$3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship
Day 1a Completed
2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open
$3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship
Days: 1a
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Leonard "LJ" Sande Bags the Lead in Day 1a of WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship
Level 8
: 400-800, 800 ante
The first flight of the WPT Borgata Poker Open $3,500 Championship saw a total of 382 entry slips sold and when the last chance saloon had closed for business 199 remained. The biggest stack to emerge from Day 1a was Leonard "LJ" Sande who bagged an impressive 245,700.
Sande took off shortly after the last break of the day and jumped to the top of the counts, a spot he locked up by night's end. Sande is a well-known grinder from West Haven, CT, who has amassed over a million in live tournament cashes with his latest coming just two weeks ago in the first event of the series, finishing sixth for $83,644. Watch for Sande on Day 2 to make another deep run and continue his hot start to 2020.
A familiar face is close behind the leader as WPT Champions Club Member Tony Dunst bagged a healthy 224,900 after eight levels. Dunst built his stack early in the day and will be a sure contender on Day 2 with his impressive resume that includes almost $4 million in career earnings. Rounding out the top five are Renata Colache (216,000), Jeremy Joseph (195,600), and Steven Sarmiento (179,100).
Day 1a saw many notables walk through the Borgata doors and not all could find a bag but some who did are John Lytle (171,000), Curt Kohlberg (170,900), Will Givens (165,400), Ory Hen (156,200), Ben Keeline (151,800), Shaun Deeb (128,900), Darren Elias (127,900), Jake Schwartz (127,100), Anthony Zinno (118,900), Galen Hall (94,500), Brian Yoon (73,500), and BorgataPoker.com Sponsored Pro Katie Stone (23,700).
The Day 1b flight will begin tomorrow at 11 a.m. local time on Monday, January 27. A total of eight 60-minute levels will be played before players bag up for the night. Players may register or re-enter until the beginning of level 11 on Day 2 and there is no limit to the number of times one player enters. Players may bag more than one stack but the smaller stack will be forfeited at the beginning of the second day.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be here to provide you with all of the updates, so stay tuned as all of the action unfolds.
End-of-Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 8
: 400-800, 800 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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245,700 | 15,700 |
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224,900 | 89,900 |
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216,100 | 86,100 |
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195,600 | 75,600 |
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179,100 | 179,100 |
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176,400 | -28,600 |
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173,000 | |
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171,000 | -4,000 |
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170,500 | 30,500 |
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165,400 | -22,600 |
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160,300 | |
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158,000 | 158,000 |
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156,200 | -23,800 |
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151,800 | 151,800 |
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150,000 | 150,000 |
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146,400 | |
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146,000 | |
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141,700 | -3,300 |
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139,100 | |
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136,600 | 121,600 |
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136,500 | -8,500 |
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130,700 | |
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129,500 | |
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128,900 | -1,100 |
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128,400 | |
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Assorted Chip Counts
Level 8
: 400-800, 800 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
180,000 | 30,000 |
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145,000 | -35,000 |
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145,000 | |
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145,000 | 15,000 |
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135,000 | 65,000 |
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130,000 | |
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75,000 | 37,000 |
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72,000 | 15,000 |
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55,000 | |
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50,000 | |
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40,000 | |
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35,000 | -20,000 |
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34,000 | |
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32,000 | |
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Elias Climbs Through Givens
Level 8
: 400-800, 800 ante
Will Givens three-bet to 3,500 from middle position, a player in the hijack called and Darren Elias called as well on the button. The dealer fanned out 
on the flop and action checked to Givens who bet 5,800.
The hijack opponent folded, Elias quickly raised to 17,500 and Givens hit the tank. Ultimately he called and the 
peeled off as a turn card.
Givens tapped the table to Elias, he pushed in 32,000 and Givens threw his cards into the muck, shipping the pot to Elias.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
155,000 | 45,000 |
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85,000 | 44,500 |
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Ambassador
Double Knockout Vaults Lytle to the Top
Level 8
: 400-800, 800 ante
John Lytle just send two players to the rail in one of the largest pots of the day. Lytle was tight lipped about the hand history that vaulted him to the top of the chip counts.
"It was a double knockout, that's all I'm saying" Lytle told PokerNews with a smile and he will look to finish with less than one level of play remaining.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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|
175,000 | 5,000 |
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Last Level of the Night
Level 8
: 400-800, 800 ante
Level 8 has begun and this will be the last level of play before the bagging process begins.
Sande Stacking Chips
Level 8
: 400-800, 800 ante
We have just entered the last level of play here on Day 1a and the big stacks are starting to emerge. Leonard "LJ" Sande sent Brian Altman to the rail early in a monster pot and he continues to add to his stack.
Sande is now sitting behind a massive stack of 230,000 and he's now in contention for the Day 1a chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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|
230,000 | 230,000 |
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Level: 8
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 800
Assorted Chip Counts
Level 7
: 300-600, 600 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
180,000 | 6,000 |
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170,000 | |
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150,000 | |
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130,000 | |
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120,000 | |
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120,000 | |
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110,000 | 6,000 |
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110,000 | |
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100,000 | |
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75,000 | |
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70,000 | |
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70,000 | |
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55,000 | |
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35,000 | |
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33,000 | -4,000 |
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30,000 | -8,000 |
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25,000 | -15,000 |
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