Event 8: $450 Big-Stack PLO Reentry
Day 1 Completed
2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open
Event 8: $450 Big-Stack PLO Reentry
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open
Buy-in
$400
Prize Pool
$36,084
Entries
93
Level
21
Blinds
10,000 / 20,000
Ante
0
Emad Alabsi Wins Event 8: $450 Big Stack PLO Reentry ($12,629)
![[user253757]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 21
: 10,000/20,000, 0 ante
Emad Alabsi is a local legend of sorts, racking up more than $1 million in live earnings since 2003 while recording more than a dozen cashes at Borgata Open events. He's also on a heater, having just taken top honors at the Park Casino Big Stax V $1,600 event for a $164,469 score in March - by far the biggest of his poker career.
Proving that momentum is paramount in the game of poker, Alabsi turned the trick yet again, winning Event 8 of the Borgata Spring Poker Open for a $12,629 haul (a chop was arranged prior to heads-up play, with Alabsi pocketing $9,000 before taking down the remainder and the trophy). What's more, Alabsi was playing in the first Pot-Limit Omaha tournament of his life.
With his good friend James Woods - who actually served as best man at Alabsi's wedding - standing by to sweat and offer support, he claimed the last chip on the table to add yet another feather to his cap. Alabsi bested a field of 93 runners to emerge as champion, and while winning a tournament does not necessarily connote a skillful performance, outlasting several of poker's premier players on the way to victory certainly does.
World Series of Poker bracelet winners Allen Cunningham, Chris Reslock and Greg Ostrander were all among the the combatants here today, but when it was all said and done Alabsi's name was the one to remember. Despite entering the day at a clear disadvantage in terms of PLO experience, Alabsi stormed to the final table holding a wide chip lead with about 33 percent of the chips in play when the bubble burst. From there, he played a patient game and withstood the swings associated with PLO, never losing his composure despite dropping back to the pack many times during the final table. What's more, Alabsi did not notch single elimination during final table play, simply collecting the pots due to him without engaging in unnecessary clashes.
In the end, it was Alabsi and Konstantin Shoulav who waged a heads up war, and even though the pair arranged for a chop, the duel for the title and the trophy was heated indeed. Alabsi and Shoulav entered heads-up play with nearly even chip counts, but after Woods sat down behind Alabsi to sweat his pal, destiny seemed to be in his corner as well. Eventually, after about an hour whittling away at Shoulav, the end came when Alabsi crippled his opponent by flopping the nuts.
With an above average chip stack already bagged and tagged in Event 7 ($2,700 Spring Poker Open Championship), Alabsi headed off to get some much needed rest, knowing that if his heater continues tomorrow he very well could add another entry to an already impressive résumé on the felt.
Konstantin Shaulov Eliminated in 2nd Place ($6,856*)
Level 21
: 10,000/20,000, 0 ante
Emad Alabsi crippled his mysterious opponent - who we now know to be Konstantin Shaulov thanks to his payout paperwork - after a lengthy heads up duel.
The money went in on the flop, with each player risking about 600,000 in chips after the dealer fanned the 
.
Alabsi tabled his 
for a flopped full house, and Shaulov was drawing dead with his 
. The turn and river were meaningless and Shaulov was left with just a big blind or two to work with. He doubled up once after that, but the end came when Alabsi flopped a set of kings to take down the title and the trophy.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,395,000 | 655,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Alabsi Lays Down
Level 21
: 10,000/20,000, 0 ante
The board read 
by the turn and 250,000 was in the pot when Rey Mysterio Jr. announced all in. He held about 350,000 at the moment, so his bet was actually for the size of the pot.
Alabsi tanked long and hard, asking if his opponent would show, but eventually he laid his hand down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
740,000 | 115,000 |
|
|
650,000 | -120,000 |
Skirmishing
Level 21
: 10,000/20,000, 0 ante
Emad Alabsi and Mr. Mystery are dueling at the moment, competing for the title, the trophy and an additional $1,800 or so.
A chop has already been arranged and both players are assured of earning at least $9,000 for their deep runs.
Despite the tournament already being all but decided, the expected avalanche of pot-sized raises to finish things off has not materialized, and both appear content to wait for the other to make a mistake.
Friends in High Places
Level 21
: 10,000/20,000, 0 ante
Moments before reaching heads-up play Emad Alabsi called his good friend James Woods, and within a few minutes the Hollywood legend headed down to support his pal.
Woods served as Alabsi's best man when the former tied the knot, as the pair became fast friends after meeting during a poker tournament a few years back.
Level: 21
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 0
Heads Up Chip Counts
Level 20
: 8,000/16,000, 0 ante
The tournament is now on an unscheduled break, as the two remaining combatants discuss the terms of a chop.
From what we gather, each player will take home $9,000 while playing for the remainder.
Stay tuned for a shove-fest followed by a celebration.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
770,000 | 220,000 |
|
|
625,000 | 135,000 |
Danny Chang Eliminated in 3rd Place ($4,330)
Level 20
: 8,000/16,000, 0 ante
After losing a series of small pots in succession, Danny Chang found himself riding a short stack and needing to make a move.
He made that move after Rey Mysterio Jr. opened to 25,000 from the button, as Chang defended his big blind with a three-bet to 80,000.
The unknown soldier flatted the bet and the flop fell 
. Chang then shipped his last 22,000 into the middle and the invisible man beat him into the pot, asking "is two pair good?" as he tabled 
.
"Two pair is very good," offered Chang glumly, turning over his 
for no pair and a gutshot straight draw. Unfortunately for Chang, the turn and river bricked off and he hit the rail with a 3rd place finish, good for $4,330.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
550,000 | 10,000 |
|
Busted |
Current Chip Counts
Level 20
: 8,000/16,000, 0 ante
Names and their numbers...
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
540,000 | 320,000 |
|
|
490,000 | -20,000 |
|
|
250,000 |