Championship: Sibling Rivalry

$2500 + $200 Championship Deep Stack Double Play NLH (Re-Entry)

Another pair of brothers are competing today in this event.

Greg Whiting & John Whiting

Greg Whiting (Philadelphia, PA) finished 9th out of 1,383 entries in the massive opening event, earning $8,344. 

His brother, John Whiting (Philadelphia, PA) has been playing more of the nightly events and has managed to amass 378.175 points in the Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard contest, putting him in the lead.

Both brother are playing in the Championship event today.

Championship: Online Contest Winner

$2500 + $200 Championship Deep Stack Double Play NLH (Re-Entry) 

Level 2:  Blinds 50/100.

The winner of the Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship Online contest is Tom Belasic (Ridgefield, NJ).

Tom Belasic

Tom was following his brother's progess in event 5 on the blog and entered the online contest.

His brother, Frank Belasic (Cedar Grove, NJ), narrowly missed bubbling that event ($350 + $50 Big Stack NLH) when he was the short stack on the bubble.  Frank went on to finish 43rd, earning $777.

Now it is Frank's turn to follow Tom's progress on the blog!

Event 14: 12th Place - Munoz

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

Level 20:  Blinds 4k/8k with 1k ante. 

Raul Munoz (Egg Harbor City, NJ)

$1,882

Raul Munoz shoved his short stack with pocket 5s.

Mike Comar had him crushed with pocket Queens.

No help for Raul on the board and he was dispatched in 12th place, earning $1,882.

Event 14: Two Early Exits

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

Two players were out the door before their chairs even got warm.

14th Place - Karl Sirotkin (Germantown, MD)

13th Place - Anthony Brandi (Staten Island, NY)

Both players earned $1,647 for their efforts.

Event 14: Day Two Underway

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

Fourteen players have returned for day two.

Level 18:  Blinds 3k/6k with 500 ante.

Cards and chips are flying!

Championship: Summer Winners Gallery Continued

$2500 + $200 Championship Deep Stack Double Play NLH (Re-Entry) 

 

2009  Anthony Damato (Philadelphia, PA)   

$3,000 + $200 Championship NLH   

  415 Entries

$356,319 

2008 Allen Bari (West Orange, NJ)

$5,000 + $200 Championship NLH

399 Entries

$500,250 

2007 Andrew Barta (New York, NY)

$5,000 + $200 Championship NLH

337 Entries

$513,925

2006 Carmine Tirone (Manheim, PA)
$5000 + $200 Championship NLH
162 Entries
$267,300

Championship: Summer Winners Gallery

$2500 + $200 Championship Deep Stack Double Play NLH (Re-Entry) 

Since the Borgata Summer Poker Open series was christened in 2006, there have been seven Summer Open Champions crowned.  Another one will join their ranks this week.

Here's a look at the most recent players who have had success spending their summer at the shore.

2012  Melad Marji (Atlantic City, NJ)   

$2,500 + $200 Championship NLH   

305 Entries

It was decided on a coin-flip.  On the final hand Melad's AQ outran Borgata regular Michael Marder's pocket 7s to take the tournament.  Melad picked up $198,078 for the win.

2011  Tyng Low (Flushing, NY)  

$2,500 + $200 Championship NLH   

323 Entries

Tyng flopped a straight on the final hand to defeat Farid Jattin (Miami, FL) who was the chip leader after Day 1A and Day 2, and was one place away from going wire to wire.  Tyng collected $211,484 for his win.

2010 William O'Neil (College Park, MD)  

$2,000 + $200 Championship NLH   

321 Entries

The title was his when William rivered a straight to beat runner-up Mirza Nagji's (New York, NY) top pair.  The local high stakes cash game player took home $180,595 for first place.

Championship: Underway

$2500 + $200 Championship Deep Stack Double Play NLH (Re-Entry)  
$500,000 GUARANTEED

Day 1A of the 2013 Borgata Summer Poker Open is underway!

This event carries a half-million dollar guarantee on total buy-ins, which is the equivalent of 200 entries.

Today is the first of two starting days and we'll do it all over again tomorrow on day 1B.

Players who bust out through level six may choose to re-enter today.  Players who bust out any time after that can play again tomorrow.

They'll play 8 levels tonight, then the survivors will return for day two on Tuesday.

Players began with 30,000 chips and day one levels are an hour long.

Level 1:  Blinds 25/50.

The order has been given to put the cards in the air!

Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard Update (6/16)

Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard
By participating in any Borgata Summer Poker Open event (June 4-21, 2013), players earn points based upon the Borgata Summer Poker Tournament Leaderboard Formula.

Below are the top scores for the 2013 Borgata Summer Poker Open Leaderboard*

(Final Results from Main events: 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Secondary events: 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)

378.175:  JOHN WHITING
354.750:  LEE KIRSCH
321.238:  ADRIAN SILVESCU
320.388:  MOHD EID
312.000:  MICHAEL BONNEY
311.913:  ILYA VASSERMAN
306.450:  EARL KING
294.450:  RICHARD DEVIVO
290.675:  SHE LOK WONG
283.788:  STEVEN POLIMENI
282.653:  THOMAS BALLA
278.038:  MICHAEL HAHN
271.250:  MARUTI YARLAPATI
265.600:  MICHAEL MARDER
264.650:  FRANK VULPIS
259.325:  GRAESON BURNETTE-PEAKE
254.310:  DAVID EILERS
250.675:  TOBY KASSER
248.325:  PAUL VACCHIO
246.500:  JAMES MCKEON
245.750:  PHILIP RINALDI
242.075:  BENJAMIN LAVES
238.213:  DAVID HECK
228.075:  SEUNG LEE
226.498:  ERIC SIEGEL
223.833:  NEVILLE DARRELL
222.225:  ARMANDO THEN
221.700:  CHII CHING SUN

Event 14 - Start of Day 2 Chip Counts

Borgata Summer Poker Open
Event 14: $500 + $60 No Limit Hold'em

Entries: 194
Total Buy-in:  $97,000

Players Remaining: 14
Average Chip Stack: 207,000

START OF DAY 2 TABLE ASSIGNMENTS & CHIP COUNTS:
T1 | S1 -  JOSHUA PALMER (HAMPTONVILLE, NC):  200,500
T1 | S2 -  FRED JAFARZADEH (WOODBRIDGE, VA):  130,000
T1 | S3 -  JIN RO (SEWELL, NJ):  357,000
T1 | S4 -  ADRIAN CORONA (FLORAL PARK, NY):  142,500
T1 | S5 -  PAOLO NIGRIS (TENAFLY, NJ):  161,000
T1 | S6 -  JOHN KOSTELAC (ENOLA, PA):  97,500
T1 | S7 -  RAUL MUNOZ (EGG HARBOR CITY, NJ):  202,000

T2 | S1 -  VIDAL ARNUFLO (NEW YORK, NY):  460,000
T2 | S2 -  EDGAR LEMUS-ARGUETA (ORTLEY BEACH, NJ):  230,000
T2 | S3 -  MICHAEL COMAR (MANALAPAN, NJ):  277,500
T2 | S4 -  KARL SIROTKIN (GERMANTOWN, MD):  73,000
T2 | S5 -  ANTHONY BRANDI (STATEN ISLAND, NY):  268,000
T2 | S6 -  DAJUAWN WHORLEY (WASHINGTON, DC):  152,500
T2 | S7 -  BRADLEY YAZICI (ESSEX, MD):  138,000

Sunday, June 16

TODAY'S EVENTS (Poker Room) 

11AM: Event 15A - $2500 + $200 Championship Deep Stack Double Play No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  
$500,000 GUARANTEED

• Players start with 30,000 in tournament chips 
• Day 1 Levels: will last 1 hour each | Day 2 Levels: will last 1 hour 15 minutes each |
  Day 3 & Day 4 Levels: will last 1 hour 30 minutes each.
• Players may Re-Enter through Level 6
• 4-Day tournament with two Day 1 starting days
  Day 2, 3 and 4 start at 12PM
• Day 1A and Day 1B end after Level 8 | Day 2 ends after Level 16 | Day 3 ends when 27 players remain | Day 4 plays until completion
• $3,000 will be subtracted from the prize pool and awarded to the chip leader at the end of Day 1A and leader at 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 player finishing second behind chip leader at end of Day 1B

12PM: Event 42 - $135 + $25 Championship Qualifier NLH

• Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips 
• Levels will last 20 minutes each
• Approximately one (1) in every twenty (20) players will win a $2,700 Entry to play in the BORGATA SUMMER POKER OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT June 16-20, 2013
• 1-Day event 

3 PM: Event 43 - $400 + $50 Championship Qualifier NLH

• Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips 
• Levels will last 30 minutes each
• Approximately one (1) in every seven (7) players will win a $2,700 Entry to play in the BORGATA SUMMER POKER OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT June 16-20, 2013
• 1-Day event

7PM: Event 44 - $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier NLH

• Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips 
• Levels will last 25 minutes each
• Approximately one (1) in every ten (10) players will win a $2,700 Entry to play in the BORGATA SUMMER POKER OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT June 16-20, 2013
• 1-Day event 

Event 14: End Of Night Chip Counts

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

Arnulfo Vidal (New York, NY) - 460,000 - Chip Leader

That's all she wrote for tonight folks.  The last hand was dealt, the remaining 14 Players counted up their chips and bagged them up.

Play resumes tomorrow at noon when the winner will take home $28,225 and a 2013 Borgata Summer Poker Open Event trophy.

Player...............City........................Chip Counts
1. Arnulfo Vidal (New York, NY)............... 460,000
2. Jin Ro (Scwell, NJ)............................. 357,000
3. Michael Comar (Manalapan, NJ).......... 277,000
4. Anthony Brandi (Staten Island, NY)..... 268,000
5. Egar Lemus (Toms River, NJ)............... 230,000
6. Dr. Raul Munoz (Egg Harbor Twp......... 202,000
7. Josh Palmer (North Carolina)............... 200,500
8. Paolo Nigris....................................... 161,000
9. DJ Whorley (Washington, DC)..............  152,500
10. Adrian Corona (Queens, NY)..............  142,500
11. Bradley Yazici (Baltimore, MD)........... 138,000
12. Fred Jafarzadeh (Virginia)................... 130,000
13. John Kostelac (Camp Hill, PA)..............  97,500
14. Karl Sirotkin (Maryland)........................  73,000

Congratulations to the final fourteen fellows.  See you tomorrow for the conclusion of Event 14.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there including mine!

Event 14: Robert Railed

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

 Robert Melo (Queens, NY) - 15th Place

$1,647

Melo loses coin-flip when his 6-6 pre-flop shove is run-down by Josh Palmer's (North Carolina) A-K.
Robert feels immediate pain as he watches the King fall in the window.

Board ran: K-10-J-7-3

Melo has to tend to his son's dental needs and cannot play in the 2013 Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship.  Hit and run today in the amount of $1,647.

Event 14: Trammell Trampled

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

 Quintin Trammell - 16th Place

$1,411

End of the road for Quintin Trammell (Staten Island, NY) who just lost a race to Vidal Arnuflo (New York, NY).  Quintin jammed his short stack holding wired fives but was rundown by Arnuflo's A-K.

Board: 7-A-2-9-K

Quintin is not playing in The Championship and has to head home tonight.

In 17th Place also for $1,411 was Tyng Low (Flushing, NY).

Event 14: Bernie Bounced

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

Bernie Liberati - 18th Place

$1,411

Bernie Liberati (Cherry Hill, NJ) is the first casualty of the final two tables.  He had hope coming in but his short stack couldn't survive.

Josh Palmer opened with 8-9 followed by Bernie blasting with A-K.

Palmer crushes a flop of 4-8-9 and sends "The Nicest Guy In The World" home with $1,411 for 18th Place.

Bernie played the bubble brilliantly.  He rode his short stack for what felt like an eternity and was rewarded for his patience and bubbleology.

Event 14: Final Two Tables Are Set

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

Table 1:
Seat - Name - City - Chip Count
1. Bradley Yazici (Baltimore, MD) - 100,000
2. Dr. Raul Munoz (Egg Harbor City, NJ) - 215,000
3. Tyng Low (Flushing, NY) - 75,000
4. Quintin Trammell (Staten Island, NY) - 120,000
5. Adrian Corona (Queens, NY) - 135,000
6. DJ Whorley (Washington, DC) - 130,000
7. Fred Jafarzadeh (Virginia) - 190,000
8. Karl Sirotkin (Maryland) - 125,000
9. Arnuflo Vidal (New York, NY) - 135,000

Table 2:
Seat - Name - City - Chip Count
1. Anthony Brandi (Staten Island, NY) - 240,000
2. John Kostelac (Camp Hill, PA) - 160,000
3. Bernie Liberati (Cherry Hill, NJ) - 25,000
4. Jin Ro (Scwell, NJ) - 190,000
5. Egar Lemus (Toms River, NJ) - 160,000
6. Paolo Nigris - 160,000
7. Robert Melo (Queens, NY) - 95,000
8. Michael Comar (Manalapan, NJ) - 245,000
9. Josh Palmer (North Carolina) - 155,000

So we don't end in the middle of a blind, play will end at approximately 1:30 AM when players will bag and tag for the night.

Michael Comar is looking for another trophy so he can have bookends.  Michale won a trophy Event for $20,000 in the 2013 Borgata Spring Poker Open.

2011 Summer WPT Boragta Champ Tyng Low (Flushing, NY) is alive and looking to add to his bankroll with a strong finish in Event 14.

Event 14: In The Money

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

Jin Ro (Scwell, NJ) Knocks Out Bubble

After an hour of hand-to-hand action, Jin Ro felts Robert Nicotra sending the remaining 18 Players into the green stuff.

Robert became the bubble when his A♥Q♥ couldn't find one more heart after the flop vs. Fred Jafarzadeh's A-10 and Jin Ro's A-K.  All three players were all in pre-flop with Robert at risk with only 9,100.

Borgata Bubble Board: 5♠ 9♥ 3♥ 2♠ 6♣

Jin was first to table his hand but did not feel too confident.  Once Robert flipped A♥Q♥ in disgust, the rest of the field celebrated.

18th Place will receive $1,411.  Unfortunately for Robert Nicotra, he receives only a pat on the back.

Two-table re-draw is underway as remaining players take a twenty minute break.

Play resumes at 12:30 AM and continues until 2:00 AM.

Event 14: Bubble Continues

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

45 minutes and counting as the bubble battle continues.

We came close as our two shortest stacks both shipped pre then both tabled A-K.

Short stacks continue to double-up with the best hand.

This game of patience continues.

We're now into Level 17 with blinds at 2500 / 5000 and 500 antes.

Event 14: Hand For Hand Combat

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

Egar Lemus (Toms River)  knocks out the double-bubble when his K-Q improves vs. Opponent's 9-9.

Board: J-7-Q-7-3

With that bust-out, Event 14 is officially on the bubble.

The next person out gets $0.  Final three tables are playing hand for hand to keep things fair.

Event 14: Kostelac Stacks

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

John Kostelac Doubles Up

John Kostelac (Camp Hill, PA) is sitting on 200,000 after his AK cracks Opponent's KK.  John shipped his last 90,000 with Big Slick then saw the miracle flop fall A-K-2.

That big double-up gives John some breathing room as the bubble looms and teh average stack is 145,500.

20 Players remain.  Top 18 get paid.

Event 14: Back In Business

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

Players have returned from break ready to play until a 2AM bag and tag.  Of course they have to first hit the bubble which isn't too far away (famous last words).

22 players remain on 3 tables. 

Top 18 get paid leaving our 19th elimination the Borgata Bubble.

Who will capture all 2,910,000 chips and the $28,225 1st Place Prize?

Level 15 Blinds: 1500 / 3000 with 400 antes.

Event 14: Fred's Ahead

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

 Fred Jafarzadeh (Virginia) - 240,000

In the last hand before a fifteen minute break, Fred Jafarzadeh plays his 7-7 to perfection as he calls down his Opponent who was making a move with K-J.

Opponent jammed the turn and Fred made the correct call.  He sweated the river 10 and just like that is 2nd in chips for the tournament.  Board ran out 2-2-3-4-10.

DJ Whorley (Washington, DC) is still holding on to the chip leader title with 260,000.

Event 14: Happy Father's Day Eve

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

Karl Sirotkin - 185,000

Big double up this level for Karl Sirotkin (Maryland) who hits the nut straight on the same card his opponent hit a lower straight.  With that hand Sirotkin surges up to 185,000 in chips.

"I've been married for 40 years and want to thank my wife Kristin for giving me this tournament as my Father's Day gift" said Karl.

Family is important to Karl who's looking forward to taking in his 100 year old Father in the very near future.  "And he's still sharp" quipped Karl.

Turns out poker runs deep in the Sirotkin family tree as legend has it Karl's grandmother was quite the poker shark.

Event 14: Alida Lasts All Ladies

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

Last Women Standing

Alida Veliu (Wykoff, NJ) is your Last Woman Standing.  On another table, Corri Pranevich (Pittsburgh, PA) finally lost a coin flip involing 6-6 vs. A-K.  Corri's just happy to get the bad session out of the way in hopes to run deep in the Championship.

As for Alida, she's happy to have outlasted all the other girls.  Even though she's an avid believer in the chip-and-a-chair philosophy, her super short stack couldn't survive.

Alida failed to cash, exiting in 26th Place, but still wanted to say hello to her daughter Elba and son Ben rooting from home.  Ironically, our last lady lost with ladies.  Her QQ was rundown by Opponent's AJ.

25 Players remain. 

18th Place scores a min-cash of $1,411.

Event 14: Tournament Update

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

31 Players continue to compete on the four remaining tables - all vying for that huge first place prize of $28,225.

Level 13 blinds have increased to 1000 / 2000 with 200 antes.

Next break comes in an hour and half.

Don't forget this is a two day tournament.  We'll play until 18 players or 2AM, whichever comes first.
Then play resumes tomorrow at noon for Day 2.