Event 1 (Day 1F)
Bobby Noel (Pittsburgh)
Level 11:
Blinds 600 / 1,200 / 200 Ante
Total Event 1F Entrants: 1,451
Total Event 1 Entrants: 5,101
Bobby Noel’s aces hold up versus kings on a {5x}{7x}{6x}{6x}{4x} board and Bobby’s opponent is sent packing. We’re past the point where players can re-enter this event, so any eliminations in these last few levels are permanent. Bobby, who is wearing a Sharknado shirt and is therefore awesome, has final tabled two Borgata events in his poker career, and looks to add another one to his resume. Bobby now has 85,000 in chips.
Dean (Long Island)
Level 10
Blinds 500 / 1,000 / 100 Ante
Total Event 1F Entrants: 1,451
Total Event 1 Entrants: 5,101
Dean from Long Island (who preferred not to use his last name) just busted another player, also from Long Island. It’s a shame when hometown players have to send each other to the rail. That’s what happened here when {Ks}{Qc} got ahead of {Jh}{Jd} on a {5c}{5h}{Kd}{Qs}{6h} board.
End of Level 9
Blinds 400/800/75 Ante
Event 1F Entrants: 1,432
Total Event 1 Entrants:5,082
Players are on a 20-minute colorup break. Smoke if you got ’em!
Brian Pagano (Lake Wallenpaupack, PA)
Level 9
Blinds 400/800/75 Ante
Event 1F Entrants: 1,430
Total Event 1 Entrants:5,080
Brian Pagano (who shares the last name with the coach of the Colts, yes I’m from Indy) just had aces hold up against sixes: {Ac}{Ad} versus {6c}{6h} on a {9h}{9c}{7d}{3c}{Kc} board. Brian is from the difficult to spell Lake Wallenpaupack, PA.
Level: 8
Blinds: 300/600/75 Ante
Event 1F Entrants: 1,366
Total Entrants: 5,016!
The tournament director, Tab, just posted quite a milestone for this jam-packed $2 Million Guaranteed Event #1. And re-entries are still possible through the end of Level 9.
Just went over 5,000 players for the $560 event 1 Borgata 2 Million. Poker is ALIVE! pic.twitter.com/MBYxtqJZaD
— Tab Duchateau (@TabDuchateau) January 22, 2016
Mel Cheong (Brooklyn)
Level 8:
Blinds 300/600/75 Ante
Event 1F Entries: 1,337
Total Event 1 Entries: 4,987
Mel Cheong, from Brooklyn, is one of dozens of woman poker players in this large field. At the moment she’s in control of her table, having bet 8,000 into a {7h}{10h}{9d}{Ks} and taking down a sizeable pot. Mel has one previous cash, in this same event one year ago, so there’s a good chance she could make a nice run again here.
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.
Daniel Starkey (Greensboro, NC)
Level 7
Blinds 250/500/50 Ante
Total Day 1F Entrants: 1,308
Total Day 1 Entrants: 4,958
Daniel Starkey is in the middle of a massage from one of Borgata’s many wandering massage therapists. The positive benefits seem to be helping his play, as he just felted his opponent with an all in preflop, flipping {As}{Qc} to his opponent’s {5s}{5c} and catching up on a {Qd}{Jh}{9d}{2d}{7s} board. Starkey has about 51,000 in chips now.
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.
End of Level 6: Blinds 200/400/50 ante
Flight 1F Entrants: 1,240
Total Event 1 Entrants: 4,890
Players are in the middle of a 15-minute break heading into Level 7. We’re playing the full 16 levels tonight, so it’s going to be a late one! Buckle up.