to record over 25 more major cashes, including a huge win in the opening event of the 2012 Borgata Poker Open ($500 NL), for just under $310,000. Bianco has become a staple during these seasonal series, and has raised his career earnings to over $780,000 since that fateful day in July.

Allen Bari (West Orange, NJ):  Allen had about 20 recorded tournament cashes prior to the 2008 BSPO $5,000 NL Championship Event, none of which were ones to overlook. But it wasn't until after his win in the event, which sent him home over $500,000 richer, did we see Bari's career really take off. Allen has since landed just under 20 cashes in the WSOP, including a bracelet in 2011 (and just under $800,000 for that bracelet event win). Bari's career earnings are over $2,700,000, two million of which came after his win on that June day. In an interesting side note to that championship event, who finished runner-up to Bari? None other than Borgata tournament regular Vinny Pahuja, who himself was having a budding playing career, but no cash close to the $280,000 he took home that day. Pahuja now has over $1,400,000 in career earnings, and speaks very highly of the Borgata Poker Room and it's tournaments.

Daniel Chan (New York, NY):  It's not only the championship event which makes players careers, as was the case with Daniel Chan. Chan won the $500 NL (6-Max) Event in the 2009 BSPO, taking home $29,000 (his largest cash to that date). Daniel has gone on to career earnings of just under $400,000, and an astounding 29 cashes in Borgata events!!!! Who was runner up in that event?  Jeff Wicker (Philadelphia, PA) finished second to Chan, and has a poker career none can thumb their nose at.

Fishberg (2008)

Gregory Fishberg (Willow Grove, PA):  The player many call "Fish" had two cashes for $9,000 going into the 2007 BSPO. Greg then proceeded to finish runner up in the 2007 BSPO $750 NL Hold'em Event ($37,000), take home the trophy in the 2008 BSPO $1,000 NL Hold'em Event ($115,000), and then one more in 2010 when he won the $500 NL Hold'em Event ($84,000) during that summer's open. "Fish" now has just under $500,000 in career earnings, his last being in the opening event of this year's Borgata Spring Poker Open. Fishberg seems to like the summer season for poker, and will be no stranger during this upcoming series.

Austen Johnson (Woodsboro, MD):  Johnson's first career recorded tournament cash was in the 2011 Borgata Summer Poker Open. Not a bad way to break the ice, as he won the opening event of the series ($350 NL Hold'em - $100,000 Guarantee) for just under $65,000. Johnson then parlayed that win into a third place finish in the $2,500 NL Championship Event of the same series ($73,000). Austen has just under $200,000 in career earnings, and although he has taken 2013 off to concentrate on business ventures, we look forward to seeing him in the near future.

The Borgata Summer Poker Open isn't "easier" than any other tournament series during the year. We can all agree that ANY poker tournament is a difficult feat to win. One thing though that comes from the BSPO is the emergence of some great names, and we look forward to documenting those names and tournaments over the next few weeks.