2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Borgata Winter Poker Open Side Events

Event 99: Stiers and Rosenberg Cross Paths Again

Joseph Stiers took all of Jason Rosenberg's chips.
Joseph Stiers took all of Jason Rosenberg's chips.

Jason Rosenberg got all in preflop against Joseph Stiers.

Rosenberg: {a-Diamonds}{q-Spades}
Stiers: {a-Spades}{k-Spades}

Nothing higher than a nine hit the board, and Jason Rosenberg shipped all of his chips to one of the players with whom he recently shared a final table in the Pot-Limit Omaha event. Stiers has about 580,000.

Tags: Jason RosenbergJoseph Stiers

Event 10: Michael Tauman Wins $450 Deepest Stack No-Limit Hold'em ($34,130)

Michael Tauman - First Place
Michael Tauman - First Place

Michael Tauman topped a field of 327 to win a $34,130 first-place prize here in the $450 Deepest Stack No-Limit Hold'em at Borgata Winter Poker Open. He defeated a final table that included last year's Borgata Winter Poker Open Main Event winner Andy Hwang, who finished third. Tauman cracked the {a-}{a-} of Mark Rebuck heads up to finish a heads-up match that lasted less than 30 minutes.

Tags: Andy HwangMark RebuckMichael Tauman

Event 10: Mark Rebuck Eliminated in Second Place ($18,964)

Mark Rebuck - Second Place
Mark Rebuck - Second Place

Mark Rebuck called immediately after Michael Tauman pushed all in from the button.

Tauman: {q-Spades}{6-Clubs}
Rebuck: {a-Clubs}{q-Clubs}

The community cards were {a-Diamonds}{k-Hearts}{2-Hearts}{8-Spades}{q-Diamonds}, giving Rebuck two pair and a double.

A few hands later, Tauman min-raised from the button and then called a reraise to 1.2 million from Rebuck. The flop came {6-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{9-Clubs}, and Rebuck checked. Tauman bet, and Rebuck check-raised all in. Tauman called with {7-Clubs}{6-Clubs} for trips, while Rebuck held {a-}{a-} for an overpair. He didn't improve on the final two streets.

Tags: Mark RebuckMichael Tauman

Event 10: Andy Hwang Eliminated in Third Place ($11,796)

Andy Hwang - Third Place
Andy Hwang - Third Place

Mark Rebuck folded the button, and Michael Tauman raised to 600,000 from the small blind. Andy Hwang pushed all in for about 3.9 million, and Tauman called.

Tauman: {a-Spades}{10-Hearts}
Hwang: {a-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}

Hwang was dominated, but he picked up some help with a straight draw on the {2-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{6-Spades} flop. A {7-Diamonds} turn kept Tauman in the lead.

"Wheel card," Hwang called.

The dealer burned and turned a {j-Spades}, however, and Tauman enters heads-up play with a sizable chip lead.

Tags: Andy HwangMichael Tauman

Event 99: "G.I. Joe" Scoops Bizarre Pot

Carless Boatwright in Event #99 at the Borgata Winter Poker Open
Carless Boatwright in Event #99 at the Borgata Winter Poker Open

Carless "G.I. Joe" Boatwright raised it up after a few players called to his blind. One player on the button made the call, and Boatwright announced a dark check. His opponent moved all in dark, and the dealer rolled out {8-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}. Boatwright called.

Boatwright: {10-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}
Button: {k-Spades}{9-Spades}

Both players had seen great flops for their hands despite starting with mediocre holdings. A {q-Hearts} changed nothing on the turn, but the river was a {6-Clubs}, completing Boatwright's straight.

Tags: Carless Boatwright

Event 10: Hwang Reluctantly Doubles Rebuck

Mark Rebuck woke up with AK.
Mark Rebuck woke up with AK.

Andy Hwang reraised to 1.1 million after Michael Tauman opened for 400,000 under the gun. From the big blind, Mark Rebuck pushed all in for about 2.1 million, and Tauman folded. Hwang seemed resigned to making a call he clearly wasn't happy about.

Hwang: {a-Hearts}{7-Spades}
Rebuck: {a-Clubs}{k-Clubs}

It was for good reason, since Rebuck had him dominated. Hwang never threatened to come from behind, as the board came down {q-Clubs}{j-Spades}{2-Hearts}{9-Spades}{10-Diamonds}. Hwang now about 1.8 million, while Rebuck's around 5 million.

Tags: Andy HwangMark RebuckMichael Tauman

Event 10: Nicolas Markatos Eliminated in Fifth Place ($7,459)

Nicolas Markatos - Fifth Place
Nicolas Markatos - Fifth Place

Action folded to Monro Secor, who moved all in from the button. Nicolas Markatos called immediately from the big blind.

Markatos: {9-Clubs}{9-Spades}
Secor: {a-Hearts}{q-Hearts}

Off to the race, and Markatos pulled ahead on the {2-Clubs}{10-Hearts}{5-Spades} flop. A {7-Diamonds} didn't help Secor, who had Markatos covered.

Markatos let out a sharp "ohhh" of disappointment as the {q-Diamonds} appeared on the river, ending his tournament run.

Tags: Monro SecorNicolas Markatos

Event 10: Hwang Hanging On

Opponents have been unable to put Andy Hwang away.
Opponents have been unable to put Andy Hwang away.

Andy Hwang lost almost all of his chips when he lost a race with {a-}{q-} against the {j-}{j-} of Mark Rebuck. Unfortunately for the other players at the table, Hwang seems to have brought a little alligator blood, as he was down to about two blinds but has rebounded.

First, he got all in blind versus blind with {q-Hearts}{2-Diamonds} against {10-Spades}{4-Clubs}. Hwang made trip queens to survive. Then, he pushed all in for about 1 million with {a-Clubs}{7-Hearts} and was called by Rebuck's {5-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}. A board of {7-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{q-Spades}{8-Hearts}{6-Clubs} meant Hwang had doubled again, and he's now over 2 million with blinds at 80,000-160,000.

Tags: Andy HwangMark Rebuck