2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Event 1: $560 $1 Million Guaranteed Deep-Stack NLHE Reentry
Day: 3
Event Info

2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Carlos Alvarado
Prize
$127,652
Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Entries
2,482
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
40,000

Matthew Itkin Eliminated in 8th Place ($28,902)

Level 34 : 150,000/300,000, 40,000 ante
Matthew itkin - 8th Place
Matthew itkin - 8th Place

Matthew Itkin only had about 10 ten big blinds returning from the recent break. Although he fought valiantly to run that short-stack up, his run came to an abrupt end over the course of two consecutive hands a few moments ago.

First, Itkin and Adam Pace saw a flop of {5-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{k-Clubs} and checked it down, doing the same on the {9-Hearts} turn.

When the {7-Clubs} peeled off on the river Itkin led out for a bet of 700,000. Pace called the bet and Itkin confidently announced "straight," only to hear Pace respond with "so do I."

That spelled bad news for Itkin, as his {6-Hearts}{6-Diamonds} was not good enough to best Pace and his {j-Hearts}{10-Hearts}. Left with just a big blind or two after the loss, Itkin open-shoved on the next hand with {a-Hearts}{7-Hearts}, running right into the {a-Clubs}{k-Diamonds} held by Zbigniew Fido.

The final board of {10-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}{8-Diamonds} brought a bit of sweat headed to fifth street, but the wrong red card came down on the river. Itkin exited in 8th place for a $28,902 score.

Player Chips Progress
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
12,500,000 -3,500,000
Zbigniew Fido us
Zbigniew Fido
6,400,000 1,000,000
Matthew Itkin
Matthew Itkin
Busted

Tags: Adam PaceMatthew ItkinZbigniew Fido

Kicker Problems

Level 34 : 150,000/300,000, 40,000 ante

Kevin Grabel raised to 665,000 from early position, Phil Neiman defended his big blind, and the dealer fanned {2-Spades}{7-Spades}{a-Spades}. Neiman stared down Grabel before checking, then quickly called a bet of 800,000.

The turn was the {9-Hearts}, Neiman check-called another 1.1 million, and the two knuckled after the {8-Diamonds} completed the board.

"Ace," Grabel said.

"Me too," Neiman replied.

Neiman showed {a-Diamonds}{j-Spades} for a jack kicker, and Grabel flicked {a-Hearts}{4-Hearts} into the muck face up.

Player Chips Progress
Philip Neiman us
Philip Neiman
12,800,000 2,600,000
Kevin Grabel us
Kevin Grabel
8,100,000 -2,300,000

Tags: Philip NeimanKevin Grabel

Alvarado's Failed Bluff

Level 34 : 150,000/300,000, 40,000 ante
Carlos Alvarado loses a big chunk of his stack
Carlos Alvarado loses a big chunk of his stack

Carlos Alvarado raised to 625,000 from the cutoff, Adam Pace called out of the big blind, and then led out for 350,000 on a flop of {q-Hearts}{6-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}. Alvarado called.

The turn was the suicide king ({k-Hearts}), and Pace led out again, again for 350,000. Alvarado clicked it to 700,000, Pace called, and the {10-Spades} completed the board.

Pace led out for a third and final time, firing 1.2 million, and Alvarado reached for white T100,000 chips. He assembled a tower, pushing forward a raise of what looked like 2.8 million, and Pace announced a call, showing {q-Diamonds}{8-Spades} for a pair of queens.

Alvarado mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
16,000,000 4,400,000
Carlos Alvarado us
Carlos Alvarado
6,500,000 -5,200,000

Tags: Adam PaceCarlos Alvarado

Mantin Doubles

Level 34 : 150,000/300,000, 40,000 ante
Mitchell Mantin
Mitchell Mantin

One the second deal back from the recent break, a short-stacked Mitchell Mantin made his stand with a three-bet shove for 2.17 million from the big blind.

Chip leader Kevin Grabel had tried to steal from the cutoff with a 640,000 wager, and when he calculated the amount left to call in comparison with the pot, he elected to make the call with just {6-Hearts}{9-Spades}.

Mantin rolled over {A-Spades}{k-Diamonds} but rather than racing a pair or dominating a weaker ace, he was actually fading two live cards that could easily combine with many possible boards.

The flop came down {5-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{j-Hearts} to add a gutshot straight draw to Grabel's arsenal of outs, but the turn ({10-Diamonds}) and river ({2-Diamonds}) bricked off to send the pot Mantin way.

Player Chips Progress
Kevin Grabel us
Kevin Grabel
10,400,000 -2,300,000
Mitchell Mantin us
Mitchell Mantin
5,000,000 3,760,000

Tags: Kevin GrabelMitchell Mantin

Level: 34

Blinds: 150,000/300,000

Ante: 40,000

Updated Counts at Break

Level 33 : 120,000/240,000, 30,000 ante

Here are the current chip counts for the final eight players.

Player Chips Progress
Kevin Grabel us
Kevin Grabel
12,700,000 -600,000
Carlos Alvarado us
Carlos Alvarado
11,700,000 2,700,000
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
11,600,000 100,000
Philip Neiman us
Philip Neiman
10,200,000 -800,000
John Yanni us
John Yanni
6,000,000 -210,000
Zbigniew Fido us
Zbigniew Fido
5,400,000 880,000
Matthew Itkin
Matthew Itkin
3,200,000 1,550,000
Mitchell Mantin us
Mitchell Mantin
1,240,000 -1,560,000

Mikhail Mironenko Eliminated in 9th Place ($21,074)

Level 33 : 120,000/240,000, 30,000 ante
Mikhail Mironenko - 9th Place
Mikhail Mironenko - 9th Place

Adam Pace opened for 600,000 from under the gun and when the action folded around to Mikhail Mironenko in the cutoff, he three-bet jammed for his last 2 million or so.

Pace liked the look of his {8-Spades}{8-Diamonds} enough to make the call, and he found himself in a great spot when Mironenko tabled the {A-Spades}{5-Diamonds}.

The final board ran out {k-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{9-Diamonds} and with that Mironenko's deep run came to an end with a 9th place finish. Pace, meanwhile, moved to nearly 12 million in chips to give himself the the second largest stack at the final table.

Player Chips Progress
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
11,500,000 3,300,000
Mikhail Mironenko
Mikhail Mironenko
Busted

Tags: Adam PaceMikhail Mironenko

Stephanie Hubbard Eliminated in 10th Place ($13,849)

Level 33 : 120,000/240,000, 30,000 ante
Stephanie Hubbard - 10th Place
Stephanie Hubbard - 10th Place

Stephanie Hubbard raised to 450,000 in the hijack, Adam Pace three-bet to what looked like a million or so out of the big blind, and Hubbard moved all in for about four million. Pace called.

Hubbard: {3-}{3-}
Pace: {j-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}

The jacks held as the board came {8-Spades}{4-Hearts}{5-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}, and Hubbard was left with just 930,000 chips.

About an orbit later she open-shoved her last few big blinds, and Phil Neiman called in the cutoff. When the players on the button and in the blinds folded Hubbard quickly showed {a-Hearts}{7-Hearts}, but Neiman was still collecting chips to make the call.

"Show your hand," Hubbard requested.

"I will," Neiman shot back before slowly revealing {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}.

Neiman made Broadway as the board ran out {10-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}, and Hubbard was eliminated.

Player Chips Progress
Philip Neiman us
Philip Neiman
11,000,000 -500,000
Adam Pace
Adam Pace
8,200,000 2,700,000
Stephanie Hubbard us
Stephanie Hubbard
Busted

Tags: Adam PacePhilip NeimanStephanie Hubbard