Event 1 (Day 1A)
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
End of Level 4: Blinds 100/200/200 Big Blind Ante
Entries: 322
Four levels down and it’s time for the first break of the day! Players have 15 minutes away from the action to take care of other business.
Once again this year, the Marketplace Eatery is presenting the Event Center Food Court, just steps from the tournament area. They’ve got both hot and cold foods, snacks and beverages, ready to go. You can get pizza, chili, soup, salads, baked goods, and even fresh fruit. Cash, credit cards, comp dollars, and even din-cash food vouchers accepted!
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 4: Blinds 100/200/200 Big Blind Ante
Entries: 304
Borgata’s Event Center is a great venue for the Winter Poker Open, but it’s a long walk to the Race and Sports Book at the other end of the casino.
That problem has been solved with the playMGM New Jersey Sports App. With this app on your phone or tablet, you can place your sports bets from anywhere in New Jersey, including right here in the Event Center. Click here for more information and how to get started.
We’ve also got a playMGM Sports Betting Lounge set up adjacent to the tournament floor where players can relax and watch multiple games on four flat screens.
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 4: Blinds 100/200/200 Big Blind Ante
Entries: 287
Blinds are up and the Big Blind Ante is in play for this event and will be for all the NLH events in this series, with the exception of the SixMax (Event 12).
Instead of each player at the table anteing 25 and the dealer having to sort out who has posted and who hasn’t, and collect all the antes, making change where necessary, a single player in the big blind will post the antes for the table. The amount of the Big Blind Ante is always the same amount as the Big Blind and the number of players at the table is irrelevant. This simplifies the ante process immensely and keeps the game from slowing down once the antes kick in.
Now the player in the big blind will post 200 for the blind and another 200 for the table’s antes. If the player in the big blind doesn’t have enough chips to cover both, his/her chips go toward the Big Blind first, then any chips remaining go toward the BB Ante.
The Big Blind Ante is a big hit with players and dealers alike, plus it eliminates the need for the green 25-denomination chips after level 2.
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 3: Blinds 100/200
Entries: 267
Mark Donly (Coco Beach, FL) & Kevin Hua (Lake Mary, FL)
Mark Donly and Kevin Hua arrived here yesterday, flying in from Orlando, Florida, where it was 80 degrees! They left the warmth and arrived in Atlantic City where the high temperature was only in the 30’s, with snow on the ground.
Why would they do that?!?! One reason — Borgata tournaments are the best value on the East Coast. The $2 Million Guaranteed Deep Stack Kick-Off is enough of a draw to bring players from far and wide, despite the frigid temperatures.
Mark finished 36th in this event back in the 2014 Spring Poker Open, earning $4,444. Kevin cashed in that same event with a 136th place finish.
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 2: Blinds 75/150
Entries: 247
Brian Grzywaczewski
Brian Grzywaczewski is running hot early today. During the first level, he had pocket Aces and both times was all-in against players holding pocket Kings!
His second victim was Marc Matz. Brian opened to 500, the button flatted, then Marc (sb) re-raised to 2,000. Brian 4-bet, making it 6,000 straight, the button folded, and Marc put in a 5-bet. Brian jammed and Marc called all-in, producing pocket Kings. He was crushed by Brian’s pocket Aces and stunned that he had them in back-to-back hands.
The Aces held and Brian’s up to about 50,000, having doubled his starting stack in the first level of play. Marc hit the rail, but will probably be back.
Marc Matz
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 2: Blinds 75/150
Entries: 207
Anthony ‘Tony’ Anastasi celebrating in style at the Borgata Winter Poker Open
Today’s birthday boy is Anthony ‘Tony’ Anastasi and he’s got a primo seat on Table 1, just inside the ropes.
He already owns one Borgata title from the 2015 Borgata Poker Open, when he won the $125+$25 Turbo NLH event. Getting a lot of chips in a bag at the end of this flight would be a good birthday present for Tony, but winning it all and taking home the Big Little Borgata trophy would be event better. Of course that coveted trophy won’t come out until the final day, which is Saturday.
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 1: Blinds 50/100
Borgata Tournament Director Tab Duchateau completed the opening announcements and rule reminders, then issued the order to “Shuffle Up and Deal!” just a few minutes ago. Cards are in the air here in the Borgata Event Center, officially kicking off the 2019 Winter Poker Open! Late registration and re-entry are available until the start of level 13 (about 5:45pm for Flight A). Late arrivals and re-entering players will start with a full 25,000 stack.
Players who bust out of this flight can re-enter this or any subsequent flight until registration closes (Unlimited Re-Entries). Players who don’t bust out and bag chips in any flight can also re-enter any subsequent flight (Best Stack Forward). Any player who manages to bag chips in more than one flight will only take their largest stack into Day 2.
Players continue to arrive and take their seats as early action is underway!
$540+$60 Deep Stack NLH
$2 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
All is quiet here in the Event Center as the final adjustments are made in preparation for the Kick-Off of the 2019 Winter Poker Open! Registration is open out in the Event Center lobby at the top of the escalators and the doors to the tournament room will open shortly.
There are six starting flights in this Kick-Off Event, spread out over three days. Today’s first flight will get underway shortly after 11am once the starting announcements are completed.
The next five flights launch as follows:
1B: Today, 5pm
1C: Wednesday, 11am
1D: Wednesday, 5pm
1E: Thursday, 10am
1F: Thursday, 7pm
All players begin with 25,000 chip Deep Stacks and the first 17 levels are 30 minutes long. The plan is to complete all 17 of those levels on Day 1 before the bag & tag. The survivors of all six starting flights will return on Friday at 12 noon for Day 2, followed by the final day on Saturday, also beginning at 12 noon.