Level: 3
Blinds: 75/150
Ante:
2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open
$3 Million Guaranteed WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open
Buy-in
$3,300
Entries
1,229
Level
39
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
75,000
Tough Table
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
We've taken note of a handful of notables gathered at Table 32. Headlining the lineup are Matt Stout ($2,256,767 in live cashes), Josh Brikis ($1,499,510), and Anthony Zinno ($1,366,820).
Those million-dollar cashers can't sleep on some other names that might not jump out at you, but will certainly provide some stiff resistance to any efforts to accumulate their chips. Natale Kuey final tabled the seniors event and booked a second-place finish here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open, and he sports $173,282 in live cashes. Jason Rosenberg, who has $44,482 in live cashes, has already notched two final tables in the past couple of weeks, both in Pot-Limit Omaha events. He's showcasing his No-Limit Hold'em competence today, as he seems to have found an early groove despite his tough table draw.
This is a table we'll definitely be keeping our eyes on.
| Player | Seat |
|---|---|
| Seat 3 | Natale Kuey |
| Seat 4 | Anthony Zinno |
| Seat 5 | Matt Stout |
| Seat 6 | Jason Rosenberg |
| Seat 8 | Josh Brikis |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
77,000 | |
|
45,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
35,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
27,000
-3,000
|
-3,000 |
|
||
|
22,000 | |
Pay That Man His Money
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
In the last hand before the break, we watched Andrew Kelsall get extreme value from an opponent who tried to trap him on the turn.
Here's what went down. The board read 
by the river and a pot containing more than 10,000 was already waiting to be claimed. Kelsall - who led the counts heading into the Day 2 of the Six-Max event earlier this week - led out with bet of 11,500 and his lone opponent went deep into the tank to figure things out.
With the rest of the table long gone and headed for the break, Kelsall calmly waited for his opponent to make a choice, and when that choice turned out to be a call he tabled 
for a rivered full house. The other player told Kelsall he held 
for Broadway by the turn, but he tried to trap and allowed Kelsall to get there.
For his part, Kelsall let us know he was ready to roll for it all on the turn, what with his two pair and four-flush hand. After getting paid off on the river, Kelsall went into the break riding a newly replenished chip stack, and after finishing in 12th place just days ago, he'll be looking to go even further here in the WPT Main Event Championship.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
48,900
18,900
|
18,900 |
|
||
Break Time
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
The field is heading for the exits for the first 15-minute break of the day.
Stay Golden
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
When we last saw Theodore Goldbergh - or Ted as we came to know him - the Manhattan-based litigator was suffering a brutal bead to end his run the series' first event.
In hindsight, with that event being suspended the following day, and cancelled one day after that, Goldbergh's elimination proved to be a blessing in disguise. Freed from the hassle of dealing with one of the more remarkable bad beats suffered by players like Nick Guagenti and Allard Broedelet - each of whom built big stacks only to fall into limbo with the cancellation - Goldbergh is able to focus fully on taking a shot in today's WPT Main Event Championship.
We covered Goldbergh's history here at the Borgata in a recent entry to our ongoing Local Spotlight series, but after winning the first tournament held in the Borgata's poker room back in 2006, he knows his way around the felt here to be sure.
Goldbergh is currently sitting comfortably with a little more than the starting stack, and we'll let you know if he starts to make a push toward his second Day 2 appearance of the series.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
32,400
32,400
|
32,400 |
"That's What You Get When You Call a Raise With the Eight-Nine Off"
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
Mike Murphy held 
on a board with a jack and two eights, and he got a shorter-stacked opponent all in with 
against his top full house. The player got up as soon as he saw Murphy's hand, and he didn't hit his one-outer.
"I didn't want to tell him he was drawing dead because I had an eight in my hand," Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy said. "That's what you get when you call a raise with the eight-nine off."
Words of wisdom from a legend of the game.
Also, here are some more stacks of late registering notables.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
40,700
40,700
|
40,700 |
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
30,000
12,500
|
12,500 |
|
30,000
4,800
|
4,800 |
|
28,000
28,000
|
28,000 |
Rheem Picks One Off
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
Chino Rheem checked the river with the board reading 
. His opponent bet 6,075, and Rheem thought for a bit before making the call. His opponent pointed at him indicating he had the winner. Rheem simply sat, waiting for his opponent to roll over his hand. The player expressed irritation that Rheem wouldn't show his hand, and he finally showed 
for ace-high. Rheem showed down 
for a rivered pair, and he dragged the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
43,000
43,000
|
43,000 |
|
|
||
Holley Jolly
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
Longtime circuit grinder John Holley just table talked his way through a long tank by fellow Florida Gator Gary Sanders, and while he won the 9,000 already in the pot, Holley seemed to be begging for a call.
The board read 
by the river and Holley fired 3,500 into the middle, forcing one player to fold relatively quickly. Sanders was reluctant to surrender so easily, and he began talking his way through the decision.
"I have a king you know..." Sanders said to Holley, letting him know he had a potential calling hand. "You have a king too maybe... what's your kicker?"
Holley, for his part, did not engage in the usual poker face routine, and rather than stare straight ahead in silence he gabbed it up with the tanking Sanders.
"Might be a four," he told Sanders, insinuating he held trips. "Could be the four..."
"A flush maybe?" Sanders continued. "Hearts out there..."
"Is there are flush out there?" asked Holley, feigning ignorance while craning his neck to study the board. "Ah, there is a flush out there... huh?"
Eventually, Sanders decided to release his hand, showing the to confirm he was not wasting everybody's time.
"If I had ace-king, I call you," he told Holley, who was busy dragging the pot.
"I guess I wish you had ace-king then..." Holley replied, ending the dialogue with a subtle dig to leave Sanders wondering where he really stood all along.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
38,500
8,500
|
8,500 |
More Early Counts
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
Here are some more familiar faces we've picked out in the field.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
33,500
3,500
|
3,500 |
|
31,200
-75
|
-75 |
|
31,000
1,000
|
1,000 |
|
|
||
|
30,000 | |
|
28,500
-1,500
|
-1,500 |
|
27,200
-2,800
|
-2,800 |
|
24,000 | |
Book It
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
Ryan Eriquezzo is not impressed with the play of his tablemates so far, and he is already making bold predictions regarding his ability to run them over. After a recent loss against a man who called his raise with rags, Eriquezzo took to Twitter to announce that he will triple his starting stack (and then some) by then end of play today.
With more than $1.2 million in live tournament earnings to his credit, Eriquezzo is certainly capable of backing up his boast, so we'll be sure to let you know when he builds that six-figure chip stack.
Guys flatting my utg opens w 2 4 off because "I have been raising almost every hand". #alreadyoime #borgata should bag 100k todayFollow @RyanEriquezzo