Event 15: $200,000 Guarantee Six-Max NLHE Re-Entry | 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

01-26-2014 04:43 UTC-4

Matt Affleck Wins Event 15 ($200,000 Guaranteed Six-Max Re-Entry) for $88,643

[user253757]

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 4,000 ante

Matt Affleck Winner of Event 15 at the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Matt Affleck seemed to know he would win this tournament the whole time - proudly donning his Seattle Seahawks jerseys with his team set to play in the Super Bowl - and his confidence proved to be well-founded after a rousing victory to begin his Borgata Winter Poker Open.

Affleck entered Day 2 of this event with a chip stack that was nothing to brag about, and he lingered near the bottom of our counts early in the day, but he quickly went to work in that regard.

A key hand occurred midway through the day, when Affleck brought the bullets against an outgunned opponent to score a decisive double up, but he was not through chipping up quite yet. He pushed Byron Kaverman off a big pot to keep climbing, before crippling and then busting Andy Hwang to begin his beastmode-like run through final table.

After knocking Hwang out in 5th place, Affleck sent Byron Kaverman to the rail just a few hands later, and like so many Seahawks games during this splendid season of theirs, the rout was on.

Affleck went toe-to-toe with chip leader Josh Brikis, bringing him down to size by winning a huge hand despite missing a flush draw. Soon afterward, Affleck took out his third consecutive opponent, dispatching Caufman Talley in 3rd place to enter heads-up play against Brikis with a truly massive chip advantage.

Although Brikis was able to force Affleck into a tough battle, doubling up a few times to move back up to more than 2 million, the tournament was Affleck's to lose. Affleck refused to lose, however, and eventually the title was his when outraced Brikis' on the board.

His seats at the Super Bowl are already secured, so the $88,643 just put in Affleck's pocket won't be spent on scalpers, but we expect he'll spend the next week celebrating this win - hoping the whole time to be celebrating another Super Sunday win seven days from now.

Tags: Andy Hwang Byron Kaverman Caufman Talley Josh Brikis Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 04:23 UTC-4

Josh Brikis Eliminated in 2nd Place ($54,272)

[user253757]

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 4,000 ante

After running his stack back up from the brink - turning less than 400,000 into more than 2 million through a series of doubles - Josh Brikis nearly took the chip lead away from Matt Affleck. Unfortunately for Brikis, however, he came out on the wrong end of a coin flip confrontation and the comeback attempt was thwarted.

The action started when Brikis limped into the pot, inviting Affleck to make a standard raise to test the waters. Brikis then shoved all in for about 1.72 million - or 43 big blinds - and Affleck snapped him off to force the tournament's final showdown.

Showdown:

Brikis:
Affleck:

Both players had found hands worthy of going to war with, and the two were off to the races with a title on the line.

Flop:

Affleck picked up nine additional outs with his nut flush draw, and now any ace, king or spade would ship the pot - and the tournament. Brikis was left to sweat it out while trying to fade fifteen outs twice.

Turn:

Half of the work was done for Brikis as he survived one burn and turn. Fourth street changed nothing and it would be the river card that decided it all.

River:

The fifth spade on board completed Affleck's flush and his romp through the final table, as Brikis was forced to remain content with a runner-up finish after sprinting out to a huge chip lead throughout this second day of play. Brikis took home $54,272 for nearly winning his first tournament of the Borgata Winter Poker Open, and he is clearly playing well heading into tomorrow's World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Brikis	Busted

Tags: Josh Brikis Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 03:55 UTC-4

Don't Look Now...

[user253757]

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 4,000 ante

Josh Brikis Refuses to Lay Down and is Mounting a Momentous Comeback Attempt

On the first hand back from break, Josh Brikis just made this heads-up match a real game.

Brikis woke up with when Affleck went in for the kill, and although Affleck had brought a real hand to bear with his , the percentages were firmly in Brikis' favor as the dealer burned and turned.

The final board rolled out and Brikis' cowboys crushed Affleck's ladies. Affleck still holds a sizable lead, but after having Brikis down to just a few big blinds only mere minutes before, the pressure has to be building just a bit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Affleck	5,200,000	-1,150,000
Josh Brikis	2,250,000	1,150,000

Tags: Josh Brikis Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 03:28 UTC-4

Near Death Experience

[user253757]

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

Josh Brikis is Having a Hard Time With a Huge Stack Pushing Him Around

Matt Affleck has been moving all in on nearly every hand heads-up, trying to simply bludgeon a micro-stacked Josh Brikis into submission.

Brikis knows every deal will be played for it all, and lately he has been having a bit of masochistic fun sweating his hole cards on each deal.

On a recent hand, Affleck was all in yet again to put Brikis to the test, and he squeezed his cards slowly in anticipation: . The rags were held up with disdain before being sailed into the muck.

"Ahh..." cried Affleck at the fold. "How can you not just call there? These would've been perfect for the winner's photo..."

Affleck tabled his regretfully, not wanting to release the monster that may have won it all.

That winner's photo will have to wait - for now at least - as Brikis scored two doubles in a row to move back to nearly 1 million, attempting to mount what would be a truly miraculous comeback bid.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Affleck	7,000,000	200,000
Josh Brikis	850,000	100,000

Tags: Josh Brikis Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 03:15 UTC-4

Chip Counts Entering Heads-Up Play

[user253757]

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

Matt Affleck's Side of the Table is Tilting Over as He Owns Nearly Every Chip in Play

The chip count situation entering heads-up play.

Matt Affleck has the lead by a long shot, while Josh Brikis will need to score a string of double ups to get back in the running.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Affleck	6,800,000	1,300,000
Josh Brikis	750,000	-1,300,000

Tags: Josh Brikis Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 03:07 UTC-4

Caufman Talley Eliminated in 3rd Place ($41,246)

[user253757]

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

Caufman Talley stood no chance.

Mathematically speaking, of course, his gave him nearly a fifty percent chance against Matt Affleck's ... but everyone watching this Six-Max final table wind its way down knew what was coming.

Affleck is running like Sidney Rice in the open field, and on this hand he could not be touched. With all of the money in before the flop, Affleck and Talley stood to sweat as the dealer delivered their destiny in a flash.

Flop:

Affleck clapped and pumped his fist at the sight of his set, but the four-flush on board calmed his celebration somewhat. The turn card came to keep him out in front, and Caufman was down to his last card needing a club to keep him alive.

River:

Caufman found his flush on the river, but it made no difference to Affleck as he paired the board to fill his full house. The put Affleck on the brink of victory, as he now holds nearly every chip on the table entering heads-up play. Caufman, meanwhile, took home $41,246 for his near miss.

Player	Chips	Progress
Caufman Talley	Busted

Tags: Caufman Talley Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 02:57 UTC-4

Super Sunday

[user253757]

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

Matt Affleck Has Rolled Through the Most Talented Final Table in Recent Memory

Matt Affleck is a man possessed, and like Marshawn Lynch - the running back who carried Affleck's beloved Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl - momentum means he cannot be stopped.

Affleck just crippled Josh Brikis - who led the chip counts throughout a dominating Day 2 run - by spiking his gin card on the river to make a well-disguised straight.

Here's what we saw. Brikis raised before the flop, and after Affleck flatted to defend in defense the flop came . Both players checked down in the battle of the blinds, and the turn card came . Brikis led out on fourth street with a big bet and Affleck flatted to see the complete the board on the river.

After Brikis fired away with a bet of about 275,000, Affleck took his time before raising to approximately 900,000 - a sizable reraise that left Brikis with chips to play with if he decided to make the call.

Call he did, but Brikis' cards were mucked when Affleck rolled over the for a rivered gutshot straight. His heart flush draw had failed to come through, but a red card cinched Affleck nonetheless, as the six filled in a straight Brikis likely never saw coming. He paid the big bet off though, and most of his stack was shipped one seat to the left to the man with Seattle swag.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Affleck	5,500,000	1,650,000

Tags: Josh Brikis Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 02:47 UTC-4

Byron Kaverman Eliminated in 4th Place ($33,467)

[user253757]

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

Byron Kaverman just became the latest victim of Matt Affleck's recent heater, when his (10c} failed to outrun .

The money was in the middle before the flop, and a queen-high board ran out to keep Affleck out in front with his ace-high.

Kaverman earned $33,467 for the 4th-place finish, while Affleck now holds more than half of the chips in play entering three-handed play.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Affleck	3,850,000	400,000
Byron Kaverman	Busted

Tags: Byron Kaverman Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 02:41 UTC-4

Andy Hwang Eliminated in 5th Place ($25,869)

[user253757]

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

A huge hand just went down to shift the balance of power at this Six-Max final table, with Matt Affleck taking over the chip lead by busting Andy Hwang.

The action started when Affleck raised to 195,000 from the cutoff, only to see Hwang reraise to 390,000 from the button.

Affleck deliberated for nearly a minute before committing the calling chips, and the two saw a flop of rain down. Despite the preflop aggression, both players opted to tap the table and the turn card came .

On fourth street Affleck decided to fire out a bet of 280,000 and Hwang flatted in position, bringing the to the board on the river. Affleck continued his line and shoved all in for 520,000 effective, knowing that if Hwang called and produced a winner the two would basically trade chip positions.

Hwang dove down as deep as his tank goes, thinking over every scenario while his lips moved in kind, the calculation and computation taking place evident in his pained yet intent expression. After more than four minutes, with a crowd of railbirds, players and reporters gathering to soak in the dramatic scene, Hwang suddenly held his cards aloft and made his decision.

"I'm going to..." he said, his voice trailing off as if a fold was imminent. "Call."

Affleck skipped a beat not knowing if he had heard correctly, but he calmly tabled confident his hand was good after such a lengthy tank. Sure enough, Hwang could only muster the for a mistimed hero call or simply a misread.

"It has to be ace-queen there, right?" he asked Affleck with a smile, the words directed more at himself than his newly flush opponent. "It's either ace-queen or something really crazy... nice hand."

With that, Hwang's third final table appearance of the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker open came to end, while Affleck looks to turn his first tournament entry in the series into a five-figure haul.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Affleck	3,450,000	1,200,000
Andy Hwang	Busted

Tags: Andy Hwang Matt Affleck

01-26-2014 02:15 UTC-4

Local Spotlight: Dave Brady

mnuwwarah

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

Dave Brady at the Final Table of Event #18 at the Borgata Winter Poker Open

Dave Brady just ended quite the drought.

By making the final table of Event 18: $560 Omaha Eight-or-Better Semi-Turbo here at Borgata Winter Poker Open, he notched his first top-10 finish in a recorded poker tournament since November 2006. He remembers his other deep runs well, and his enthusiasm is clear when he mentions them.

"My first final table was 10 years ago in Foxwoods," he said. "I had Charlie 'Scotty Warbucks' Shoten to my left. In 2006, I was facing off with Chris Reslock at the Taj."

So anonymous is Brady in the poker world that he doesn't even have a page in the Hendon Mob database. His profile on Card Player's database has some of his cashes and some cashes from another David Brady from Nebraska.

That's just the way the Roseland, N.J., native likes it at the poker table. He said he finished in the top half in the $1,000 six-max tournament yesterday despite playing with tables populated by tough professionals. His strategy? Play on his image.

"I actually wore a suit yesterday so I could get that image going," he said of looking like a well-off amateur. "I want them to think I'm a rock, then when there's a raise and a call and I come in for six-times that, they give me credit.

"It's almost like that 'Kill Phil,'" he said, referencing the famous poker book in which Blair Rodman and Lee Nelson advocated extremely aggressive play to increase variance when playing against expert opponents.

Brady isn't able to play many tournaments due to his work as an actuary for AIG. He said he only plays about three tournaments per year. He's trying to make a splash here and follow in the footsteps of co-worker Josh Spiegleman, who finished fifth in the main event here at Borgata Winter Poker Open in 2006.

Pot-Limit Omaha Eight-or-Better is his favorite game, Brady said. He also enjoys PLO and H.O.R.S.E. He'll have to focus on his limit game right now, but he does get one added bonus tonight.

"I'm driving Allen Kessler bonkers," he said with a laugh.

Tags: Dave Brady