2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Event 7: $2,700 Spring Poker Championship
Day: 1a
Event Info

2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
94
Prize
$256,508
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$1,003,950
Entries
414
Level Info
Level
27
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Volpe Gets His Fill

Level 5 : 150/300, 50 ante
Paul Volpe
Paul Volpe

Paul Volpe raised to 700 in middle position, Jonathan Little three-bet to 2,000 out of the small blind, and Volpe made the call.

The dealer fanned {4-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}, Little led out for another 2,000, Volpe called, and the turn was a repeat four - the {4-Hearts}.

Little fired another 3,600, Volpe once again called, and the {7-Clubs} completed the board. Sipping his tea, Little knuckled the felt, and Volpe announced that he was all in. He pushed forward his 12,850-chip stack, and Little quickly called.

Volpe ripped over {7-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds} for a full house, and Little smirked before mucking his hand facedown.

Player Chips Progress
Paul Volpe us
Paul Volpe
43,000
12,000
12,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Jonathan Little us
Jonathan Little
35,300
-27,700
-27,700
WPT 2X Winner

Tags: Jonathan LittlePaul Volpe

Two Old Nits

Level 4 : 100/200, 25 ante
Kevin Saul
Kevin Saul

Kevin Saul has exited the tournament at the hands of Jonathan Little who joked after the hand "we're just two old nits". Saul immediately went to re-enter, something we'll be seeing a lot of as players have until the end of Level 6 to re-enter today and can fire as many bullets as they wish. There is another flight tomorrow as well.

The players at Little's table might have thought their table would get a little easier with Saul's elimination but his empty seat was filled by Paul Volpe.

Player Chips Progress
Jonathan Little us
Jonathan Little
55,000
29,000
29,000
WPT 2X Winner
Kevin Saul us
Kevin Saul
30,000
11,000
11,000
WPT 1X Winner
Paul Volpe us
Paul Volpe
30,000
30,000
30,000
WSOP 3X Winner

Tavss Taken Out

Level 4 : 100/200, 25 ante
John Tavss (Event 3) - Eliminated
John Tavss (Event 3) - Eliminated

Mike Jarvela just eliminated John Tavss moments ago, but we unfortunately missed the action. Thankfully Jarvela was kind enough to fill us in on the details.

According to the victor, Tavss was all in with {q-}{j-} on a flop of {10-}{9-}{6-} with two hearts, and Jarvela had him at risk with {10-}{9-}. Tavss did not complete his straight, and hit the rail.

Jarvela chipped up to 62,000.

Player Chips Progress
Mike Jarvela
Mike Jarvela
62,000
26,000
26,000
John Tavss us
John Tavss
Busted

Tags: John TavssMike Jarvela

The Wrath of Khan

Level 4 : 100/200, 25 ante
Junayed Khan
Junayed Khan

We walked by a table and saw a re-raise of 20,525 sitting in front of Junayed Khan. You might think that would be an all in raise at this point but it was actually only for a moderate percentage of Khan's stack. His opponent had a bet of 2,900 in front of him and decided he was not going to tangle with Khan who is obviously running good right now with a stack that is four times the starting stack.

Player Chips Progress
Junayed Khan us
Junayed Khan
120,000
120,000
120,000

Tags: Junayed Khan

Aaron Massey Here and Virtually Sweating His Brother

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante
Aaron Massey
Aaron Massey

Aaron Massey has taken his seat here but he might be a little distracted right now as his brother, Ralph, is at the final table of World Series of Poker Circuit event in Cherokee holding the chip lead.

"I might have a little piece of him," Aaron said and then joked "my phone is going to die", referring to his constant checking in to see how his bro is doing.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Massey us
Aaron Massey
30,000
30,000
30,000
Joe Liberta us
Joe Liberta
30,000
30,000
30,000

Tags: Aaron Massey

Hi, Heimiller

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante
Dan Heimiller
Dan Heimiller

Dan Heimiller just sat down in the $2,700 buy-in Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship event, and while he may not look like your typical grinder, there are only two players ahead of him in the 2014 Global Poker Index Player of the Year race; Dominik Panka and Keven Stammen.

Heimiller has been hitting the circuit hard during the first three-and-a-half months, cashing in 14 events in five different states. He hasn't booked any victories yet, but he reached two HPT final tables, and finished 36th in the WPT LA Poker Classic. All-in-all, Heimiller has $148,482 in earnings.

We'll keep an eye on Heimiller as he tries to add to his already impressive 2014 right here at Borgata.

Player Chips Progress
Dan Heimiller us
Dan Heimiller
30,000
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Dan Heimiller

Ostrander Sets Valerstein Up

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante
Greg Ostrander
Greg Ostrander

With approximately 6,500 in the pot and the board showing {10-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}{8-Clubs}, Roman Valerstein check-called a 5,000 bet from Greg Ostrander.

The river was the {J-Diamonds} and Valerstein again checked. Ostrander made it 7,000 this time and Valerstein asked "you have two blue chips?" referring to the 5,000 chips in play.

"Yes sir," answered Ostrander, shuffling four chips calmly in his hand.

"Thank you," said the polite Valerstein, who mulled his decision over briefly and then placed a call into the middle.

Ostrander turned over {10-Spades}{10-Clubs} for a flopped set and takes down the pot to move to 45,000 in chips.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Ostrander us
Greg Ostrander
45,000
15,000
15,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Roman Valerstein us
Roman Valerstein
9,500
-20,500
-20,500

Tags: Greg OstranderRoman Valerstein

Tryba Flops the Nuts But Goes Broke

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante
Chris Tryba
Chris Tryba

As it was told by other players at the table, five players saw a raised pot of 375. The flop came {9-}{8-}{5-} and Chris Tryba bet 1,000 and received two calls.

The turn was {7-} and this was when the chip started flying as Tryba and Emad Alabsi got it all in. Tryba had flopped a straight with {7-}{6-} but had been chased down successfully by Alabsi who had flopped an open ender with {J-}{10-} and hit.

Tryba tweeted about the hand afterwards:

christopher trybaFlop a str8....lose to bigger turned str8. Bust. May/may not re enter today...
Player Chips Progress
Emad Alabsi
Emad Alabsi
48,750
48,750
48,750
Christopher Tryba
Christopher Tryba
Busted

Tags: Chris Tryba

Zinno Shoves

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante
Anthony Zinno
Anthony Zinno

With approximately 7,000 in the pot and a board of [Kh{J-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{8-Clubs}, Anthony Zinno was facing a 3,700 bet from his opponent.

"I'm all in," he said softly, pushing his chips forward.

"How much is that?" his opponent asked.

The dealer counted it down and told him that it was 21,175 total. Zinno sat there, his hands resting on each side of his forehead.

"What could he have," his opponent muttered to himself. The call would be for most of his stack. He decided to fold and Zinno moves back above the starting stack.

Player Chips Progress
Anthony Zinno us
Anthony Zinno
32,000
2,000
2,000
WSOP 4X Winner
WPT 3X Winner
James Woods us
James Woods
30,000
30,000
30,000
Mike Jarvela
Mike Jarvela
30,000
30,000
30,000

Tags: Anthony Zinno

Madsen Off and Running

Level 1 : 50/100, 0 ante
Jeff Madsen
Jeff Madsen

Jeff Madsen just took his seat and he wasted no time getting involved, opening from under the gun to 250. Everyone folded but the big blind who decided to take a peek at the flop.

It came {K-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}{2-Clubs} and the player in the big blind check-called a 350 bet from Madsen.

The turn was the {Q-Spades} and the player in the big blind again check-called a bet from Madsen, this time for 800.

The river was the {4-Diamonds} and another check from the player in the big blind. Madsen took his time, about 20 seconds, before quietly placing a bet of 1,550 into the middle. A call and Madsen gets good value for his {A-Spades}{K-Diamonds} as his opponent mucks and he takes the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Jeff Madsen us
Jeff Madsen
33,000
33,000
33,000
WSOP 4X Winner

Tags: Jeff Madsen