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

04-09-2014 10:29 UTC-4

Second Verse, Same as the First

[user101598]

Good morning and welcome back to the luxurious Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa for Day 1b of the Borgata Spring Poker Open $560 buy-in $1 Million Guaranteed Reentry event. Day 1a attracted a total of 358 entries - we will let you know how many survivors as soon as the information becomes available - and the number of entrants is likely to grow throughout the week. Thursday is likely to be a crazy day, as both Day 1c and Day 1d will take place.

DJ and professional poker player Tommy Martone amassed the largest stack on Tuesday, ending Day 1a with 366,500 chips. Martone won a massive, four-way, preflop all in holding two nines, making a full house by the turn. He added a few more pots as the day wained, and may return on Friday for Day 2 as the chip leader.

All of the players who were eliminated on Day 1a, including Micah Raskin who busted twice, are allowed to reenter here on Day 1b or try again tomorrow during Day 1c or 1d. Likewise, if a player survived the day but wants to try and bag a larger stack, they are also allowed to reenter.

The cards will be in the air in roughly 30 minutes, and we are scheduled to play 15 30-minute levels with a 15-minute break after every three. There is no dinner break scheduled, but the players will have plenty of time to sit down and enjoy a nice meal at one of Borgata's countless top-class restaurants after the day concludes at roughly 8 p.m.

Be sure to stay tuned for updates directly from the tournament floor right here on PokerNews!

Tags: Tommy Martone

04-09-2014 12:10 UTC-4

A Little Here, a Little There

[user253757]

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante

Local grinder Timothy Little just took his seat to mark his first crack at the Borgata Spring Poker Open.

Little was a fixture at the last series here at the Borgata, playing in more than a dozen events during the Winter Poker Open here in January.

We also covered Little as he made a deep run in the recent HPO Charles Town Regional Championship, where he dueled with World Series of Poker mainstays Chris Moneymaker and Lee Childs.

Player	Chips	Progress
Timothy Little	25,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Chris Moneymaker Lee Childs Timothy Little

04-09-2014 12:19 UTC-4

Spillage

[user253757]

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante

Tournament registration at the Borgata has picked up on Day 1b

Today's second starting flight has already spilled over into the Borgata Poker Room, as the Signature Room where the event is officially being played has been filled to capacity.

With 26 tournament tables in play here in the Signature Room, and roughly a dozen over in the Poker Room, the numbers would suggest that yesterday's turnout of 359 total entries has already been exceeded.

Sure enough, after consulting with the Borgata's respected tournament director Tab Duchateau, the tally has inched over the 360 mark in terms of entry at here in the third level of play.

04-09-2014 13:08 UTC-4

Prepare for Reentry

[user253757]

Level 4 : 150/300, 25 ante

During the early stages of yesterday's Day 1a, we remarked on the presence of local grinders Megan Milburn, Natale Kuey and Michael Marder, each of whom showed up to take a shot at this $1 million guaranteed prize pool.

Today, after misfiring on their first bullet (or bullets), each of these three players is in the house for a second crack at building a stack.

Milburn is no stranger to success here the Borgata, after scoring a runner-up finish in the Ladies event at the recently concluded Spring Poker Open.

Kuey is another runner-up finisher from the Spring Poker Open, after taking home $13,012 in a side event.

Marder is an East Coast grinder who came up cutting his teeth against the region's best players, and helped in paying homage to the recently deceased local legend Mike "Little Man" Sica during the Spring Poker Open.

Tags: Megan Milburn Michael Marder Natale Kuey

04-09-2014 13:11 UTC-4

Borgata Spring Poker Open: Things To Do at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

[user253757]

Level 4 : 150/300, 25 ante

The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City

The 2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open is underway here in Atlantic City, New Jersey, kicking off with a $560 no-limit hold’em reentry event today. Taking place at one of the finest gaming destinations Atlantic City has to offer, the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is a definite crowd pleaser featuring a luxurious spa, a variety of fine-dining restaurants, and a stylish nightlife to help get your mind off the bad beats taken at the poker tables.

There are a number of different dining options available inside the Borgata making it convenient to never require leaving the hotel. Whether you are looking for something quick and easy, or something a bit higher-end, the Borgata has a taste to satisfy and meet your needs.

Bread + Butter is the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon bite serving up sandwiches and gourmet beverages. One perk is the breakfast menu left as an all-day selection, making it a great spot for those late-night craves. The classic grilled cheese is a patron favorite, or you can also try the Portobello and provolone griddled sandwich, both of which — along with most of the menu — are $10 or less and won’t break the bank.

As a man who has revolutionized the culinary industry, Wolfgang Puck has served up bold and innovative cooking for years and now offers contemporary American cuisine in an upscale setting at the Borgata, as part of his first East Coast venture. Enjoy truffled potato chips, spicy lamb chorizo pizza, or a prime burger from the tavern menu as a less-expensive dinner option. Or you can treat your taste buds and choose one of the many options from the main course on the fine dining menu.

Once you’ve had your fill of the action at the poker tables, take the time to sit back, relax and enjoy a glass or two of your favorite drink.

Gypsy Bar specializes in tequila but also offers an eclectic beer selection and compliments your drink with a roaring atmosphere of live music. The intimate space has seating at the bar, traditional pub tables, and comfortable armchairs for a lounge-type feel. Low lighting also helps to keep the mood mellow. Oh, and don’t be afraid to get a little crazy. Gypsy Bar comes complete with a dance floor allowing you to move your feet to the best sounds in town.

Never been to the Atlantic City or to the Borgata? Then MIXX is the first place to check out because it fully captivates what the Borgata is all about. As a performance-driven dance club, MIXX is home to some of the most renowned DJs and official concert after-parties. With its high ceilings, two levels, and plenty of VIP tables, MIXX has more of a mega club feel than its local counterparts. You will find trapeze artists swinging from the rafters, and celebrities passing through on any given night.

OK so maybe the club scene isn’t for you. Don't worry, because Borgata comes fully equipped with the most luxurious of spas on the east coast. Dedicated to undoing the effects of your day, Spa Toccare offers relaxing treatments guaranteed to exhilarate. It is definitely the place where tensions melt and knots disappear. Sounds like a typical effect from a 12-hour poker session. So emerge yourself into the comforts of their many services and elevate your well being, if even just for an hour or two.

Surely, whatever you choose to do while staying at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, you will be surprised to have a Las Vegas experience with an East Coast twist.

For a full schedule and more information about the venue, visit theborgata.com.

Article written by PokerNews' Pamela Maldonado

04-09-2014 13:29 UTC-4

Joe Cool

[user253757]

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante

After an open to 800 and a call in front of him, young semi-pro Joseph Stiers flatted from the button to see the flop fall .

The opener continued with a bet of 1,100 on the flop, folding the other player in the hand. Stiers, however, decided to peel one off and he flatted once again. When fourth street produced the the opener fired away with a 1,550 bet, but this time Stiers upped the ante, making it 5,000 even to play.

His opponent called the raise to bringing the on the river, before shoving his last 12,025 into the middle for the power play.

Stiers then went deep into the tank to contemplate his options, talking himself through the hand and wondering aloud about various aspects of the hand. Eventually, after appearing ready to fold at least once, Stiers mentioned something about the reentry format before making the call.

Stiers:
Opener:

Stiers had turned the nuts with a Broadway straight, but the arrival of a second ace on the river to pair the board gave him pause, as running into a full house was a distinct possibility.

"Nice bluff man..." said Stiers in all sincerity. "I mean, you're supposed to have a full house there most of the time, so that bluff probably should've worked. But it's a reentry you know?"

Player	Chips	Progress
Joseph Stiers	44,500 19,500	19,500

Tags: Joseph Stiers

04-09-2014 13:39 UTC-4

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

[user253757]

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante

James Woods first bullet was a blank on Day 1b

The seat formerly occupied by actor and poker enthusiast James Woods has been taken by a decidedly less recognizable face, signalling that Woods was recently eliminated.

His former tablemate Chris Reslock was another recent casualty, after grinding a short stack for the first few levels.

Both players are now seated at new tables with fresh 25,000 stacks, having taken advantage of the unlimited reentry option available through the first nine levels of play.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chris Reslock	25,000 3,500	3,500

James Woods	25,000 -18,600	-18,600

Tags: James Woods Chris Reslock

04-09-2014 13:49 UTC-4

Like a Marder

[user101598]

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante

A player opened to what looked like 1,100 from middle position, Michael Marder defended his big blind, and the dealer fanned . Marder checked, the player tossed out a continuation bet, and Marder check-raised to 6,000. The player dipped into the tank for a few seconds, then called.

The turn was a third spade - the - and Marder moved all in for what looked like 13,000 or so. The player quickly folded, and Marder picked up the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Marder	27,000 2,000	2,000

Tags: Michael Marder

04-09-2014 14:47 UTC-4

Dags in the Building

[user101598]

Level 7 : 300/600, 75 ante

High-stakes cash game pro and East Coast regular John D'Agostino just took his seat here on Day 1b of Event 1: $560 $1 Million Guaranteed Deep-Stack NLHE Reentry. D'Agostino has over $1.8 million in career live tournament earnings, including several large cashes here at Borgata.

In fact, D'Agostino reached the final table of back-to-back WPT events held at Borgata, finishing fourth for $349,685 in the Fall of 2005 and runner-up for $591,312 in the winter of 2006.

D'Agostino is currently grinding OFC on his iPad - yes, it's Pineapple - but we'll do our best to catch him in a hand or two throughout he day.

Player	Chips	Progress
John D'Agostino	25,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: John D'Agostino

04-09-2014 14:59 UTC-4

Dags Out of the Building - For Now

[user101598]

Level 7 : 300/600, 75 ante

Well, that was quick.

John D'Agostino was all in and at risk with on a board of , and unfortunately for him, his two pair was crushed by Dee Seng's . The river was a blank, and D'Agostino hit the rail. He is now in line to reenter.