Event #6: $350 6th Annual Mike Sica Memorial Seniors
Day 1 Started
2019 Borgata Poker Open
Event #6: $350 6th Annual Mike Sica Memorial Seniors
Day: 1
Remembering Mike Sica w/ Today's Event #6: $350 Memorial Seniors (50+)
The 2019 Borgata Poker Open (BPO) continues today with Event #6: $350 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors (50+) at 10 a.m.
For those who may not know, Sica was a New Jersey poker legend amassing nearly $1.3 million in career earnings dating back to 2004. That included a career-best $503,160 and a gold bracelet for winning the 2004 World Series of Poker $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em event.
Sica, often called “Little Man,” unfortunately passed away after a short battle with cancer in November 2013 at the age of 69. A former teacher, Sica was beloved by players for his passion and affable personality.
Last year, the 5th Annual Sunday $350 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors drew 79 runners and offered up a $23,700 prize pool. A deal was struck that ultimately saw Howard Schuman come out on top to the tune of $3,730.
The tournament will start players with 20,000 in tournament chips and late registration and re-entries will remain open through the break at the end of Level 8. Levels 1-15 are 30 minutes in length and then increase to 40 minutes after that.
Here's a look at the structure:
| Level | Big Blind Ante | Blinds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | 100-100 |
| 2 | 100 | 100-100 |
| 3 | 200 | 100-200 |
| 4 | 300 | 200-300 |
| 5 | 400 | 200-400 |
| 6 | 600 | 300-600 |
| 7 | 800 | 400-800 |
| 8 | 1,000 | 500-1,000 |
| 9 | 1,200 | 600-1,200 |
| 10 | 1,500 | 800-1,500 |
| 11 | 2,000 | 1,000-2,000 |
| 12 | 2,500 | 1,500-2,500 |
| 13 | 3,000 | 1,500-3,000 |
| 14 | 4,000 | 2,000-4,000 |
| 15 | 5,000 | 3,000-5,000 |
| 16 | 6,000 | 3,000-6,000 |
| 17 | 8,000 | 4,000-8,000 |
| 18 | 10,000 | 5,000-10,000 |
| 19 | 12,000 | 6,000-12,000 |
| 20 | 15,000 | 8,000-15,000 |
| 21 | 20,000 | 10,000-20,000 |
| 22 | 25,000 | 15,000-25,000 |
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/100
Ante: 0
Seniors Off and Running (or Walking, No One Wants to Break a Hip)
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
The Seniors are in action early here in the Event Center at the very un-poker-like starting time of 10am.
We usually have Michelle Sica Silesky, Mike Sica's daughter, here to kick of this event with a few words in his honor, but she couldn't make it today. She's with us in spirit, however.
Level: 2
Blinds: 100/100
Ante: 100
Defending Seniors Champion
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Last September, Howard Schuman claimed his second Borgata Open Seniors title when he took first place and $3,730* in the fifth Annual Mike Sica Memorial Seniors event. He was the chip leader among the final six players after about 13 hours of play when they decided to call it a night.
Schuman's first Borgata Open Seniors event title was earned during the 2018 Winter Poker Open when he bested a much larger field of 183 runners. He took first place and $10,938* in a four-way adjusted payout agreement, which again came after about 13 hours of play.
*Indicates Adjusted Payout
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
Update Your Own Chip Count Using the PokerNews MyStack App!
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
PokerNews has activated the MyStack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone.
You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.
Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.
Level: 3
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
Bressler is Back
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
Arthur Bressler is a retired Civil Engineer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and is also a 9/11 survivor. We'll all be remembering that horrific event as the 18th anniversary is coming up in a few days.
Bressler was in the first World Trade Center tower on the 82nd floor, getting out just 20 minutes before it collapsed. As he exited the building, the second tower came crashing down causing what he described as "like a hurricane vacuum". Arthur was scooped up in the whirlwind, thrown and knocked unconscious, until a New York first-responding firefighter found him.
He won the 2011 Fall Poker Open Seniors event along with $15,175 and that was his second Borgata title. His first win here was in 2006, when he won the BPO $500 NLH event for $45,105, which remains his best live cash.
It’s hard to survive a tournament field and reach the final table, but nowhere near as hard as surviving what he has been through. This senior is one tough guy, both on and off the felt.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 |
Level: 4
Blinds: 200/300
Ante: 300