Event 1: $560 $1 Million Guaranteed Deep-Stack NLHE Reentry Day 2 | 2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

04-11-2014 11:47 UTC-4

Day 2 Set to Start, Sprint to the Finish Line Begins

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Tommy Martone is the overall chip leader heading into Day 2

After four starting flights were held over three days and nights, a total of 2,482 entries and reentries were recorded in this $560 buy-in, $1 million guaranteed No-Limit Hold'em Tournament. Kicking off the Borgata Spring Poker Open in style, the event attracted more than enough players to meet the guarantee, and judging by the overall turnout here any concerns over last January's chip counterfeiting scandal have been alleviated. This feat is attributed widely to the strict new security measures put in place by respected Tournament Director Tab Duchateau and his dedicated staff, measures which are cutting edge in terms of protecting the integrity of the game.

Heading into today's crucial Day 2 - where the 529 remaining runners will play without the benefit of reentries - Tommy Martone holds the biggest stack in play with 366,500. He has several players nipping at his heels though, including Kevin Grabel (353,500), Kirkor Tekneci (333,000), Matt O'Flynn (315,500), and Tuan Vuong (311,000).

Among the notable names, local legends and touring pros to bag a stack after their starting flight were Darren Elias (199,000), Scott Baumstein (124,500), Anna Khait (105,500), Greg Ostrander (95,000), Ted Goldbergh (91,000) and Anthony Maio (80,500).

The names who tried and tried again, ultimately falling short of their goal, include Micah Raskin (who managed to fire at least a dozen bullets without hitting his mark), Cecilia Doyle, Daniel Buzgon, John D'Agostino, Steve Dannenmann, Russell Crane, Jamie Kerstetter, Timothy Little, Joseph Stiers and 88 year old Dr. Stanley Graham.

With Day 2 set to start at 12 noon local time, be sure to keep it here throughout the day as the remaining 529 runners attempt to build on their momentum and make a deep run in search of that elusive six-figure score.

Tags: Anna Khait Jonathan Little Cecilia Doyle Daniel Buzgon Darren Elias Greg Ostrander John D'Agostino Joseph Stiers Kevin Grabel Micah Raskin Russell Crane Scott Baumstein Stanley Graham Steve Dannenmann Tab Duchateau Ted Goldbergh Timothy Little Tommy Martone

04-11-2014 12:57 UTC-4

Bicycle Kick

[user253757]

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimović is known around the world for his exploits on the football pitch (soccer to us Americans), but today his cousin Ibra is making his presence known on the felt.

After entering the day with right around 250,000 in chips, Ibrahimović has surged to the top of the counts in fortuitous fashion.

According to Ibrahimović and his tablemates, three players - including the soccer star's older cousin - took a flop of which featured two clubs. Ibrahimović led out on the flop and another player shoved all in for just a little more than that bet, leaving Ibrahimović committed to the call.

When he flipped up with one club in hand, he appeared to have a strong holding, but the all-in player rolled over for a flopped set of fives. Barring a miraculous runner-runner win, Ibrahimović was looking at loser, but sure enough two clubs peeled off on the turn and river to give him the winning flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ibra Ibraimovic	428,000 172,500	172,500

Tags: Ibra Ibrahimovic

04-11-2014 13:05 UTC-4

The Killing Fields

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Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 500 ante

A total of 529 runners made their way to the Borgata Poker Room with high hopes for this Day 2, but during the first level the field has been culled in merciless fashion.

Nearly 60 players were sent to the rail during the first 40 minutes of play, meaning more than one bustout per minute occurred to start the day.

One of those casualties was Allard Broedelet, who you may remember as the chip leader from the suspended Event 1 from January's Winter Poker Open.

According to the always gregarious Broedelet, he found in the hole and played the premium pair to perfection, opening to 13,000 from the button and disguising his cowboys as a mere blind steal. The big blind defended against the theft with the lowly , finding top pair on the flop.

Broedelet responded to the big blind's tap of the table with an 18,000 c-bet, and when his opponent shoved all-in over the top, the Dutchman committed his last 40,000 or so with his overpair to the board.

When a paired the board on the turn Broedelet's positioned was strengthened, as his opponent could not make two pair to win the hand.

River:

As Broedelet knows all to well from his previous experience in the aforementioned suspended tournament, poker can be a cruel game. And the river confirmed as much, delivering his opponent's miracle three-outer and knocking Broedelet out in the process. He appeared in good spirits despite the beat though, and expressed his intention to play in Event 2 over in the Signature Room.

Tags: Allard Broedelet

04-11-2014 13:30 UTC-4

Cash Money Millionaries

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Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 500 ante

The Stakes Are High Here at the Borgata Spring Poker Open

Payout information for Event 1 is now scrolling on the tournament clock screens hanging from overhead, so we thought you;d like a look at the top prizes and min-cash amounts. Full payout information will be released in print form shortly, and from there the PokerNews payouts tab will be fully updated.

A total of 200 players will make the money here today, with a min-cash worth $1,264. For the eventual winner of this massive event, a prize of $209,470 is waiting at the end of the rainbow.

The runner-up will take home $136,026, while 3rd place is good for $136,026. Stay tuned for full payout information as soon as we get our hands on the paperwork.

04-11-2014 14:57 UTC-4

Where's Wallace, String?

[user253757]

Level 19 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante

One of the biggest stacks in play at the moment belongs to Pennsylvania grinder Sean Wallace, who currently holds more than 825,000 to work with.

Wallace has more than $100,000 in reported live earnings, including a 1st place score at the 2013 Borgata Winter Poker Open worth $24,381, the young semi-pro will surely be a force to be reckoned with as the bubble approaches.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sean Wallace	830,000 691,000	691,000

Tags: Sean Wallace

04-11-2014 15:38 UTC-4

Huge Stacks on Table 2

[user101598]

Level 20 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante

There are two monster stacks at Table 2 over in the Poker Room; Brett Richey is over a million with 1,300,000 chips, and his next door neighbor Chris Nugent has over 900,000.

There's a potential for real fireworks between these two players during the bubble, so we'll keep an eye out for any big hands.

For now, as we approach the bubble, enjoy this video:

Player	Chips	Progress
Brett Richey	1,300,000 1,010,500	1,010,500
Christopher Nugent	950,000 815,000	815,000

Tags: Brett Richey Christopher Nugent

04-11-2014 16:09 UTC-4

Bubble Update

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Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante

Making the money will take a bit longer after the tournament staff verified 202 players - rather than 201 - remain

In an unusual sight within the world of poker reporting, we just saw the tournament clock showing total players remaining tick upwards instead of signalling the loss of another player.

With hand-for-hand play having been underway for the last hour or so, this development understandably caused confusion among the remaining field, as everybody in the room believed that the next elimination would burst the bubble.

Apparently a dealer handed in a seating card to the staff by mistake, and that led to the count being revised downward to 201, but after a room-wide head count it turns out 202 players remain.

Instead, we will need two more stacks to be absorbed before the last 200 players with chips to play with earn a min-cash.

04-11-2014 16:16 UTC-4

Curious Georgous

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Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante

Demetrios Georgous pondering the all-in wager made by Jane Stanton Hitchcock

Demetrios Georgous brought the field closer to the bubble, as he eliminated a women in 203rd place a few minutes ago.

The action began when Georgous opened for 33,000 from the cutoff, and Jane Stanton Hitchcock three-bet jammed for her last 180,000 or so. With about 400,000 behind, Georgous could afford to make the call, but he tanked for at least 10 minutes while pondering his options.

With every table in the room waiting patiently (and not so patiently in many cases), Georgous sat still as a stone, staring ahead and asking repeatedly for an "accurate" count of the bet.

Eventually, after diving deeper into the tank than any player in recent memory, Georgous looked the Hitchcock up with his , finding himself in a great spot against her .

The final board rolled out to give him the win, while sending Hitch home with an extremely disappointing close call.

Player	Chips	Progress
Demetrios Georgous	589,000 356,000	356,000
Jane Stanton Hitchcock	Busted

Tags: Demetrios Georgous Jane Stanton Hitchcock

04-11-2014 16:35 UTC-4

The Bubble Hath Burst

[user101598]

Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante

Dan Dizenzo at the moment he realized his tournament ended one spot short of the money

After the clock was pushed back from 201 to 202 the short-stacked players were a bit dejected - their road to the money got a bit tougher - but not long after there were two elimination, and we are now in the money.

The first came on Table 17, when a player moved all in with . Hieu Tran looked him up with , and held on a board of . Tran now has around 1.2 million chips.

On the other side of the room, the bubble finally burst with the elimination of Dan Dizenzo. Dizenzo three-bet shoved for around 100,000 or so with , and Adam Foster, the original raiser, called with . Dizenzo needed some help to survive, but found none when the board came .

The room erupted with applause when the staff announced that the bubble was finally over, and the remaining 200 players are all guaranteed a minimum of $1,264.

Nearly an hour bled off of the clock during the bubble, but there will be no time added. There is 20:38 remaining in Level 21.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hieu Tran	1,200,000 916,000	916,000
Adam Foster	500,000 313,000	313,000
Daniel Dizenzo	Busted

Tags: Dan Dizenzo

04-11-2014 17:15 UTC-4

McKeehen and Tryba Bust

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Level 22 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante

Joseph Mckeehen was all in and at risk with preflop against Collin White's . Neither player made a pair, but the ace-high was good enough to send Mckeehen packing.