Event 1 (Day 1B)
Robert Miller (Nanuet, NY)
Level 9:
Blinds 400/800/75 ante
Total Event 1B Entries: 309
Robert Miller is a player from the hamlet of Nanuet, NY. “The cultural center of the known universe,” says Robert. “We got a strip mall, nice school, safe streets.”
A player in late position threw out 2,200 and Robert Miller called. The flop ran out {6d}{4c}{6s}. The player threw out 3,200 and Robert called.
The turn was {Qc} and the player bet 3,600 and Robert called again. The river was {6h}, the player bet 8,600 again and Robert called.
The player turned over {7d}{8s}, but Robert had the {9d}{9c} for sixes over nines. Robert now has 47,000.
Vinny Pahuja (New Jersey)
Level 7:
Blinds 250/500/50 ante
Total Event 1B Entries: 290
Vinny Pahuja is one of our BorgataPoker.com online qualifiers. He tells us that he not only satellited into this Event 1, but also our $3,300 + $200 WPT Main Event. He won both satellites in the same evening. He tells us that the action is amazing on there and satelliting in online is definitely the way to go.
We may see Vinny in a later flight of Event 1, though, as he pushed his last 7,000 in chips in late position and was called by Julio Gonzales.
Vinny: {2d}{2c}
Julio: {9h}{Ah}
Board: {Jh}{Kc}{9d}{3d}{As}
And Vinny heads to the rail. Perhaps we’ll see him again tomorrow.
Julio Gonzales: 29,000
Will “The Thrill” Failla (Commack, NY)
Level 6: Blinds 200/400/50 Ante
Total Event 1B Entries: 263
We spotted Will “The Thrill” Failla at the same table as Ahmed Mohamed. Uncharacteristically quiet, Will is sitting on a stack of 20,600 in Flight 1B after having busted in Flight 1A earlier in the day.
Will is one of the winningest players on the East Coast poker scene, having amassed winnings of $4,936,850. His most recent Borgata win was at the Summer Poker Open main event for a $238,301 score.
Ahmed Mohamed (Scots Plains, NJ)
Level 5: Blinds 150/300/25 ante
Total Event 1B Entries: 244
Ahmed Mohamed is one of the bigger stacks thus far in the B flight of Event 1. He’s sitting on about 70,000 in chips and tells us that he began using the nickname “Drawing Dead” Ahmed during the WSOP when an intrepid reporter covered his opponent but didn’t get his name at first. Ahmed had gone to Media Row at the WSOP to complain. “What’s your name?” the reporter said. “‘Drawing Dead’ Ahmed,” said Ahmed.
Today, he has a different comment, this time for his fellow tablemates. “We going to play poker this level, or…?” he inquires.
Level 3: Blinds 100/200
Total Event 1 Entries: 835
Brian Lemke (Norristown, PA)
Another decorated player has turned out for Flight B. WSOP bracelet winner Brian Lemke has taken to the felt in search of his fourth Borgata Open title. He already has three titles won here, including the Spring Poker Open Championship last year. That win was good for almost $277,000.
His largest score is still from his WSOP bracelet win in 2009 when he took down the $5,000 buy-in NLH event, pocketing $692,690. His career earnings are over $1.6 million and climbing!
Level 1: Blinds 50/100
Total Event 1 Entries: 735
Cards are in the air for the second starting flight of the Winter Poker Open kickoff event! Flight B is playing in the back of the Event Center.
Roughly 140 players are already entered in this flight with about 4.5 hours left for late registration and re-entry. Many players who bust out of Flight A in the front will relocate to new seats in Fight B as the night wears on.
A few fresh, familiar, faces have turned up in this flight. Michael Marder is making his Winter Poker Open debut, along with Kane Kalas and Len Vizirov.