2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

The 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open is underway here in Atlantic City, New Jersey, kicking off with a $560 no-limit hold’em reentry event on Tuesday, Jan. 14. 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.

Our exclusive coverage of the Borgata Winter Poker Open kicks off when play begins on Jan. 14, so be sure to tune in for all of the live updates! And if you're participating in the series, don't forget that you can update your chip stack whenever you want using the PokerNews My Stack App.

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

Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook now!

***Article written by PokerNews' Pamela Maldonado, and originally published on January 13th.

Moments after spiking a straight on the river to stack an unlucky opponent, the boisterous Kathleen Long has done it again.

This time, Johnny Lam was victimized by Long's sudden heater, after the two players got the chips on the middle on a flop.

Showdown:

Long:
Lam:

Lam had the best of it with his pair of tens, and Long was once again behind in a huge pot, needing a nine or a king to take the lead.

Turn:

Just like that, Long had turned coal into a diamond, and when the river () failed to change things, Lam's tournament had suddenly come to an end. Long continued to climb up the leaderboard, thanks to a pair of fortuitous cards arriving exactly when she needed them.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kathleen Long	1,450,000 590,000	590,000
Johnny Lam	Busted

Tags: Johnny LamKathleen Long

Christian Lusardi entered Day 2 of this event as the biggest stack in the room, and after six hours of competition he is still going strong.

Passing through the tournament floor, we saw Lusardi quietly adding another wing to his expansive chip castle, and a quick eyeball of his stacks indicated he sits with around 1.6 million.

Lusardi plays the game with a inscrutable poker face, but noticing us hovering around the table, he took a moment away from the game to focus on what really matters.

"This goes out to Tiffany," he said. "Make sure that goes in: Chris loves Tiffany."

Hearing this heartfelt announcement, Lusardi's neighbor at the table quickly stuck the needle in, pulling out a heart-shaped rock from his pocket and saying, "here kid, give this to her too."

Lusardi simply smiled in that way only a man in love can, before returning his focus to the task at hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christian Lusardi	1,600,000 1,081,000	1,081,000

Tags: Christian Lusardi