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Tetiana Kozak took 
up against 
, but the final board rolled out 
to keep the best preflop hand out in front.
For her run here today in the Ladies event, Kozak took home $507 along with the experience of a lifetime.
Brandi Baldwin got it all in with the best of it, holding 
against 
, but when a straightening board of 
rolled out by the turn, her tournament was over via a bad beat.
Nonetheless, Baldwin pocketed $507 for the run here today, enough to come back tomorrow and try her hand in the continuing $250,000 guaranteed event.
With a flurry of bustouts occuring within moments of each other (including a dramatic Royal Flush reversal of fortune we'll be filling you in on shortly), unfortunately we missed Linda Vaughn's last hand of the Ladies event.
She exited in 15th place and took home $591 for the performance.
In one of the most dramatic hands of the entire tournament, Ekaterina Rodkina was eliminated in 14th place, despite holding 
with an ace and a pair on board.
The excitement began when the dealer fanned a flop of 
across the felt, and Roseanne Musillo decided to shove all in for a sizable stack. Rodkina held the pocket rockets of course, and with a seemingly safe flop now on board, she snap-called and showed down her monster.
Musillo revealed her holding, and when the table saw her 
everyone readied for a momentous sweat.
Turn: 
The dealer burned and turned, filling in the mother of all hands in an instant. Musillo had made a royal flush to put a lock on the hand, and even though Rodkina filled up with the 
on the river, it was all for naught.
We learned from Rodkina's friend Olga, who was on hand throughout to provide support, that the young player is still student the game, and with her impressive showing here today its obvious she's quite the quick learner.
With the rush of excitement filling the room tournament area during our recent royal flush sighting, the last hand played by Andy Rizzo was lost in the commotion.
For her 13th place finish here in the Ladies event, Rizzo pocketed $591 in prize money.
Doug Conover got the last of his chips all in preflop against Natale Kuey.
Kuey:
Conover: 
The board ran out 
, no help to Conover.
"Nice playing with you guys," he said.
Diane Grippo's tournament life came to an end when her 
failed to catch up to the held by Deb Qualey.
An ace on the flop put her far behind, and another on the turn made it official. Despite falling just short of the final table, Grippo earned $676 for the deep run, enough to take a shot in one of the flights of tomorrow's $250,000 guaranteed event.
Leslie Sewell had the best of it when the chips went in, holding 
against Megan Milburn's , but in a coin flip situation, both hands nearly the same chances of coming up on top.
The flop of provided Milburn with an additional set of outs to the Broadway straight, but it was the 
on the turn which put Sewell on the brink. When the river blanked off and failed to bring a saving set of eights, Sewell headed to the payout desk just short of the ten-handed final table.
When Richard Gargel was young and first learning the gambler's lifestyle, he had a role model who showed him the way.
"My family were gamblers," he said. "They love the horses."
Gargel said his uncle Johnny showed him what to do when he was fortunate enough to book a nice win.
"I take 40 percent and spend it on my family," he said. "I take 10 percent and spend it on myself. And I take the other 50 percent and add it to my poker stash."
That philosophy allows him to share his wins with loved ones while also adding a little bit to his bankroll. Gargel, who described himself as a recreational player who averages about a session per week, finds himself four-handed in the $340 Seniors event. His family and his bankroll will be enjoying the spoils of his success here soon.
The Brigantine, N.J., native said he plays a little bit of cash but focuses most of his poker time on tournaments. He particularly enjoys the seniors events.
"I love them," he said, adding that he missed the last two here at Borgata due to family commitments. "It's different, it's a lot of fun. There's more laughs."
Not that he doesn't enjoy a more serious competition. On the contrary, if he can score a big cash here at the Winter Poker Open, he plans to parlay that into a buy-in to the World Series of Poker Main Event. He's never been there, and he hopes to take $15,000 or so to Las Vegas next summer. First, he has to rake in a big cash here, and his voice trailed off as he thought of the possibilities.
"If I can walk away with $10,000..."
Steve Saklad got all in preflop against Richard Gargel.
Saklad: 
Gargel: 
Gargel had a slight lead, and he stayed in front on the 
flop. The turn card was an interesting one: , giving Saklad an open-ender and a chop if a diamond hit the board. The river brought a 
though, and Saklad was done in 4th.