2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Event 1: $2 Million Guarantee Big Stack NLHE Re-Entry
Day: 2
Event Info

2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$2,325,835
Entries
4,812
Players Left
27
Average Chip Stack
3,564,444
Total Chips
96,240,000

Event 1: Dannenmann "Still an Ordinary Guy"

Steve Dannenmann is no celebrity.
Steve Dannenmann is no celebrity.

Steve Dannenmann fired a river bet after a king fell in a pot he'd raised and then checked down against one opponent.

"Well, I just found out you were second to Hachem, so I'm folding," the player said in reference to Dannenmann's runner-up finish at the 2005 Main Event. "You just look like an ordinary guy to me."

"Still am," Dannenmann said with a laugh.

Player Chips Progress
Steve Dannenmann us
Steve Dannenmann
535,000
463,500
463,500

Tags: Steve Dannenmann

Event 1: We're in the Money!

Bubble Boy Bob Romanowski (right), Eliminated by Dylan G. (Photo Credit: Eddie Malluk/PokerNews)
Bubble Boy Bob Romanowski (right), Eliminated by Dylan G. (Photo Credit: Eddie Malluk/PokerNews)

After a lengthy delay to sort through extremely close chip stacks, the unfortunate bubble boy was determined to be Bob Romanowski.

His tournament life came to an end after Romanowski got his last 95,000 or so into the middle holding {A-Spades}{K-Clubs} against two other opponents.

One of those players held {Q-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}, but Romanowski's tormentor proved to be a young man named Dylan G., who came to the party armed with {A-Diamonds}{A-Hearts}.

With dozens of players crowding around the table hoping to see somebody eliminated in 451st place, the dealer fanned a flop of {j-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{8-Clubs} across the felt. Dylan G.'s pocket rockets were well out in front on the clean flop, but a {K-Diamonds} on the turn provided Romanowksi with a glimmer of hope.

River: {5-Hearts}

With that, Dylan G. just barely nipped Romanowski, having him covered by just 10,000 chips, or a single big blind. The player with queens had both opponents covered, and thus he remained alive, making Romanowski the first bubble boy of the 2014 Winter Poker Open.

For his part, Romanowski took the beat in stride, smiling all the while as hundreds of players applauded his elimination.

Tags: Bob Romanowski

Event 1: Prize Pool Information Announced

The prize pool for this $2 Million Guarantee Big Stack NLHE Re-Entry has been calculated, and the eventual winner will receive $372,123 for his or her efforts.

The runner-up will earn $241,899, while third place is good for a $163,984 payday.

Those players who slide into a min-cash will take home $1,082, but with the re-entry format of the event, any player who already fired multiple bullets will more than likely need to climb higher on the ladder to generate a profit.

It's not every day that the opening event of a tournament series attracts more than 4,800 entries, while awarding a total of five six-figure scores. It's safe to say that the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open is off to a tremendous start, having exceeded its guarantee by compiling a total prize pool of $2,325,835.

Event 1: Woods Shown a Cooler

James Woods' two pair wasn't enough.
James Woods' two pair wasn't enough.

In one of the last hands before break, James Woods fired 18,000 into two opponents after a flop of {a-Spades}{5-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}. Tom McKeough called in the cutoff, while the early position player folded. The turn brought a {j-Diamonds} and a check from Woods. McKeough fired 40,000, and Woods wasted little time before announcing all in. McKeough shrugged and made the call.

McKeough: {5-Diamonds}{5-Spades}
Woods: {a-Hearts}{j-Hearts}

Woods had turned two pair but was still in bad shape against McKeough's set. The river brought a blank {6-Clubs}, and Woods' stack has taken a huge hit since he started the day in second place.

"I can't get a break," he said, lamenting his poor luck.

Player Chips Progress
Tom McKeough
Tom McKeough
290,000
290,000
290,000
James Woods us
James Woods
63,500

Tags: James WoodsTom McKeough

Local Spotlight: Taunton's Luis Vazquez

Vazquez in action at the NAPT Bounty Shootout televised final table
Vazquez in action at the NAPT Bounty Shootout televised final table

One of the big stacks returning for Day 2 of the first event on the Borgata Winter Poker Open schedule was Luis Vazquez.

Better known to many by his nickname "Bachy," Vazquez is a local New England poker player from Massachusetts. After his first day in the $2 Million Guarantee Big Stack NLHE Re-Entry, Vazquez bagged up an impressive 315,500 in chips, but the Taunton, Massachusetts native knows there is a long way to go if he wants to lock up another big poker score.

With nearly $470,000 in live tournament earnings and four victories, Vazquez knows a thing or two about tournament poker. In fact, one of those four victories came right here at the Borgata when he won a $230 no-limit holdem event in 2012 at the Borgata Guaranteed Three Play Poker Tournament. For that win, Vazquez defeated a field of 943 entries and earned $41,102.

His biggest live score, which was also his first-ever victory, earned Vazquez $144,286. The event was the $3,500 Foxwoods Poker Classic Championship Event in 2010 where he topped a field of 224 entries for the title.

Outside of those victories, one of the more notable cashes on Vazquez's record came from the 2010 North American Poker Tour $25,000 Bounty Shootout held at Mohegan Sun. Vazquez won his seat into the televised event through a live satellite and parlayed that into a $70,000 score. After winning his first table, Vazquez made the final table and finished in sixth place.

A proud Puerto Rican that loves to stay involved at the poker table with aggressive, tricky play, Vazquez will surely be someone we'll be keeping our eyes on.

Tags: Luis Vazquez

Event 1: Day 2 Set to Kick Off

Christian Lusardi leads the way heading into Day 2.
Christian Lusardi leads the way heading into Day 2.

Players are streaming in to the main Borgata WInter Poker Open tournament area to take their seats for the start of Day 2.

A total of 867 players survived the three opening flights, and the fields have combined to fight for a prize pool based on 4,814 entries. The tournament officials are still calculating how that prize pool will be divvied up.

Players leading the way include Christian Lusardi (519,000), James Woods (410,500) Michael Dobbs (391,000), Coleem Chestnut (387,500), Torrey Korsog (372,000), Johnson Nguyen (361,000), Roger Wellmann (361,000), Johnny Lam (355,000) and Randall Pfeifer (345,000).

PokerNews will be on site bring you all the relevant updates from this tournament.