Borgata Winter Poker Open Side Events Day 7 | 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

01-22-2014 04:43 UTC-4

Michael Fiorito Wins Event 11: $450 Big Stack Pot-Limit Omaha Re-Entry ($11,543)

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Michael Fiorito 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open Event #11 Champion

Michael Fiorito topped the 85-person field to win the $450 Pot-Limit Omaha event here at Borgata Winter Poker Open. Though it was contested by the smallest field we've seen yet this series, the tournament still lasted more than 15 hours. Player for player, it was one of the more star-studded fields, as well-known players such as Allen Kessler, Dan Heimiller, Chris Reslock, and Roland Israelashvili participated. Fiorito added a second win to his PLO resume, which also features an $8,793 first-place finish in a $500 Pot-Limit Omaha Black Chip Bounty at the Borgata Summer Poker Open 2013.

Tags: Michael Fiorito Allen Kessler Chris Reslock Dan Heimiller Roland Israelashvili

01-22-2014 04:30 UTC-4

Event 11: Joseph Stiers Eliminated in Second Place ($6,266)

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Joseph Stiers fired a pot bet on the flop, and Michael Fiorito put him all in. Stiers called.

Stiers:
Fiorito:

A turn provided a few outs for Stiers if he could make a straight to beat Fiorito's set. The proved to be the final card of the tournament though, and Fiorito claimed all of Stiers' chips.

Tags: Joseph Stiers Michael Fiorito

01-22-2014 03:54 UTC-4

Event 10: Quick Recap

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Niko Markatos on Day 1 of Event #10 at the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Players have bagged up for the night in Event 10 with 35 players surviving the grueling nearly-sixteen hour session. A total of 327 entries created a prize pool of $126,426. Nicolas Markatos leads the way with 2.15 million, while Andy Hwang, last year's main event champion here at Borgata Winter Poker Open, bagged 1.62 million. The only other player near seven figures was Bruce Secor, who finished with 930,000. World Series of Poker Circuit winner Steve Gill bagged 740,000.

The survivors will return tomorrow and play down to a winner, who will claim $34,130.

Tags: Andy Hwang Steve Gill Nicolas Markatos Bruce Secor

01-22-2014 03:34 UTC-4

Event 11: Helder Martins Eliminated in Third Place ($3,958)

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Helder Martins got all in preflop against Joseph Stiers.

Martins:
Stiers:

The board ran out , and Martins wished the final two players good luck as he got up.

Tags: Helder Martins Joseph Stiers

01-22-2014 03:21 UTC-4

Event 11: Anthony Caruso Eliminated in Fourth Place ($2,968)

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Anthony Caruso shoved all in over a raise from Michael Fiorito, and Fiorito made the call.

Fiorito:
Caruso:

The flop came , and Fiorito jumped way in front with top set. A gave Caruso hope on the turn, but the diamond he called for didn't materialize as a finished the board.

Tags: Anthony Caruso Michael Fiorito

01-22-2014 02:41 UTC-4

Local Spotlight: Anthony Caruso

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Anthony Caruso is trying to win his second PLO tournament.

Anthony Caruso found himself taken aback when Amanda Musumeci started training him to improve his poker game.

"She was the first person who ever called me middle-aged," the 47-year-old said with a laugh. "She helped me with my table image. She was really, really helpful."

"I see improvements all the time," he added. "It's more fun when you can win a little."

Caruso, a Marlton, N.J., native, has done a bit of winning recently. Last fall, he took down a Pot-Limit Omaha tournament here, and he's back for more. He's currently four-handed in the $450 PLO tournament.

Caruso said PLO is his favorite game "by far."

"I like the action," he said, adding that he enjoys playing $5/10 PLO when he plays cash games.

Poker is a mere hobby for Caruso, though. Most of his life, he said, revolves around his children. He has two daughters, ages 14 and 11, and a 16-year-old son. Caruso and his son spend a lot of time working for a charity called Wish Upon a Hero, Caruso said. He also runs a shipping company called luggageahead.com.

Those commitments mean he lags behind players more focused on the game. Every day that they log more hours than Caruso, he has more of a gap to make up, which is where his training with Musumeci helps.

Still, he's optimistic about making a big run in the main event here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open, where he could add considerably to his $74,424 in recorded cashes. He said there's always an amateur or two running up a big stack and making a run.

"Maybe I could be that guy," he said.

Tags: Amanda Musumeci Anthony Caruso

01-22-2014 01:25 UTC-4

Event 10 Update

[user253757]

Andy Hwang Owns the Borgata Winter Poker Open

There are currently 54 players left in contention for the $34,130 payday.

The average stack sits right around 303,000.

Andy Hwang, who won the biggest event of them all last year at the 2013 Winter Poker Open, taking down the World Poker Tour Main Event for more than $730,000, has about 340,000.

Tags: Andy Hwang

01-22-2014 00:55 UTC-4

Event 11: Ryan O'Reilly Eliminated in Fifth Place ($2,309)

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Ryan O'Reilly got all in against Anthony Caruso after a flop of .

Caruso:
O'Reilly:

The and completed the board, and O'Reilly was done in fifth.

Tags: Ryan O'Reilly Anthony Caruso

01-22-2014 00:43 UTC-4

Event 10 Payout Information Announced

[user253757]

The Stakes Are High Here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open

The prize pool information for Event 10 ($450 Deepest Stack No-Limit Hold'em) has been released. A total of 327 entries were recorded to generate a prize pool of $126,426, and the last 36 players with chips will earn a payday. Take a look a the full payouts below: