2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open

$3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship
Day: 1a
Event Info

2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Event Info
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$4,129,290
Entries
1,290
Players Left
6
Average Chip Stack
8,600,000
Total Chips
51,600,000
Next Payout
Place 6
$143,264
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
120,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
382
Players Left
199

It Takes a Village (and a couple of Werewolves)

Although they're competitors on the felt, many poker players have found a way to cooperate during their leisure time in a game called Ultimate Werewolf (UW). The Villagers have to work together to find and kill the Wolves during the day and the Wolves are picking off the Villagers at night.

It's a fun strategy and bluffing game — skills that put it right in the wheelhouse of most poker players. Plus it's a way to kill time between tournaments! Here are some UW players in Flight A.

Joe McKeehenTony SinishtajSpencer ChamplinMichael MarderEmily SnowChristian Harder

Givens All Smiles After Winning SixMax

Level 6 : 300/500, 500 ante
Will Givens
Will Givens

Will Givens battled Anthony Zinno heads up yesterday for a couple of hours before he emerged victorious at the final table of Event #14: $1,090 SixMax NLH. The win was good for more than $91,000 and is Givens' second title from Borgata (the first came back in 2014).

He's all smiles today as he sits in the Championship Flight A, which has just three more levels to play before the bag and tag.

Player Chips Progress
Will Givens us
Will Givens
WSOP 1X Winner
40,500

Tags: Will Givens

Level: 6

Blinds: 300/500

Ante: 500

MGM Properties Join Forces to Launch MGM East Coast Poker Tour (ECPT)

Level 5 : 200/400, 400 ante
MGM East Coast Poker Tour (ECPT)
MGM East Coast Poker Tour (ECPT)

There’s a new poker tour in town as a trio of MGM properties – MGM National Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Borgata – have joined forces to establish the MGM East Coast Poker Tour (ECPT).

The tour will consist of the following stops:

  • Potomac Winter Poker Open at MGM National Harbor February 5-17
  • Borgata Spring Poker Open April 7-24
  • Borgata Summer Poker Open July 7-24
  • Potomac Summer Poker Open at MGM National Harbor July 22-August 3
  • The Armory Classic at MGM Springfield August 12-24

“MGM Resorts offers players the best poker product on the East Coast,” said Jorge Perez, Portfolio President. “Our East Coast Poker Tour is a great way for us to showcase three of our industry-leading properties while creating an exciting tournament series for our guests and poker enthusiasts.”

The Points Leaderboard

Linking the five events will be a leaderboard where players can earn points by participating in any qualifying events.

Leaderboard prizes consist of the following: the top 90 finishers on the leaderboard will earn entry into Borgata Fall Poker Open/MGM Resorts East Coast Poker Tour $2,000,000 Guaranteed Championship on November 15-20, 2020 ($3,500 value) including complimentary overnight stays. Others can win $250 room credits, Cartier watch ($2,500 value) and $500 MGM Resorts promotional gift cards.

Players can earn points in a variety of ways including “Participation Points” for buying into tournaments, “Entry Points” based on field sizes, and “Placement Points” for making the final table. Click here for more details on the point system.

The leaderboard will be posted to MGMECPT.com and updated daily when qualifying events are occurring. Points for the leaderboard will be finalized on August 25, 2020.

Previewing the Potomac Winter Poker Open

The upcoming Potomac Winter Poker Open at MGM National Harbor, which runs from February 5-17, 2020, will offer over $1,000,000 in guarantees over 14 events. It marks the first time a winter edition of the PPO has been held to complement its annual late-summer series.

Highlights on the schedule include the $400 buy-in, $500,000 guaranteed Opener and the $3,000 buy-in, $500,000 guarantee Main Event. What’s more, PokerNews is slated to be on-site to offer live updates from both of those events as well as the $400 Large Stack BB Ante from February 12-13.

Below is a look at the full schedule.

2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open Schedule

DateTimeEventBuy-inStarting Chips
Wednesday, February 55 p.m.NLH Opener $500K GTD 1a$40025K
Thursday, February 65 p.m.NLH Opener $500K GTD 1b$40025K
Friday, February 711 a.m.NLH Opener $500K GTD 1c$40025K
Friday, February 75 p.m.NLH Opener $500K GTD 1d$40025K
Saturday, February 811 a.m.NLH Opener $500K GTD 1e$40025K
Saturday, February 85 p.m.NLH Opener $500K GTD 1f$40025K
Sunday, February 9NoonOpener Day 2 Restart  
Sunday, February 9NoonEvent #2: NLH (One-Day) $50K GTD$40025K
Sunday, February 94 p.m.Event #3: PLO 5-Card High$40025K
Sunday, February 97 p.m.Main Event Super Satellite 3 seats GTD$200 w/ $100 re-entries8K
Monday, February 1011 a.m.Event #4: NLH (One-Day)$40025K
Monday, February 104 p.m.Event #5: 8-Game Mix$60030K
Monday, February 107 p.m.Main Event Super Satellite 3 seats GTD$200 w/ $100 re-entries8K
Tuesday, February 1111 a.m.Event #6: NLH Seniors (One-Day)$25020K
Tuesday, February 114 p.m.Event #7: PL 5-Card Omaha High/Big O$60030K
Tuesday, February 117 p.m.Main Event Super Satellite 3 seats GTD$200 w/ $100 re-entries8K
Wednesday, February 1211 a.m.Event #8: Large Stack BBA Day 1a $100K GTD$40040k
Wednesday, February 125 p.m.Event #8: Large Stack BBA Day 1b $100K GTD$40040k
Wednesday, February 127 p.m.Main Event Super Satellite 3 seats GTD$200 w/ $100 re-entries8K
Thursday, February 1311 a.m.Event #9: Multi-Flight NLH Day 1a $100K GTD$40025K
Thursday, February 134 p.m.Event #10: Heads-Up (64-Player Max)$60015/30K
Thursday, February 137 p.m.Main Event Super Satellite 3 seats GTD$200 w/ $100 re-entries8K
Friday, February 1410 a.m.Megasatellite 5 Seats GTD$60020K
Friday, February 1411 a.m.Main Event Day 1a $500K GTD$3,00050K
Friday, February 14NoonEvent #9: Multi-Flight NLH Day 1b $100K GTD$40025K
Friday, February 144 p.m.Main Event Super Satellite 5 seats GTD$200 w/ $100 re-entries8K
Friday, February 148 p.m.Megasatellite 5 Seats GTD$60020K
Saturday, February 1510 a.m.Megasatellite 5 Seats GTD$60020K
Saturday, February 1511 a.m.Main Event Day 1b $500K GTD$3,00050K
Saturday, February 15NoonEvent #9: Multi-Flight NLH Day 1b $100K GTD$40025K
Saturday, February 153 p.m.Last Chance Megasatellite 5 Seats GTD$60015K
Saturday, February 156 p.m.Main Event Day 1c $500K GTD$3,00050K
Sunday, February 1611 a.m.Event #9: Multi-Flight NLH Restart  
Sunday, February 16NoonEvent #12: NLH (One-Day) $50K GTD$40025K
Sunday, February 16NoonFlight C Main Event Restart (levels 10-13)  
Sunday, February 163 p.m.Day 2 Restart for Main Event  
Sunday, February 165 p.m.Event #13: 5-Card PLO Championship$1,20040K
Monday, February 1711 a.m.Event #14: NLH (One-Day)$40040K
Monday, February 171 p.m.Main Event Final Table  

Birthday Boys

Level 5 : 200/400, 400 ante
Barry Leventhal & Mike Dentale
Barry Leventhal & Mike Dentale

Barry Leventhal and Mike Dentale are both Borgata regulars and both celebrated their birthdays yesterday. Unfortunately, not by winning any tournaments. They're both in Flight A of the Championship event today, so perhaps they'll experience some belated birthday run-good here today.

Happy Belated Birthday to both!

Player Chips Progress
Mike Dentale us
Mike Dentale
54,000
Barry Leventhal us
Barry Leventhal
49,000

Tags: Barry LeventhalMike Dentale

"Free-"Rolling Stone

Level 5 : 200/400, 400 ante
Katie Stone
Katie Stone

Katie Stone won the Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) event last night, which got her the $3,500 seat in this event, so she's free-rolling the Championship today!

This is her fourth Borgata title, which makes her the only woman to win four events here at Borgata, breaking the four-way tie with Patricia Barsanti-Chou, Anna Antimony, and Alida Veliu.

Stone's Four Borgata Wins:
2017 $300 Summer Open Ladies Event
2017 $300 Fall Open DeepStack
2018 $300 Fall Open Deepest Stack
2019 $220 CSOP NLH

Player Chips Progress
Katie Stone us
Katie Stone
24,000 24,000

Tags: Katie Stone

Level: 5

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

Enter Email for Chance to Win FREE Borgata Spring Poker Open $2,700 Championship Event Seat

Level 4 : 200/300, 300 ante

The Borgata Spring Poker Open is slated to run April 7-24, 2020 and will culminate with a $2,700 buy-in Championship Event.

One lucky winner will get in for FREE courtesy of Oddschecker US!

All you need to do is enter your email for a chance to win. One lucky winner will be randomly selected and notified via email on Friday, January 31!

Click here for more details and to enter the Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship giveaway.

Everybody's Favorite Runner-Up

Level 4 : 200/300, 300 ante
Steve Dannenmann
Steve Dannenmann

Steve Dannenmann finished second in the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning $4.25 million. His self-deprecating demeanor made the accountant a fan favorite throughout the coverage on ESPN.

He's a regular here at Borgata and players always have a good time at his table. He just picked up a pot and is slightly above the starting stack in early action. Dannenmann cashed in the 2019 Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship, finishing 10th for $16,204, so he's got experience fighting his way through the local talent to make it to the final table.

Player Chips Progress
Steve Dannenmann us
Steve Dannenmann
45,000

Tags: Steve Dannenmann