2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Event 1: $560 $1 Million Guaranteed Deep-Stack NLHE Reentry
Day: 3
Event Info

2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Carlos Alvarado
Prize
$127,652
Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Entries
2,482
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
40,000

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

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Yevgeni Rapoport - 12th Place
Yevgeni Rapoport - 12th Place

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 {a-}{k-}.

Rapoport: {a-Clubs}{j-}
Pace: {q-Diamonds}{q-Spades}

One of Rapoport's ace outs was already dead, making him a clear underdog, and things got even worse when the flop came {5-Spades}{j-Spades}{q-Hearts}. It was all over when the turn produced the {8-Diamonds}, and the {9-Spades} completed the board.

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

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

Tags: Adam PaceStephanie HubbardYevgeni Rapoport

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

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Marcus Cohen - 11th Place
Marcus Cohen - 11th Place

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

On the {k-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{3-Clubs} flop both players tapped the table and the turn card came {8-Diamonds}.

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 {2-Hearts} 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 {a-Clubs}{j-Clubs} 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 us
Philip Neiman
7,750,000
2,050,000
2,050,000
Marcus Cohen
Marcus Cohen
Busted

Tags: Marcus CohenPhilip Neiman

Grabel Wins Huge Pot With Deuce-Three Offsuit

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

We missed the early action on this hand due to the crush of railbirds surrounding the final table, but with the final board reading {5-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}, 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 us
Kevin Grabel
12,400,000
3,250,000
3,250,000
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
9,500,000
-2,500,000
-2,500,000

Tags: Kevin GrabelAdam Pace

Pace Continues to Plummet

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Adam Pace (Day 2) is slipping
Adam Pace (Day 2) is slipping

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 {j-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{4-Spades}, Alvarado check-called a bet of 450,000, and the turn was the {7-Spades}.

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

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

Tags: Adam PaceKevin GrabelStephanie Hubbard

Comin' Outta Queensbridge

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

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 {8-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{k-Diamonds} heads up.

Itkin check-called a bet of 600,000 from Neiman, and both players tapped the table on the {3-Diamonds} turn.

When the {7-Clubs} 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 {q-Spades}{j-Diamonds} for no pair, and before he began a boisterous celebration, he explained that he put Itkin on {9-}{10-}. 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 us
Philip Neiman
11,500,000
2,200,000
2,200,000
Matthew Itkin
Matthew Itkin
1,650,000
-1,700,000
-1,700,000

Tags: Matthew ItkinPhilip Neiman

Stephanie Hubbard Eliminated in 10th Place ($13,849)

Level 33 : 120,000/240,000, 30,000 ante
Stephanie Hubbard - 10th Place
Stephanie Hubbard - 10th Place

Stephanie Hubbard raised to 450,000 in the hijack, Adam Pace three-bet to what looked like a million or so out of the big blind, and Hubbard moved all in for about four million. Pace called.

Hubbard: {3-}{3-}
Pace: {j-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}

The jacks held as the board came {8-Spades}{4-Hearts}{5-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}, and Hubbard was left with just 930,000 chips.

About an orbit later she open-shoved her last few big blinds, and Phil Neiman called in the cutoff. When the players on the button and in the blinds folded Hubbard quickly showed {a-Hearts}{7-Hearts}, but Neiman was still collecting chips to make the call.

"Show your hand," Hubbard requested.

"I will," Neiman shot back before slowly revealing {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}.

Neiman made Broadway as the board ran out {10-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}, and Hubbard was eliminated.

Player Chips Progress
Philip Neiman us
Philip Neiman
11,000,000
-500,000
-500,000
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
8,200,000
2,700,000
2,700,000
Stephanie Hubbard us
Stephanie Hubbard
Busted

Tags: Adam PacePhilip NeimanStephanie Hubbard

Mikhail Mironenko Eliminated in 9th Place ($21,074)

Level 33 : 120,000/240,000, 30,000 ante
Mikhail Mironenko - 9th Place
Mikhail Mironenko - 9th Place

Adam Pace opened for 600,000 from under the gun and when the action folded around to Mikhail Mironenko in the cutoff, he three-bet jammed for his last 2 million or so.

Pace liked the look of his {8-Spades}{8-Diamonds} enough to make the call, and he found himself in a great spot when Mironenko tabled the {A-Spades}{5-Diamonds}.

The final board ran out {k-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{9-Diamonds} and with that Mironenko's deep run came to an end with a 9th place finish. Pace, meanwhile, moved to nearly 12 million in chips to give himself the the second largest stack at the final table.

Player Chips Progress
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
11,500,000
3,300,000
3,300,000
Mikhail Mironenko
Mikhail Mironenko
Busted

Tags: Adam PaceMikhail Mironenko

Mantin Doubles

Level 34 : 150,000/300,000, 40,000 ante
Mitchell Mantin
Mitchell Mantin

One the second deal back from the recent break, a short-stacked Mitchell Mantin made his stand with a three-bet shove for 2.17 million from the big blind.

Chip leader Kevin Grabel had tried to steal from the cutoff with a 640,000 wager, and when he calculated the amount left to call in comparison with the pot, he elected to make the call with just {6-Hearts}{9-Spades}.

Mantin rolled over {A-Spades}{k-Diamonds} but rather than racing a pair or dominating a weaker ace, he was actually fading two live cards that could easily combine with many possible boards.

The flop came down {5-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{j-Hearts} to add a gutshot straight draw to Grabel's arsenal of outs, but the turn ({10-Diamonds}) and river ({2-Diamonds}) bricked off to send the pot Mantin way.

Player Chips Progress
Kevin Grabel us
Kevin Grabel
10,400,000
-2,300,000
-2,300,000
Mitchell Mantin us
Mitchell Mantin
5,000,000
3,760,000
3,760,000

Tags: Kevin GrabelMitchell Mantin

Alvarado's Failed Bluff

Level 34 : 150,000/300,000, 40,000 ante
Carlos Alvarado loses a big chunk of his stack
Carlos Alvarado loses a big chunk of his stack

Carlos Alvarado raised to 625,000 from the cutoff, Adam Pace called out of the big blind, and then led out for 350,000 on a flop of {q-Hearts}{6-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}. Alvarado called.

The turn was the suicide king ({k-Hearts}), and Pace led out again, again for 350,000. Alvarado clicked it to 700,000, Pace called, and the {10-Spades} completed the board.

Pace led out for a third and final time, firing 1.2 million, and Alvarado reached for white T100,000 chips. He assembled a tower, pushing forward a raise of what looked like 2.8 million, and Pace announced a call, showing {q-Diamonds}{8-Spades} for a pair of queens.

Alvarado mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
16,000,000
4,400,000
4,400,000
Carlos Alvarado us
Carlos Alvarado
6,500,000
-5,200,000
-5,200,000

Tags: Adam PaceCarlos Alvarado

Matthew Itkin Eliminated in 8th Place ($28,902)

Level 34 : 150,000/300,000, 40,000 ante
Matthew itkin - 8th Place
Matthew itkin - 8th Place

Matthew Itkin only had about 10 ten big blinds returning from the recent break. Although he fought valiantly to run that short-stack up, his run came to an abrupt end over the course of two consecutive hands a few moments ago.

First, Itkin and Adam Pace saw a flop of {5-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{k-Clubs} and checked it down, doing the same on the {9-Hearts} turn.

When the {7-Clubs} peeled off on the river Itkin led out for a bet of 700,000. Pace called the bet and Itkin confidently announced "straight," only to hear Pace respond with "so do I."

That spelled bad news for Itkin, as his {6-Hearts}{6-Diamonds} was not good enough to best Pace and his {j-Hearts}{10-Hearts}. Left with just a big blind or two after the loss, Itkin open-shoved on the next hand with {a-Hearts}{7-Hearts}, running right into the {a-Clubs}{k-Diamonds} held by Zbigniew Fido.

The final board of {10-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}{8-Diamonds} brought a bit of sweat headed to fifth street, but the wrong red card came down on the river. Itkin exited in 8th place for a $28,902 score.

Player Chips Progress
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
12,500,000
-3,500,000
-3,500,000
Zbigniew Fido us
Zbigniew Fido
6,400,000
1,000,000
1,000,000
Matthew Itkin
Matthew Itkin
Busted

Tags: Adam PaceMatthew ItkinZbigniew Fido