Event 9: Payouts
Prize pool info has gone official, and 134 entrants created a prize pool of $33,795.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $10,138 |
| 2 | $5,576 |
| 3 | $3,211 |
| 4 | $2,704 |
| 5 | $2,028 |
| 6 | $1,690 |
| 7 | $1,352 |
| 8 | $1,014 |
| 9 | $760 |
| 10-12 | $676 |
| 13-15 | $591 |
| 16-18 | $507 |
2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open
Borgata Winter Poker Open Side Events
Day: 6
Event 7: Payouts
A total of 271 players entered the $340 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em, and this is the prize pool they'll be battling for:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $22,080 |
| 2 | $13,080 |
| 3 | $7,492 |
| 4 | $6,072 |
| 5 | $4,732 |
| 6 | $3,943 |
| 7 | $3,154 |
| 8 | $2,366 |
| 9 | $1,577 |
| 10-12 | $1,025 |
| 13-15 | $867 |
| 16-18 | $789 |
| 19-27 | $710 |
Event 9: There's Always One Bad Apple in the Bunch
The concept of restricted tournaments open only to certain groups of people has always been controversial in the poker world, but Seniors and Ladies events have become increasingly accepted as a tremendous outlet for recreational players to enjoy the game.
Of course, the modern American concept of enforced equality means that these tournaments are not truly exclusive, as casinos must allow men to compete against the ladies for fear of discrimination-based litigation.
With that in mind, spotting a man among the masses of women playing in Event 9 ($300 Ladies Deep Stack No-Limit Hold'em) was not much of a surprise, but the sight is still a bit jarring to say the least.
Today, there is one outlier in the crowd, clad in a blue hooded sweatshirt as he tries to conceal the fact that he does not really belong. When asked for his name, the young man appeared agitated and shooed us away without divulging his identity, but that's to be expected. After all, crashing an invitation-only event is the ultimate party foul.
Event 6: David Arsht Wins $500 H.O.R.S.E. ($14,796)
David Arsht outlasted a field of 113 to take down the $500 H.O.R.S.E. tournament here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open and win a $14,796 prize. Arsht, who has a World Series of Poker bracelet on his resume from a limit hold'em event in 2012, sat down and answered a few questions for PokerNews.
So, how did the final table go for you?
"I got lucky in hold'em and made a few big hands. People started putting each other, and I just sat back and watched. All of a sudden, I had all of the chips."
Talk a little about your poker history.
"I'm a recreational player. I won a bracelet in 2012 in $1,500 Limit Hold'em."
How would you rank your ability to play the games?
"Hold'em's my best game. I also play OE (Omaha Eight-or-Better and Stud Eight-or-Better mix) twice a week. I played stud as a kid. There's really no Razz any more."
Is Razz your worst game then?
"Yes. I play Razz conservatively. It's also the game I enjoy the least."
Plans for the rest of the tournament?
"I'll play the Omaha Eight-or-Better."
A Look at the Ladies Event
Here are a few shots and scenes from the floor of today's Borgata Winter Poker Open Ladies Event.
Event 9: Ladies No Good... in This Hand Anyway
Leanne Rosenblatt found a pair on the 
flop with her 
, and with no big cards in sight, the hand looked to be worth playing.
After a series of bets and raises, the chips got their way into middle, but Rosenblatt discovered that her opponent had her beat with 
.
When the 
arrived on the turn, Rosenblatt's chances seemed bleak indeed, but when the dealer dropped the 
on the river, her hand had materialized into winner. As is the custom in the Borgata's ladies events, Rosenblatt's tablemates offered her sincere congratulations for finding a way to stick around, and she now sits with around 17,000 chips midway through the day.
Event 9: It's Ladies Night, and the Feeling's Right
For more than a 100 women who turned out to play Event 9 of the Borgata Winter Poker Open, today's tournament is their Main Event.
While events with bigger buy-ins and large prize pools are being played right now, featuring tables of grim-faced men silently trying to stack one another, the atmosphere in the $300 Ladies Deep Stack No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry event is decidedly different.
Players are laughing, joking, swapping stories and getting to know one another, all while enjoying a great game of cards. As Alyson Parker, one of the more experienced women competing here today, let us know, "this is the only game in town where somebody can put a bad beat on you, apologize for it... and actually mean it."
The spirit of camaraderie and kinship is palpable during a walk through the room, with pots being contested without malice or mistreatment. For a grizzled veteran of the tournament scene, the scene is refreshing indeed, showing that poker doesn't have to be a painful experience to endure.
As Parker puts it, "Ladies events are so important for poker because this is the biggest demographic out there with new players interested in learning the game."
She continued by telling PokerNews that most women breaking into poker are naturally intimidated by the prospect of playing with seven or eight young men, who in their minds, consider the table be their domain. Having a tournament for ladies only creates an inviting feeling, allowing women to play the game without the added pressure applied by today's current generation of stone-faced, headphone-clad young male players.
While today's turnout was a bit below the Borgata's lofty standards, the hope is that positive word of mouth and proactive coverage of such an exciting, accessible event will help spread the good word.
Event 9: "I've Got Heart"
Megan Milburn fired 4,600 on a 
board out of the big blind. The player in the cutoff raised to 10,000, and Milburn counted out her stack before pushing all in for about 30,000. Her opponent folded without much deliberation, and Milburn turned over .
"I've got heart," she said. She also has about 54,000 in chips.
Event 6: Counts and Situation
| Player | Stack |
|---|---|
| Shawn Ryan | 220,000 |
| Laurence Wolf | 400,000 |
| David Arsht | 1,600,000 |
Players are competing three-handed, though Arsht has a majority of chips in play. Bets are currently at 40,000-80,000, so things could change fast.
Event 6: Four Players Remain
Laurence Wolf, Shawn Ryan, David Arsht and Daniel Barrett are the final four players in Event 6: ($500 H.O.R.S.E.).
