Event 1: $560 $1 Million Guaranteed Deep-Stack NLHE Reentry | 2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

04-12-2014 16:10 UTC-4

Comin' Outta Queensbridge

[user253757]

Level 33 : 120,000/240,000, 30,000 ante

Philip Neiman sported a Detroit Lions jersey during the first day of play, unafraid to represent a team that has never won a championship. Yesterday he donned the duds of Dan Marino, with the jersey featuring the autograph of the best quarterback to never win a Super Bowl.

Today, with his shot at a six-figure score and a championship ready to be seized, Neiman switched things up by wearing the colors and logo of the winningest team in all of professional sports: the New York Yankees.

A proud resident of the New York City borough of Queens, where he plays with a local crew of grinders, Neiman just took control of this final table with one of the more astounding calls we've witnessed in a long while. Here's what went down:

After Neiman opened for 550,000 from early position, Matthew Itkin defended his big blind and the two took a flop of heads up.

Itkin check-called a bet of 600,000 from Neiman, and both players tapped the table on the turn.

When the completed the board on the river, Itkin sprang into action with a bet of 700,000, prompting a breif tank by Neiman. As he counted out the calling chips and stared Itkin down, Neiman said aloud "I just think I'm good here," before suddenly flicking in the call.

"Nice hand," said Itkin as he slid his cards to the dealer. "Good call."

"Write that one down!" bellowed Neiman. "Called him with queen-high!"

Sure enough, Neiman rolled over the for no pair, and before he began a boisterous celebration, he explained that he put Itkin on . In a display of class between two gentleman - something poker sorely needs more of - Itkin later congratulated Neiman on the call and confirmed that his read had been spot on.

For his friends back in Queens, this hand might be the sign that they need a new playing partner.. because if Neiman can make that call on this stage, he is like to own the entire borough when he gets back home.

Player	Chips	Progress
Philip Neiman	11,500,000 2,200,000	2,200,000
Matthew Itkin	1,650,000 -1,700,000	-1,700,000

Tags: Matthew Itkin Philip Neiman

04-12-2014 15:55 UTC-4

Pace Continues to Plummet

[user101598]

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante

Stephanie Hubbard raised to 450,000 from early position, Adam Pace called in middle position, and Kevin Grabel re-raised to 1.3 million out of the small blind. Neither player called the squeeze, and Grabel added to his stack.

A few hands later, Pace raised to 500,000 in early position and Carlos Alvarado defended his big blind. The dealer fanned , Alvarado check-called a bet of 450,000, and the turn was the .

Alvarado moved all in for effectively four million or so, and Pace folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Grabel	13,300,000 900,000	900,000
Carlos Alvarado	9,000,000 3,050,000	3,050,000
Adam Pace	5,500,000 -4,000,000	-4,000,000
Stephanie Hubbard	4,350,000 75,000	75,000

Tags: Adam Pace Kevin Grabel Stephanie Hubbard

04-12-2014 15:49 UTC-4

Grabel Wins Huge Pot With Deuce-Three Offsuit

[user253757]

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante

We missed the early action on this hand due to the crush of railbirds surrounding the final table, but with the final board reading , Kevin Grabel led out for a sizable bet, only to see Adam Pace raise to 1.6 million.

Grabel shot out of his chair at the sight of the big bet, breathing heavily as he grabbed a handful of chips.

"I have trip twos..." he announced suddenly. "I call."

Pace could only grimace and recheck his cards before sliding them to the dealer, while Grabel celebrated with his fellow members of Team Kitten - a local poker crew - who are among the dozen or more people hovering directly over the final table.

"Kittens don't fold..." one of them told this reporter. "Write that down."

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Grabel	12,400,000 3,250,000	3,250,000
Adam Pace	9,500,000 -2,500,000	-2,500,000

Tags: Kevin Grabel Adam Pace

04-12-2014 15:20 UTC-4

Marcus Cohen Eliminated in 11th Place ($13,849)

[user253757]

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante

Philip Neiman opened for 500,000 from the cutoff and Marcus Cohen came along to defend his big blind.

On the flop both players tapped the table and the turn card came .

Cohen then led out for a 500,000 wager of his own, and after pausing briefly and uncapping his cards as if prepared to fold, Neiman appeared to shrug as he made the call.

The river brought the to the table and Cohen quickly moved all in for his last 1.3 million or so, and Neiman beat him into the pot while tabling his for a flopped nut flush.

Cohen was sent home in 11th place for a $13,849 cash, while Neiman - who topped the counts entering today - claimed another scalp while chipping up in a major way.

Player	Chips	Progress
Philip Neiman	7,750,000 2,050,000	2,050,000
Marcus Cohen	Busted

Tags: Marcus Cohen Philip Neiman

04-12-2014 15:11 UTC-4

Yevgeni Rapoport Eliminated in 12th Place ($13,849)

[user101598]

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante

Stephanie Hubbard raised to 450,000 in late position, Yevgeni Rapoport three-bet shoved for 2.25 million on her direct left, and Adam Pace re-shoved, having both parties covered. Hubbard folded .

Rapoport:
Pace:

One of Rapoport's ace outs was already dead, making him a clear underdog, and things got even worse when the flop came . It was all over when the turn produced the , and the completed the board.

Rapoport earns $13,849 for his efforts, while Pace is up to 11 million chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adam Pace	11,000,000 2,800,000	2,800,000
Yevgeni Rapoport	Busted

Tags: Adam Pace Stephanie Hubbard Yevgeni Rapoport

04-12-2014 14:49 UTC-4

Tim Kelliher Eliminated in 13th Place ($9,032)

[user101598]

Level 31 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante

After starting the day with the shortest stack, Tim Kelliher battled back, doubling twice. Unfortunately for the Massachusetts native, he fell short of the final table.

Kelliher open-shoved for 2.24 million from early position, and Philip Neiman re-shoved in the hijack seat. All of the rest of the players folded.

"Good luck," someone told Neiman before the cards were revealed.

"He's the one that needs it," Neiman announced, tabling .

Kelliher showed for an under pair, and his odds to survive decreased when the dealer fanned . The on the turn was all she wrote for Kelliher, and the completed the board.

He's off to collect $9,032 from the cage, and the remaining 12 players are on break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tim Kelliher	Busted

Tags: Philip Neiman Tim Kelliher

04-12-2014 14:25 UTC-4

Kenny Nguyen Eliminated in 14th Place ($9,032)

[user101598]

Level 31 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante

Adam Pace raised to 400,000 in the cutoff seat, Kenny Nguyen moved all in for around two million from the small blind, and Pace, thinking Carlos Alvarado had already surrendered his big blind, called and revealed .

"It's OK," Alvarado chuckled. "I'm folding anyway."

Nguyen shook his head in disgust, and showed .

The aces held as the board came , and Nguyen was eliminated in 14th place, earning $9,032.

"Nothing I can do," Nguyen said after the hand, flashing his very familiar smile.

Pace is now our chip leader with nearly nine million.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adam Pace	8,750,000 2,365,000	2,365,000
Kenny Nguyen	Busted

Tags: Adam Pace Kenny Nguyen

04-12-2014 14:12 UTC-4

Grabel Takes One With Big Slick

[user253757]

Level 31 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante

Kevin Grabel opened to 365,000 from the button, and Yevgeni Rapoport flatted out of the big blind to see flop fall .

Both players tapped the table to see the turn card come . Rapoport then led out for 225,000 and Grabel casually flicked out his calling chips.

On the river Rapoport checked to Grabel, before calling a bet of 525,000. Grabel instantly announced "ace-king" while tabling his , and the pot was shipped his way when Rapoport mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Grabel	4,200,000 1,230,000	1,230,000
Yevgeni Rapoport	3,900,000 -1,000,000	-1,000,000

Tags: Kevin Grabel Yevgeni Rapoport

04-12-2014 13:56 UTC-4

Cohen Doubles Through Mantin

[user253757]

Level 31 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante

With one of the shorter stacks entering this final day of play, British-born Marcus Cohen made his stand from the small blind, shoving all in for his last 1.35 million after Mitchell Mantin opened to 330,000 from the button.

Mantin tanked long and hard while thinking things through, asking Cohen if he wanted a call or a fold.

"I want to double up man..." said Cohen with a smile. "I'm bleeding away here otherwise."

Eventually, after mentioning that he believed Cohen to hold a pair of sevens or something similar, Mantin called the bet and revealed his . Cohen could only muster the to find himself dominated, but in a flash the flop fell to give him top two pair.

With a fist bump to celebrate, Cohen watched as the turn () and river () kept him out in front, and with that he scored the desperately needed double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marcus Cohen	3,300,000 1,375,000	1,375,000
Mitchell Mantin	3,050,000 -1,520,000	-1,520,000

Tags: Marcus Cohen Mitchell Mantin

04-12-2014 13:37 UTC-4

Michael Rea Eliminated in 15th Place ($9,032)

[user253757]

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante

Michael Rea's tournament just came to an end, and shortly after dispatching Sergei Rylkov in 17th place, it was Carlos Alvarado who did the deed.

The flop read when we caught the action, and Rea had checked to Alvarado. The tap of the table prompted a bet of 480,000 from Alvarado, and soon afterward Rea announced himself all in for his last 1,400,000. Alvarado snapped him off and tabled , and when he saw Rea's for a pair and flush draw, he asked the dealer to "keep it clean one time."

The dealer did just that, producing the on the turn and the on the river.