A player under the gun opened for 500, and Ryan D'Angelo bumped it to 1,400. Laz Hernandez cold-called from late position, and the original raiser called as well.
The three took in a flop of . After a check, D'Angelo fired 10,600. Hernandez jammed for 28,250 more, and the player under the gun folded. D'Angelo called.
D'Angelo:
Hernandez:
D'Angelo found himself outflopped, but a on the turn increased his outage. It was Hernandez who improved on the river when the fell, though, and he took the pot with a full house.
Matt Affleck and Fellow Seattle Seahawks Supporter James Routos on Day 1a of the 2014 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open WPT Main Event
Everybody who follows poker knows that Matt Affleck sports Seattle jerseys as a matter of course, and the style choice has become Affleck's signature on the felt.
James Routos, however, is just a football fan proud that his team has advanced to the Super Bowl, and he showed up here today wearing a Marshawn Lynch jersey in support of the Seahawks.
Affleck went old-school with his choice of attire - donning the duds of Seahawk legend Steve Largent in a throwback to the team's past playoff success - one night after winning the Six-Max event here for an $88,643 score.
Seated across the table from Routos, the sight of Affleck and his doppleganger playing together was something to behold, but unfortunately for Routos the table talk about their team's chances this Sunday will have to wait.
Routos was just seen at the registration desk firing away for his second bullet, which means he went bust at Affleck's table sometime during the fourth level of play. Affleck, meanwhile, sits just under the starting stack as he looks to make it back-to-back wins here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open.
Tony Dunst on Day1a of the 2014 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship
On a board of , Jacob Bazeley fired out 8,500 from the small blind. Darryll Fish, who was in middle position, thought for a bit before making the call. Bazeley showed him for a set, and Fish forcefully mucked his hand.
Also, we've spotted Seth Berger and Tony Dunst in the field.
The Tournament Has Halted as a Moving Tribute to the late Mike "Little Man" Sica is Delivered by His Friends and Fellow Players
The flops have stopped at the moment, but a few tears are falling in their place.
The tournament halted for about ten minutes, as a moment of silence was observed for Borgata regular and local legend of the East Coast poker scene Mike "Little Man" Sica. You can learn more about Sica's life and times here, but judging by the genuine emotion just displayed by typically grim poker players, the man made a powerful impact both on and off the felt.
A group of Sica's longtime opponents at the table took turns euologizing their friend and fellow grinder - who passed away November 13th, 2013 at the age of 69, succumbing from lung cancer. Allen Kessler, Mike Dentale, Anthony Zinno, Will Failla, Michael Borovetz and Lee Childs each addressed their peers in the poker world to remember their friend.
Borovetz spoke about Sica's contribution to his own poker development, mentioning how the "Little Man" provided him with backing during the infancy of a career that now includes more than $500,000 in live earnings.
Dentale fondly remembered a Sica story in true poker player fashion - recalling the details of a bad beat suffered by Sica to the tee - and his message about Sica's boundless compassion and warmth, even after losing with pocket aces, appeared to hit home for many of the younger players in the room.
Zinno became emotional when remembering his poker mentor, before offering blue memorial bracelets for any player in the room who would like to commemorate Sica's life while playing.
All in all, the scene was a touching one, showing that every poker room is more than just a group of strangers trying to take each other's stack. Here at the Borgata - and throughout Atlantic City and the East Coast - wherever Mike Sica sat down for a game of cards, he found his family waiting for him.
Greg Merson in Day 1a of the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Main Event
Former Main Event champion Greg Merson bet 1,200 when an opponent checked to him on a board of . Merson's opponent made the call, and the river was the . After another check, Merson upped the heat considerably with 4,800. His opponent looked at him suspiciously, thought for about a minute, and tossed a light blue T5000 chip into the middle. Merson quickly rolled over for trip fours, and he's wasted no time building a sizable early stack.
Anytime we notice a pot with a few of the baby blue T5000 chips already up for grabs at this stage in the proceedings, it pays to stick around and see what happens.
In this case, a tank-fold wasn't the most exciting occasion to observe, but Micah Raskin is probably pleased with the result nonetheless.
Raskin bet 10,000 into a pot with about 18,000, with the final board reading . Vanessa Selbst quickly folded to leave Raskin fading one more fold to take the pot. His opponent tanked for a solid three minutes, but as is usually the case when they wait that long, the cards were eventually slid into the muck.
"Show the bluff..." begged another player at the table, prodding Raskin to make the rookie mistake of showing his hand. "One time!"
Raskin just smiled in response though, content to chip up while confounding his tablemates at the same time.
Jonathan Little on Day 1a of the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open WPT Main Event
We watched a player open from under the gun, raising to 450, while both Andy Hwang (hijack) and Jonathan Little (big blind) flatted to see the flop.
After the was spread, Little checked to the preflop raiser, who bet out for 900.
Hwang flatted that bet and with the action back on him, Little announced a raise to 3,200 while tossing in a single baby blue T5000 chip. The preflop raiser mucked his cards rather quickly, and after the standard thirty-second tank in a hand played between professionals, Hwang did the same.
Both Hwang and Little are still under the starting stack at the moment, but as both players are more than capable of running up a big stack in a single level, we don't expect them to stay short for very long.
Vanessa Selbst on Day 1a of the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open WPT Main Event
The final board read and the pot contained right around 4,000 when Vanessa Selbst's opponent tapped the table.
Selbst paused a beat before moving all in for her last 6,700, and with a frustrated smile on his face the other man tossed his cards toward the dealer.
Even with the win Selbst still sits with about one-third of the starting stack, and with just one full level and some change left in the re-entry period of the first starting flight, she is likely to make moves in an effort to build above 30,000 - or bust out trying.
Matt Salsberg, who was under the gun, check-called a 1,500 bet from Russell Crane after a flop. The turn completed a three-flush, prompting Salsberg to lead out for 1,850. Crane bumped it to 5,200, and Salsberg made the call after about a minute of thought. The river came , and Salsberg bet out 5,000. Crane quickly tossed his hand to the dealer.
Dimas Martinez probably hears the whispers while he plays, and as one of those 27 players who still had chips to work with when the bad news came down (he had 2 million entering the Day 3 that never was), Martinez still has strong feelings on the subject.
"I want my money!" he told us with a stone-faced glare, before breaking the tension with a laugh. "I got seven kids man..."
Martinez was obviously having a bit of fun after dragging another pot his way today - he currently sits with more than double the average - and although the Event 1 situation is out of his hands, today's tournament provides a chance at redemption.
The tattooed man with gold chains and a "Spanish MAFIA" ballcap may not look like your run-of-the-mill poker sharp, but he's having his way with a table of skilled players here today. A bit of luck always helps of course - Martinez spiked a set of deuces with to down early in the day - but a recent hand shows he knows how to use the chips lady luck saw fit to throw his way.
Martinez opened for a standard raise from under the gun, and a lone caller came along to take the flop. Both players then tapped the table and the turn card came . Martinez check-called a bet of 700 on fourth street, bringing the on board as the river card.
Having built a decent pot already, Martinez whacked his opponent with a river bet of 925, adding another chunk of chips to his growing castle.
If Martinez can keep it up throughout the rest of Day 1a, he might just get his money after all.
. After a check, D'Angelo fired 10,600. Hernandez jammed for 28,250 more, and the player under the gun folded. D'Angelo called.
on the turn increased his outage. It was Hernandez who improved on the river when the 
fell, though, and he took the pot with a full house.
, Jacob Bazeley fired out 8,500 from the small blind. Darryll Fish, who was in middle position, thought for a bit before making the call. Bazeley showed him 
for a set, and Fish forcefully mucked his hand.
. Merson's opponent made the call, and the river was the 
for trip fours, and he's wasted no time building a sizable early stack.
. Vanessa Selbst quickly folded to leave Raskin fading one more fold to take the pot. His opponent tanked for a solid three minutes, but as is usually the case when they wait that long, the cards were eventually slid into the muck.
was spread, Little checked to the preflop raiser, who bet out for 900.
and the pot contained right around 4,000 when Vanessa Selbst's opponent tapped the table.
flop. The 
for the nut flush.
. Martinez check-called a bet of 700 on fourth street, bringing the 
on board as the river card.