Event 2
End of Level 8
Blinds 300 / 600 / 75 Ante
Total Players: 641
Players on Event 2 are starting their dinner break and will be off until 9 p.m. Meanwhile, Event 1 players are getting close to the end of their dinner, and will be back at 8:20.
It’s been an exciting first few days of the Borgata Winter Poker Open, with three titles already being awarded.
The first was on Thursday, when David Thurston (Fort Wayne, IN) won his first non-Hold’em event of his career, taking down the Event 3 Omaha H/L event for just under $15,000.
Next up was the $2,000,000 GTD Event 1, which was “live streamed” yesterday and saw David Hom (Brooklyn, NY) make the biggest tournament score of his life and take home just under $340,000 for the victory.
The third and final trophy awarded so far, was for the Event 2 $100 Black Chip Bounty, which was won by Thai Ha (Factoryville, PA), taking home $43,359.
The complete results from all three completed events can be found by clicking the above links.
Level 29 (Blinds 40,000/80,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 513
Players Remaining: 1
Thai Ha (Factoryville, PA) Event 2 Winner ($43,359)
During the dinner break for Event 2, Thai Ha (Factoryville, PA) was lamenting over his position in the tournament, returning to just ten big blinds with two tables remaining. Only a few hours later, it was Ha who would be lifting the Event 2 trophy, finally adding a “first place” on his tournament resume. Poker players talk about the ebb and flows of the tournament grind, and the “runs” that people go on. Ha is coming off what was a career highlighting score, reaching the final table of the $500 Sands Deep Stack Extravaganza (4th Place – $14,561). Only one week later, he is back at another final table, this time getting his hand on the ever elusive Borgata Poker Trophy. Here is a breakdown of the final table finishes, including the prize money that each player took home:
- Thai Ha (Factoryville, PA) $43,359
- Richard Bocola (Syracuse, NY) $24,382
- Gary Kosakowski (Newark, NJ) $15,675
- Eric Greenwood (Virginia Beach, VA) $12,453
- Armando Then (New York, NY) $9,753
- George Karmires (Washington D.C.) $8,012
- Christopher Kusha (Staten Island, NY) $6,357
- Donald Himpele (Mahwah, NJ) $4,964
- Christopher Baublitz (York, PA) $3,483
- Denis Lawlor (Yonkers, NY) $2,264
Level 29 (Blinds 40,000/80,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 513
Players Remaining: 6
Of the stacks that were remaining at the final table, Christopher Kusha (Staten Island, NY) was one of the shortest. When action folded around to him on the button, he thought it best to shove and try to get through the blinds. Picking up those blinds and antes would be crucial at a point like this, but he was called by Richard Bocola, and his Tweet sums it all up for his followers:
Shoved Q6 on the button into A8, out in 7th. Thanks to my friends for the sweat.
— Chris Kusha (@TooBusyWINNING) January 17, 2015
Kusha earns himself $6,357 for the finish, the second largest career cash behind his final table finish in a $170 No Limit Hold’em event during the 2011 Borgata Summer Poker Open (4th Place – $8,264).
Level 29 (Blinds 40,000/80,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 513
Players Remaining: 7
We say goodbye to Donald Himpele Jr in 8th place. Donald shoved all in from under the gun +1 for his last 615,000 and was called by Eric Greenwood in the big blind.
Greenwood: {4s}{4h}
Donald Himpele Jr: {Qc}{10c}
The board ran out {6h}{7c}{5s}{Kh}{5d} and Greenwood’s fours would hold to send Donald to the rail in 8th place.
Donald will take home $4,964 for his deep run here in Event 2.
Level 28 (Blinds 30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 513
Players Remaining: 9
Baublitz watches on as his Aces go down in flames.
It was a roller coaster of a day for Chris Baublitz. After coming into the day in the middle of the pack and chipping up early, Baublitz has been eliminated in the worst way possible.
Baublitz found the last 600,000 of his chips in the middle with {As}{Ah} against the {Kd}{Kh} of Richard Bocola. The dealer wasted no time in putting the {Kc} in the window and the rest of the board would run out without an {Ax}.
Baublitz will take home $3,483 for his deep run here in Event 2.
Level 28 (Blinds 30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 513
Players Remaining: 9
Pocket sevens seemed to be the demise of Mr. Anonymous at the final table. Moments after being crippled when his {7d}{7c} lost an all in pre-flop flip against the {Ac}{Kc} of Gary Kosakowski, Anonymous was left with only 50,000 behind. He put himself all in blind but was actually in decent shape with {Qc}{Jd} but would again lose a flip, this time to Chris Baublitz’s {7d}{7h}.
Anonymous will take home $2,264 for his 9th place finish, while the rest of the players are now guaranteed $3,483.
Level 28 (Blinds 30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 513
Players Remaining: 10
We are down to our final table of 10 here in Event 2. Here is a look at how the players stack up.
1. George Karmires – 600,000
2. Gary Kosakowski – 1,020,000
3. Donald Himpele Jr – 600,000
4. Chris Kushi – 800,000
5. Thai Ha – 1,600,000
6. Mr. Anonymous – 1,700,000
7. Richard Bocola – 2,600,000
8. Chris Baublitz – 800,000
9. Armando Then – 1,500,000
10. Eric Greenwood – 800,000
Here is a look at what they are playing for:
1.$43,359
2. $24,382
3. $15,675
4. $12,453
5. $9,753
6. $8,012
7. $6,357
8. $4,964
9. $3,483
10. $2,264
The scene in the Event Center.
Both Event 2 (Day 2) and Event 4 (Day 1) are now on their 1 hour dinner break.
Level 23 (Blinds 10,000/20,000/3,00)
Total Entries: 513
Players Remaining: 17
Chip Average: 754,400
Eric Greenwood (Virginia Beach, VA)
Eric Greenwood is FIRED up! We caught up to a lot of commotion over around table 2 when Eric Greenwood jumped out of his seat and screamed “Yeah Baby!”
Greenwood had {6d}{6c} sitting in front of him on a {3h}{6h}{10h}{Jd}{10s} board and the dealer was counting down his 860,000 stack. His opponent was holding {Kc}{Ks} and quickly tossed his cards into the muck as Greenwood did a full lap around the table trying to contain his excitement.
A fellow table mate reached out to Greenwood for a fist pound, but would instantly regret it as Greenwood was a little too excited and may have returned the fist pound with a little too much power.
“Ouch man! That wasn’t fun! I’m never congratulating you again” the player joked.
Greenwood is up to 1,900,000 and appears to be the chip leader at this point.
Players are also now back from their 15 minute break so play will be resuming shortly in level 24.