Event 5
Time flies when you’re having fun and the first week of the Winter Poker Open has certainly been just that, as six WPO champions were crowned, along with multiple players making deep runs to notch some of the biggest results of their career. To start this ‘First Week Action’ recap with anything other than the opening $2,000,000 GTD event would be criminal. That event saw a massive 5,100 player field come together and in the end, it was Jason Loehrs claiming victory. He earned just over $380,000 for the win, which was his first here at Borgata.
Loehrs claimed victory yesterday and there were two other WPO trophies awarded before the weekend officially over, as Duane Hunton locked up a win right before 6 AM today. That Event 6 ‘Big Stack NLH’ victory was good for a nearly $30,000 score and Guy Cicconi overcame a sizable heads up chip disadvantage to claim an over $14,000 score for his Event 5 ‘Seniors NLH’ win. He’ll be back for the WPT WPO Championship next weekend and we could very well see Joe Cashen back for that main event as well, as he claimed just shy of $45,000 for his Event 3 ‘Saturday Series’ win on Saturday.
Alison Grippo was another Saturday winner this weekend, as she took home just shy of $5,000 for her Event 4 ‘Ladies NLH’ win. The biggest winner, save for Jason Loehrs, was Ryan Slanicka though, as he took home close to $52,000 for his Event 2 ‘$100 Black Chip Bounty’ victory, after a grueling 15 hour Day 2 session.
There are still over a dozen WPO titles still up for grabs, meaning that the final week and a half of the series is surely going to be just as exciting as the first week. The WPO blog will be here to bring you all of that action but if you want to go back and catch up on what’s happened over the last week, the links at the top of this post will bring you to each event’s individual coverage.
It should also be noted, that a complete list of results from each event are linked as well.
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
Level 25: Blinds 20,000/40,000/4,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Guy Cicconi with his wife Gina and friend Arthur Peters
Guy Cicconi battled back from a 4:1 chip deficit to defeat Freddie Peralta in heads-up play. Their battle took about an hour and that was the final hour of a 15-hour long tournament, which began at 10am Sunday. For his victory tonight, Guy will collect $14,231 and the 2016 Borgata Winter Poker Open Seniors trophy.
Guy is originally from Pennsylvania, but has retired from his job as CEO of an IT company and now lives in Las Vegas. Now he calls himself a “poker bum”. Well this bum has amassed more than $322,000 in reported tournament earnings over his lifetime.
After the very long day of play, Guy said “Seriously, I’m numb,” and was virtually speechless after his win. He has plans to leave, but will return next week for the Championship event.
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
Level 25: Blinds 20,000/40,000/4,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Freddie Peralta – 2nd Place
On the final hand, Guy Cicconi opened for 80,000 on the button, Freddie Peralta 3-bet, Guy shoved and Freddie called all-in.
Guy had {ad}{kc} and when Freddie saw it, he said “Oh no!”. His {ah}{td} was dominated. The board brought nothing but bad news for Freddie as it reeled out {ac}{jc}{3c}{2h}{6d}. Guy’s kicker played and he won the pot and the tournament.
Freddie Peralta finished in 2nd place, earning $7,826. It was disappointing for him as he had been the chip leader for the entire final table, until he got heads-up. Freddie had been running over the table with his aggressive play, wielding his big stack like a weapon, and getting lucky when he needed to.
That all stopped when heads-up play began. Even so, this is quite an accomplishment and both players were very tired after a long day of poker.
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
End of Level 24: Blinds 15,000/30,000/4,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 1,630,000
Freddie Peralta & Guy Cicconi playing heads-up
Two very determined Seniors are taking a break at the end of Level 24.
The heads-up battle has been brutal and Guy Cicconi has pulled into the chip lead. In one confrontation, Guy shoved over the top of a 400,000 bet from Freddie Peralta and Freddie surrendered. He’s kept the pressure on and keeps collecting chips.
Guy – 2,130,000
Freddie – 1,130,000
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
Level 24: Blinds 15,000/30,000/4,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 1,630,000
Blinds are up for level 24, but on the last hand of level 23:
Guy Cicconi got all-in holding {ac}{2c} against Freddie Peralta’s {kd}{qs}.
The flop of {Ah}{7c}{3c} was all Guy’s, giving him top pair and nut flush draw. When board completed with {qh}{9d}, Guy doubled up to 1,152,000.
Guy Cicconi – 1,152,000
Freddie Peralta – 2,108,000
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
Level 23: Blinds 12,000/24,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 1,630,000
Maggie Morris (Eagleville, PA)
Maggie Morris (sb) and Freddie Peralta (bb) saw a flop of 7 6 2 with two hearts and got all the chips in the middle. Freddie’s {7c}{6c} had flopped to pair and was way ahead of Maggie’s {ah}{3s}.
When the last two cards came Q A, it was not enough to help Maggie. She was felted in 3rd place, earning $4,506.
Heads-up play began with Freddie Peralta holding a significant chip lead (more than 4:1).
Freddie Peralta – 2,644,000
Guy Cicconi – 616,000
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
Level 23: Blinds 12,000/24,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 1,087,000
Steve Stokes (Richmond, VA)
On a flop of {9h}{8h}{3c} Steve Stokes bet, only to watch as Guy Cicconi jammed for another 215,000 on top. Steve only took a second or two before decided to call off the last of his chips.
Steve’s pocket Kings had been out-flopped by Guy’s pocket 8s (middle set). When the board was completed with running Aces, Guy improved to a full house. He chipped up to over 800,000.
Steve Stokes finished in 4th place, earning $3,795.
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 815,000
Doug Weider (Pittstown, NJ)
Doug Weider got his last chips in the middle and again got called by Freddie Peralta (bb). Doug’s {8d}{7d} would need help for him to survive. Freddie was ahead with {ad}{5c}.
The board came A K 8 A 6 and Freddie’s monster stack just got a little bigger. He’s up to about 2 million now.
Doug Weider finished in 5th place, earning $2,846.
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 652,000
James Boyd (Martinsburg, WV)
Maggie Morris opened for 50,000 only to have big-stack Freddie Peralta move in for a whole lot more from the small blind. James Boyd then called all-in for his last 77,000 from the big blind.
Maggie opted out. James had {kh}{qs} and was trailing Freddie’s {ad}{9s}. The runout was not kind to James as it came {ah}{9d}{6h}{ks}{jh}. Freddie took the pot with his pair of Aces. He’s now north of 1.6 million and has a vast lead on the table.
James Boyd finished in 6th place, earning $2,372.
Event 5 – ‘Seniors NLH’
End of Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 163
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 543,000
Seniors are on a break after level 21.
On the last hand of the level:
Guy Cicconi opened for 50,000 then Gary Weider 3-bet to 125,000. Action folded to Freddie Peralta in the big blind, who flatted. Then Guy jammed for 193,000 total. Gary gave it some thought, then called, as did Freddie.
The flop fell {Qc}{9h}{8d} and Freddie checked. Gary shoved and Freddie open-folded his {ad}{kd}.
“I got lucky,” Gary said, showing his {ac}{qd} for top pair, top kicker. Guy tabled his {Ts}{td} and said “I need a Ten…or a Jack.”
The dealer obliged when he delivered the {jd} on the turn, giving Guy a straight to the Queen. Gary couldn’t win the pot, but would chop it if a Ten came on the river.
River was an innocuous {4s} and Guy took the pot, tripling up to ~600,000.