Event 2 – $350 + $50 Black Chip Bounty NLH
Level 7: Blinds 250/500/50 ante
Total Entries: 641
Players Remaining: 370
Average Stack: 43,000
Bounty Hunting players are back from their second break and registration has closed. Once the numbers have been crunched by the house, we will get the official payouts and post them here in the blog.
At the end of level 7, players will get a dinner break and a lot of them are looking hungry!
Event 1 – $2,000,000 GTD
Level 23: 10,000/20,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 5,101
Players Remaining: 215
Average Stack: 503,000
Matt Mazzeo (E Williston, NY)
Back in level level 20 when the blinds were 5,000/10,000, Matt ‘Muffins’ Mazzeo lost an all-in confrontation which left him with only 14,000 chips (less than two big blinds).
He “got lucky” to stay alive and has now managed to build his stack back up to about 430,000.
This could be the start of an epic comeback!
Matt gets his nickname “Muffins” from his family’s bakery business, Ohmigod!, which makes some of the best baked goods, available both in stores and online from their web site.
Event 1 – $2,000,000 GTD
Level 23: 10,000/20,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 5,101
Players Remaining: ~280
Average Stack: ~455,000
Scott Baumstein (New York, NY)
A short-stacked player shoved holding {8h}{8c} and his snowmen had the misfortune of running into Scott Baumstein’s {ac}{ks}.
The flop Aced the snowmen when it fell {as}{6c}{3h}. The snowmen were melting quickly now and only a third eight would save the day. The last two came {6s}{3c} and the short-stack was sent to the rail.
With that pot, Scott chipped up to more than 1.5 million.
He’s got one Borgata Open title from last September and is looking to make his second in this event. He’s already in the money and will push his career earnings close to or over $1.5 million.
Event 1 – $2,000,000 GTD
End of Level 21: 6,000/12,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 5,101
Players Remaining: ~350
Average Stack: ~364,000
Players are on a break at the end of level 21.
Matt Stout (Las Vegas, NV)
During the previous level, Matt’s Stout’s {ah}{ks} was good for a full double-up on a board of 4 4 3 6 8. His opponent held {ad}{2d} and had to ship 244,000 across the felt.
With that pot, Matt chipped up to about 560,000.
Event 1 – $2,000,000 GTD
Level 21: 6,000/12,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 5,101
Players Remaining: ~400
Average Stack: ~319,000
Players are dropping like flies and we’ve already lost at least 100 since the money bubble burst. The field is still so large, however, it is impossible to be certain who the chip leader is.
Kal Alwan (Wayne, NJ)
That being said, the first stack I spotted over the 1-million-chip mark belonged to Kal Alwan. He’s stacking about 1.3 million (108 big blinds).
Kal’s a regular here at Borgata and even has one Open series title, won playing HORSE during the 2012 Fall Poker Open. He whiffed all of 2015, however, and doesn’t show a single reported cash, here or anywhere else.
Looks like he’s coming back in a big way!
Jia Liu (Norwich, CT)
Another big stack I spotted belonged to Jia Liu. He’s up to about 970,000 and has his eyes on that 1-million-mark.
Jia won the 2012 Spring Poker Open Championship, pocketing more than $312,000 in the process. His career earnings are closing in on $700,000.
Event 1 – $2,000,000 GTD
Level 20: 5,000/10,000/1,000 ante
Total Entries: 5,101
Total Remaining: 499
Average Stack: 256,000
Joe McElwee (Harleysville, PA)
Just after the bubble burst, Joe McElwee found himself all-in and behind holding {Ks}{Kh}. Chris Leon (New York, NY) had him crushed with {Ah}{ac}.
The runout of {Jh}{6c}{5c}{ts}{4s} changed nothing and Joe was felted. He’s the first player to cash out in this event, finishing in 500th place, earning $1,027. He also has the advantage of not having to wait to get paid, as he’s the first in line at the payout desk.
Joe won his seat in this event in a $125 + $25 Qualifier Monday night and did not have to re-enter, so his min-cash is mostly profit for him. He cashed in this same event four years ago during the 2012 Winter Poker Open, picking up $3,997 for 26th place.
Looking on the bright side, Joe said, “Now I’ve got time to get back home before the storm hits.”
Event 2 – $350 + $50 Black Chip Bounty NLH
Level 2: Blinds 75/150
Entries so far: 382
The Black Chip Bounty event is perking along here in the back of the Event Center, somewhat in the shadow of the massive Event 1.
Chris Limo (Sunnyside, NY)
One of the familiar faces in Event 2 is Chris Limo, who washed out of Event 1. He fired eleven bullets, trying to continue his Event 1 final table appearance streak. He made the final table of the opener of both the 2015 Borgata Poker Open (September) and the 2015 Fall Poker Open (November), finishing 9th and 7th respectively.
Seeing my disbelief on the number of entries, he said “I’ll show you my receipts!”. Must be true. Since his streak is broken, he’s going to see what he can accomplish here in Event 2.
Level 8: Blinds 300/600/75 ante
Flight 1F Entrants: 1,318
Total Event 1 Entrants: 4,968
Barry Leventhal (Brooklyn, NY)
With all 90 tables in the Event Center still in use, it is impossible to identify a chip leader. Plus it is very early in the flight, just coming up on the half-way point.
That being said, It looks like Barry Leventhal might be out in front. He’s up to ~200,000 which is more than 333 big blinds!
A lot can, and will, change before the end of the night tonight, but he’s definitely one to watch.
Level 7: Blinds 250/500/50 ante
Flight 1F Entrants: 1,280
Total Event 1 Entrants: 4,930
Ruth Ruffman (Colts Neck, NJ)
Ruth Ruffman just took down a nice pot. With three players involved, they got to the river with a board of A 8 8 Q T. Ruth held KJ for the Broadway straight to take the pot, chipping up to ~85,000.
Ruth holds two Ladies’ Event titles, one of which she won right here at Borgata. Back in 2012 during the Borgata Poker Open, she bested the field of Ladies to claim the first place prize of $10,518. That’s still her largest cash, but she won another Ladies event in Vegas in 2013.
Level 6: Blinds 200/400/50 ante
Flight 1F Entrants: 1,240
Total Event 1 Entrants: 4,890
Todd Rebello (Oak Bluffs, MA)
Todd Rebello is not looking at an easy table. Although Ben Bianco, who was sitting on his left, has busted out, Todd’s still facing off against the likes of Mike Dentale, Mike Linster, and Antonio Payne.
In a recent hand, Todd got all-in for his last 22,850 on a flop of {kd}{6c}{5d}. The player in the small blind had fewer chips than Todd and was all-in holding {Ah}{ks} (top pair, top kicker). The big blind called, showing {Ah}{ad}. Todd had {5s}{5h} and had flopped bottom set.
The dealer burned and turned the {Jd}, then burned and rivered the {2s}, both of which were safe cards for Todd. He dragged the pot, chipping up to about 95,000, while the player in the small blind reported to the rail.
Todd has a Borgata Open series title and a WSOP Circuit ring among his many poker accolades. His largest single cash came last March when he finished second in the Foxwoods Poker Classic NLH Championship for nearly $82,000. His lifetime total has exceeded $544,000.