Borgata Winter Poker Open Side Events Day 4 | 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

01-17-2014 16:31 UTC-4

Event 3: ($560 Deep Stack No-Limit Re-Entry) is Now Underway

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James Woods Has Been Involved in Every Event so Far Here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open

After a bit of a delay here at the Borgata to attend to other matters, Event 3: ($560 Deep Stack No-Limit Re-Entry) is now underway.

Players are currently on break at the moment, and cards will be back in the air in 2-3 minutes, but we thought you'd like to know about the notable names, professional players and local grinders in attendance today.

Andy Hwang, Amnon Filippi, James Woods, Roland Israelashvili, Aaron Mermelstein, Will "The Thrill" Failla, Dan Heimiller, Coleem Chestnut, Torrey Korsog, and Mike Ortiz are all in the house here today.

We'll keep you posted on their progress from here on out, so stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the day for continuous live coverage from the floor of the Borgata.

Tags: Amnon Filippi Dan Heimiller Will Failla James Woods

01-17-2014 17:31 UTC-4

Event 3: Life After Death

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Coleem Chestnut's Stack is B.I.G. Here on Day 1 of Event 3

We became acquainted with Coleem Chestnut throughout Event 1, as the Brooklyn native made a deep run while dominating the chip standings for much of the day. After getting to know him a little better through PokerNews' recent "Local Spotlight" series here at the Borgata, we learned that the regular cash game player has an affinity for tournaments here in Atlantic City.

Despite being victimized by a truly bizarre call late in the night, one which cut the chip leader's stack in half despite his opponent holding just ace-high, Chestnut is back and in effect here today.

Chestnut currently owns one of the biggest stacks in the room at the moment, and after yesterday's performance, we're confident he'll be sticking around for another deep run.

Tags: Coleem Chestnut

01-17-2014 18:36 UTC-4

Event 4: Chang's Got Quads

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With the board reading , the small blind bet 3,100. Danny Chang raised to 6,500, and the last player to act moved all in for over 20,000. The original bettor folded, and Chang called off for 18,200 total.

Chang:
Opponent:

Chang needed to dodge only the case jack, and the river was the . He's working with about a 40,000 stack.

Tags: Danny Chang

01-17-2014 21:33 UTC-4

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

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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.

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

Article written by PokerNews' Pamela Maldonado

01-17-2014 21:49 UTC-4

Local Spotlight: Thomas Hill

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When it comes to the $500 Pot-Limit Omaha Eight-or-Better event here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open, Thomas Hill is one of a kind. As in, he was the sole online qualifier for the event. He beat a friend heads up in a $50 satellite.

"There weren't that many people in it, but a win's a win," he said.

Hill, 26, hails from Robbinsville, N.J., which he said is about a 90-minute drive away. Most of his play comes online nowadays, but he was drawn to the Winter Poker Open to play his favorite game.

"There's a lot more people willing to gamble and get it in," he said when asked what he likes best about PLO8. "It fits the way I think better."

When Hill does decide to play live, he travels with a small group of about seven that Hill called a "team/study group."

"We call ourselves 'Team Kitten,'" he said, pointing at his T-shirt, pictured. "We all have the shirt but nobody's wearing it. We usually reserve it for final days or final tables, but I figured since this was a one-day event, it counts."

His only concrete plan for the rest of the tournament series is, unsurprisingly, to enter the limit O8 tournament.

Tags: Thomas Hill

01-17-2014 22:16 UTC-4

Event 3: Cho Time

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Stevan Cho has Plenty to Smile About After Building a Big Stack Here at Event 3

Passing through the tournament area recently we noticed a man with a beaming smile, and a quick check of his chip stack let us know why he was so happy.

Stevan Cho currently sits on around 165,000 chips, good for one of the largest stacks in the field. With the average stack right around 50,000 at the moment, Cho has put himself in position to become the table bully, and we'll let you know if his momentum continues.

Tags: Stevan Cho

01-17-2014 23:46 UTC-4

Event 4: Hill Doubles

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Thomas Hill had the best of it on the flop.

Thomas Hill bet 12,000 on the flop, and Mickey Palermo thought for a bit before putting Hill all in for the last of his short stack. Hill called.

"You're probably in pretty good shape," Palermo said. He was right.

Palermo:
Hill:

Palermo had a pair and a low draw, but Hill's low draw was better and he had two pair to go with it. A and completed the board, and Hill scooped the pot to double.

Tags: Mickey Palermo Thomas Hill

01-18-2014 00:09 UTC-4

Event 3: I Am the One Who Knocks

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Walter "Heisenberg" White, Who Recently Shed His Alter Ego to Let Us Know He Goes by the Name of Iverson Cotton Snuffer Back Home in West Virginia

Throughout the first few days of the Borgata Winter Poker Open, one player's striking resemblance to the wily Walter White had us hooked like Heisenberg's infamous Blue Sky.

Although he would only identify himself as "Mr. White" initially, the man in the black-brimmed porkpie hat eventually informed us that his name was Iverson Cotton Snuffer. And while that moniker may not strike fear into the hearts of men like Heisenberg did for five glorious seasons, poker players in West Virginia know Snuffer to be a very bad man indeed.

According to data compiled by the Hendon Mob Database, Snuffer is the 23rd all-time leading money winner in West Virginia, capturing more than $68,000 in just three years of play. As told by Snuffer, however, the amount of money he's taken from the tables in his home state just might fill a few barrels in the desert.

"I've scored way more than that internet says I have," he told us in between rounds. "If you count the smaller daily tournaments I've won around the state, I'd say I've got 'em for more than a couple hundred thousand."

Just like his alter ego from Breaking Bad, everything Snuffer does is for his family, and he made sure to let us know that his "beautiful wife Jamie, children and grandchildren" are his inspiration when competing on the felt.

As Snuffer told us, he was born with a deck of cards in his hand, and with his consistent play here in Atlantic City, we've no doubt that this tall tale is rooted in a grain of truth. Just like Heisenberg.

Tags: Iverson Cotton Snuffer

01-18-2014 00:09 UTC-4

Event 4: Villella Lapping the Field

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Joe Villella is Looking to Win a Title, Something Dan Marino Never Did

A short-stacked player raised to 20,000, nearly all of his stack, from late position. Action folded to Joe Villella's big blind, and he put the player at risk.

Villella:
Short stack:

The flop came , giving Villella top pair, while the short stack's best hope was to spike a ten. A turn gave the short stack a pair, but the river ended his tournament life.