Event 7
We just got you caught up to date with all the Saturday action of the Winter Poker Open and if you can believe it, there was even more going on in the Event Center on Sunday, as four tournaments crowned champions, with some familiar faces picking up WPO hardware when it was all said and done.
An unfamiliar face to the Borgata scene was Germany’s Daniele Nestola who took down his first major poker title in the United States since 2011, when he took down the Event 7 PLO/NLH Six Max event. Nestola, who is on vacation in the US, chipped up early in the Day 2 session and eventually ground down the remaining players en route to the title and the $16,500 for first.
Next on the results docket are the Ladies and Seniors Events, which both followed a one-day format and played to a champion last night.
Sharon Nachamkin (Cold Spring, NY) took down her first Borgata title and her second overall, she has WSOP Circuit victory from the summer of 2014, as she steamrolled the Final Table knocking out more than half of the remaining ladies to claim the Event 8 Ladies Tournament title and the $8,000 she would make for her victory.
Sharon wrapped her event up fairly “early” in the night compared to the Senior’s who didn’t finish play until early this morning, with Barry Leventhal (Brooklyn, NY) claiming his first ever Borgata title, after making multiple Borgata Final Tables over the last few years. The victory would also move Leventhal over the $300,000 mark in terms of career live earnings, as he’d make just under $20,000 for his Event 9 Seniors Tournament victory.
Lastly, it was Phong “VIP” Nguyen (Bristow, VA) winning his first BPO title and his second Borgata title in as as many months, as he won his first during the Bar Poker Open held at the end of 2014. The Event 10 Shoot Out structure was a little different from what “VIP” and the other players were regularly used to, but in the end, poker is poker and Nguyen would defeat Cliff Goldkind heads up for the title and the $9,000 for first.
There will be no trophies awarded here today, as we will only be playing Day 1A and 1B of the $200,000 GTD Event 11, but the trophies will come back out on Tuesday, as more WPO champions will be crowned.
For a complete list of results from the respective events, click the links above and for a complete recap of the action from each event, click the categorical tabs under the title.
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 2,200,000
Daniele Nestola (Duisbarg, GER) – Winter Poker Open Event 7 Champion
Another country, another championship as Daniele Nestola (Duisbarg, Germany) added to his already world wide poker resume, taking down the Event 7 PLO/NLH Six Max tournament here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open.
With outright tournament victories in Belgium, Croatia, Brazil, Spain and the Bahamas already in his trophy case, he adds another, his second in the United States, after winning a 2012 Mixed Max event at the Caesars Palace Mega Stacks series in Las Vegas.
Nestola is on a two week long vacation in the US and figured he would spend a week playing and grinding at the Borgata and then spend a week in New York City.
It turned out to be a good first trip to Atlantic City for the German player, as he won a WPO event for a five figure score and was more than impressed with the constant flow of cash game action and the luxury of the Borgata.
Much like the runner up in this event, Ryan Smith, this tournament score doesn’t bring any life changing money, as Nestola already has $360,000 in tournament earnings to his name, but it does mark his first tournament score since the WSOP last summer and starts his 2015 off on the right foot.
The self proclaimed “PLO fish”, although from what we saw he was far from that, came into Day 2 with a top five stack and when the action was picked up eight handed, he had close to 700,000 chips in front of him and just continued to peak over the next few levels, rarely losing a pot of any significance.
On a day where we are awarding four WPO trophies, Daniele Nestola will take home the first, which we imagine will be the most memorable and exciting moment of his East Coast vacation.
Live updates will continue from the remaining events throughout the night up and until the dinner breaks which will be coming around 7 PM tonight.
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 2,200,000
Ryan Smith (Saskatoon, CAN)
The chip counts were fairly even going into heads-up play and this “international” battle for the Event 7 Championship could have lasted a lot longer if it was not for one big hand going Daniele Nestola’s way.
But, Ryan Smith (Saskatoon, Canada) could not complain, as he had an up and down day, as he came into the Day 2 session with the third biggest stack and was left with just over 1 big blind when play was ten handed.
He managed to get back to a workable stack and then was dealt pocket aces in two massive spots to eliminate Daniel Horan, which basically started his comeback towards this PLO/NLH title.
This would be Smith’s first rated cash of 2015 and the first of the tournament professionals career at the Borgata.
With over $530,000 in live tournament earnings to his name, this $10,000 score won’t be life changing, but it should set Smith up for a good rest of the Winter Poker Open, making him a player to watch over the rest of the series heading into the WPT Championship a week from today.
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 2
Chip Average: 1,100,000
Yuebin Guo (Brooklyn, NY)
After a few NLH hands with zero action, the first PLO hand of the level saw Yuebin Guo get it in good on the flop, only to be outdrawn on the river by Ryan Smith.
The action was picked up with Smith opening the button to 32,000.
Daniele Nestola would call in the small blind and Guo would then put in a pot sized bet of 128,000 from the big blind.
Both Smith and Nestola would make the call, leaving Guo with less than a pot sized bet behind him.
The {5s}{Jc}{2s} would come on the flop and Nestola would check to Guo, who would shove his remaining 150,000 into the pot.
Smith would place a handful of tan 5,000 value chips over the betting line, indicating a call and Nestola would quickly fold.
Guo held the best of it, {Ks}{Kc}{7d}{5c}, while Smith was drawing to get to heads up play, holding {5d}{3h}{7h}{4c}.
The turn brought the {Jh} and a shake of the head from Smith, who was visibly upset with his situation.
But, it would be Guo finishing the hand with side to side head shake, as the {Ah} came on the river, giving Smith a winning straight.
Guo would chuckle and wish the remaining two players luck, as the mix game specialist would make just over $7,500 for his podium finish here in Event 7 of the Winter Poker Open.
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 600,000
Hayden Glassman (Rochester, NY)
The next short stack at the table didn’t last long, as Hayden Glassman (Rochester, NY) was all-in and at risk in a blind versus blind encounter with chip leader Daniele Nestola.
The action was picked up with the table folding to Glassman in the small blind and he’d move all-in for just under 190,000.
Nestola would snap call and stand from his chair to tell his friend on the rail that he was flipping.
“How do you always do it?” Glassman asked, as his {As}{Jh} is like gold in the small blind with his chip count.
Nestola might be calling a wide range there though, as Gassman’s chip stack only represented close to 20% of Nestola’s total count, but either way, Glassman was unlucky to see himself in a 50/50 situation.
His equity decreased on the {4d}{9c}{Qs} flop and he’d need to find something on the last two cards to save his tournament life.
He wouldn’t as the turn and river would brick out and Nestola would increase his chip lead on this Final Table, knocking Glassman out in 4th place, for just over $5,600.
This is Glassman’s third biggest score of his career, as his last rated cash was his biggest, a $31,000 2nd place result in the Turning Stone March Madness Main event from last year.
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 4
Chip Average: 600,000
Oliver Entine (New York, NY)
We just mentioned how well Oliver Entine (New York, NY) has played a short stack at this Final Table, as well as predict him being one double up away from being in contention to take down this title.
That “prediction” would never have a chance to gain much ground, as Oliver was eliminated on one of the first hands back from break when he moved all-in from the button with 135,000 and would get called by Ryan Smith in the big blind after the bigger stacked player got an accurate count from the dealer.
Oliver would need to improve to stay alive as his {Qc}{9d} was up against Smith’s {Ah}{4s}.
Oliver would be in even bigger trouble after the {Ah}{6d}{7c} flop, but would pick up a gut shot draw with the {10s} turn.
The {9d} would meaninglessly pair him up and he’d be sent to the rail in 5th place, making just over $4,000.
This was tenth Final Table of his career, as he’s notched a podium finish in a 2011 Fall Poker Open PLO event as well as two runner up finishes on the WSOP Circuit from that same year.
This score will move him up and over the $70,000 mark in terms of career live earnings, while the hand that eliminated him will move Ryan Smith up close to the 800,000 chip mark.
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 450,000
The final five players in Event 7 are on another break and we’ve seen a little bit of a stall in the action over the last level.
Oliver Entine is still sitting with the shortest stack at the table, but he’s played nearly flawlessly over the last two levels and has been able to chip up every so often to stay afloat and might be one double up away from being a contender for this PLO/NLH title.
The updated chip counts are listed below:
- Daniele Nestola – 970,000
- Oliver Entine – 150,000
- Yuebin Guo – 275,000
- Ryan Smith – 670,000
- Hayden Glassman – 2000,000
Players will return in 15 minutes to Level 22.
Level 21 (6,000/12,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 450,000
Ryan Smith has had an up and down Day 2, but now sits with the second biggest stack at the Final Table.
Over the last 15 minutes, the table has run through a few different conversation topics, from the German tax system, to the state of Atlantic City, to the softness of the Water Club pillows, including Oliver Entine live commentating the action by reading blog posts aloud to the table.
Two of the quietest players during these few exchanges were Ryan Smith and Yuebin Guo, who just got involved in a massive pot during a recent NLH hand.
The action was picked up with Smith raising from early position and Guo defending from the small blind.
Guo would then lead the {3c}{6s}{6c} flop for 45,000. Smith would just call.
The {8d} came on the turn and Guo would again lead, this time for 120,000.
Smith would again call to see the river.
The {3d} double paired the board and Guo seemingly gave up on his aggression, checking to Smith who quickly checked behind.
Guo would table {Jd}{9c}, while Smith showed {4h}{4s} for a better two pair than the board, as he made tough calls for more than half his stack on two streets to win the pot.
Smith, who came into this Day 2 session with over 300,000 chips and was then quickly cut down, as he “doubled up four people really early”, to just 40,000 chips has now recovered and is sitting with the second biggest stack at the table.
Yuebin Guo is still playing close to the average stack.
Level 21 (6,000/12,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 450,000
George Sopasakis (Brooklyn, NY)
We’ve lost the first player from our “official” Final Table, as George Sopasakis (Brooklyn, NY) and Daniele Nestola got into a pre-flop leveling war that ended with Sopasakis moving all-in and Nestola snap calling with pocket Aces.
The action was picked up with Nestola raising to 25,000 from the cut off and Sopasakis three-betting to 60,000 from the small blind.
The big blind would fold and Nestola would then four-bet to 115,000.
Sopasakis would take inventory of his chips and then announce “all-in” with Nestola flipping his cards over before Sopasakis could even finish his thought.
“I was praying for those words.” Nestola would say, as he had Sopasakis drawing very thin, sheepishly turning over {As}{Qs}.
The hand was locked up on the turn as the board ran out {6c}{10s}{3s}{3h}{3d}.
Sopasakis will make just over $3,000 for his efforts and Daniele Nestola is now playing close to 1,000,000 chips, close to triple the stack of his nearest competitor.
Level 20 (5,000/10,000/1,000)
Total Entries: 113
Players Remaining: 6
Chip Average: 370,000
Dawn Wilno (Hamilton, NJ)
Dawn Wilno (Hamilton, NJ) came back from break with just under 100,000 chips or 10 big blinds and they were all in the middle one the first hand back, when Hayden Glassman raised from the cut off and Dawn moved all-in from the button. Hayden would snap called and table {Kh}{Qs}{Qc}{3h} currently ahead of of Dawn’s {Ah}{Jc}{Jd}{5s}.
Hayden would stay ahead as the board would run out {6h}{9s}{Kc}{10d}{9h}, sending Dawn home just short of the “official” Final Table and increasing his chip stack to near the 500,000 mark.
Dawn, who is a WSOP Circuit Ring winner, will make just over $2,200 for her deep run, the first “mix” event score of her poker career.
We are now six handed and will continue to play down to an Event 7 champion on the “featured” Final Table.