Baker's Dozen

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

Two players were all-in against a third:

Kostadines Kotatis held KQ55 and was the shortest stack.

Val Seifert (Baltimore, MD) held A972 and was the middle stack.

Adel Shakerian held AK44 and had them both covered.

The board came K 9 7 J 8 and with no low possible, Val Seifert took he pot with two pair, 9s & 7s. Konstadines Kotatis (New Milford, NJ) finished in 14th place ($514).

At the end of level 17, they took a break and colored up the 500 chips. Here are some chip counts as of the break:

Vince Coleman - 208k
Walter Soho - 118k
Adel Shakerian - 110k
Jeff Hunter - 107k
Terry Wells - 98k
Bill Hine - 71k
Toni Pennington - 54k
Val Seifert - 51k
Joseph Gaval - 31k

13 players remain. Average stack is 80k.

Level 18 has begun with limits of 8k/16k.

Walter Soho showed me a drawing his six year old daughter made for him. Her name is Victoria and she made this four-leaf clover to give her daddy good luck. It must be working as he is currently second in chips!

Six-Year-Old Victoria's Drawing of a 4-Leaf Clover

Down to 14

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

Despite his comeback while playing down to the money, Norberto Sopeno wasn't able to maintain the momentum. He was the first player to cash out, finishing 18th and earning $454.

Daniel Spear (Newtown Square, PA) was next to hit the rail. He finished 17th ($454).

Early chip leader Kevin Dwyer has reported to the rail in 16th, good for $454.

Charles Cady, Jr (Middletown, NJ) made the first money bump, finishing 15th for $514.

Meanwhile, Vince Coleman (Camden, NJ) is staging a comeback of his own. During play-down, he was as low as 5,000 chips and now is back up to about 95k!

Vince Coleman

14 players remain as they move into level 18 with limits of 6k/12k. Average stack is just over 74k.

Bubble Burst!

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

The comeback kid, Norberto Sopeno, (Roanoke, VA) is back up to 17k after being down to only 1,500 chips at one point. As players were dropping between 27 and 20, Norberto was all-in repeatedly and kept winning at least half the pots. During hand-for-hand play he continued to chip up to About 24k.

With 19 players remaining, they began playing hand-for-hand. Also, level 16 concluded and they moved into level 17 with limits of 5k/10k.

Toni Pennington (Galloway, NJ) has been the last woman in this event for quite a while and she ended up also being the shortest stack at bubble-time. She had her last 4k all-in and short for the big blind, which should have been 5k. The under-the-gun player put his last 8k all-in and Adel Shakerian made the call. Here are their hands:

Adel: A943
Toni: A♥Q♣7♥7♠
utg: A332 (spades)

The flop came K♥T♥4♥ giving Toni new life with the nut flush. The last two came 2♥ J♠ and there was no low possible. The utg player was busted as the bubble-boy. Adel took the side-pot with just a pair of 4s and Toni was up to 14,500 and in the money!

With 18 players remaining they took a break and then will redraw for seats and move to the final two tables.

End of Day 1A Chip Counts

$500 +60 NL Deep Stack (1A)

Adam Cook

Position-Name-Chip Count

1. Adam Cook 255,400
2. David Goldstein 194,100
3. Shane Gosline 192,200
4. Ronald Sessinger 177,300
5. Philip Morton Feldman 175,000
6. Brett Asnas 161,800
7. Anthony Caruso 154,000
8. James Romoser 151,500
9. James Salters 148,300
10. Craig Hunkele 135,200
11. Tuan Gbehan 135,100
12. Patrick Hartill 119,400
13. George Zias 117,800
14. Thomas Hudson 116,600
15. Bryan Bindert 116,000
16. Usher Lemberg 115,500
17. Sheree Bykofsky 103,000
18. Jeffrey Kehoe 94,800
19. Mazen Karnaby 89,300
20t. Albert Garver 83,500
20t. Harry Piacitelli 83,500
22. Leiby Goldberger 81,100
23. Gregory Rochester 79,900
24. Misael Santiago 77,200
25. Joshua Hertz 67,200
26. Dominic Popolizio 56,300
27. Edwin Lau 55,900
28. Phil Lifschitz 52,600
29. Douglas Rosen 44,900
3o. Robert Geoghegan 28,000
31. Justin Blair 21,200

Bubble Looms

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

They resumed play after dinner with level 15, limits 3k/6k.

Only in Omaha Hi/Lo can you flop the nut straight, turn a straight-flush, and end up with only half the pot. That happened to a player holding 8♦6♦5♣5♠. The flop was 7♦6♠4♦ giving him the nut straight, then the 5♦ landed on the turn giving him the straight-flush and a hammer lock on half the pot. His opponent took the other half with A2xx for the nut low.

Terry Wells

Players were dropping fast as the high limits were eating up the short stacks. Terry Wells has taken the lead. He's up to 105k. Adel Shakerian has about 90k.

Walter Soho told me he's taking it easy right now, but as soon at they make the money, (18 players) he's going to kick it into high gear and take this one down!

With 21 players remaining, level 15 concluded and they continued into level 16 with limits of 4k/8k.

Another short-stack was dispatched and with 20 players left they were just two away from payday.

Joseph Gaval (Barnegat, NJ) wins the Father of the Day award this Father's Day. He has seven children, four girls and three boys, ranging in age from 18 down to 5. "I got up early and did the Father's Day thing, then left to come play poker". He lives about 40 minutes away, so the drive wasn't too bad. Perhaps his Father's Day present will be cashing in this tournament!

Joseph Gaval

It's a Wrap

$500 +60 NL Deep Stack (1A)

The final hand of the day 1A Deep Stack is unkind to Justin Blair who calls the all-in bet of Dominic Popolizio, who's at risk for his final 25k. Blair tables pocket aces vs K 5 and is way ahead until Popolizio flops two pairs and doubles up.

It's a tough hand for Blair who finishes the day last in chips with only 21,200, while giving Popolizio a much needed double up to 56,300.

The chip leader is Adam Cook (Pasadena, MD) who has 255,400 and is looking for another Borgata Summer Poker Open Deep run, after finishing 4th in Event 1 ($200 +$30).

31 players finish the day with an average stack of 124k. Day 1B is Monday at 11 am, with the Day 2 final scheduled for Tuesday.

Back in Action

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

The Omaha Hi/Lo players have resumed play with level 14, limits of 2k/4k. Already a couple of short-stacks have busted out.

They are down to 28 players at four tables (9-handed) and will break another table when one more player departs. Average stack is over 37,000.

Only the final two tables (18 players) will get paid.

Last Level

Players Remaining: 40
Average Chip Stack: 95k
Blinds: 1,200/2,400/300 ante (Level 13)

Still in the field: Mike Dentale, James Salters, Sheree Bykofsky & Tuan Gbehan

Stacking Greys

$500 +60 NL Deep Stack (1A)

Hunkele Hunkers Down

Craig Hunkele (Pittsburgh, PA) makes a 25k river bet on a board of 7♥ 4♦ Q♠ 9♣ 6♠, his opponent tanks and folds. Hunkele flashes pocket 4s for a flopped set and another big pot.

Hunkele is now the unofficial chip leader with ~200k as he has a healthy stack of the grey (5k) chips.

Level 12 (1k/2k/300 ante) continues. They'll play one more level and then shut it down for the night. Players will be bagging and tagging around 9 pm.

Dinner Time!

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

The fifth table broke meaning they are down to the final forty players as the last couple of minutes in level 13 ticked away.

Players were dispatched on a 50-minutes dinner break. Play will resume at about 8:20pm.

Walter Soho is at 60k and has been eclipsed for the chip lead by Kevin Dwyer, (Montaugh, NY) who is up to 65k. Coincidentally, Kevin landed in the seat to Walter's left when his table broke, so the two biggest stacks in the room are side-by-side.

Kevin Dwyer

Omaha Hi/Lo Defending Champ

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

Adel Shakerian


Adel Shakerian (Falls Church, VA) is playing today trying to repeat his success from April. During the Borgata Spring Poker Open, Adel took top prize in the Omaha Hi/Lo event, earning $13,489. 



Adel's doing all right so far today with about 30k in chips.



Walter Soho is still leading the field with about 65k.

Walter Soho


Five tables remain with fewer than 50 players still alive. They're currently playing in level 12 with limits of 1k/2k.

1K Recap

Borgata Summer Open 2010
Event #10 - $1,000 + 90 NL
Entries: 153
Prizepool: $153,000

The biggest buy-in tournament of this year's series to date drew a tough field of 153 players. Over the course of two days we saw sensational poker and sick suckouts.

We began the day with the final 10 players fighting for their shot at the $45,710 first prize and Borgata trophy and it ended with Hal Neeman (Cherry Hill, NJ) standing alone as our champion. The Final Table saw Borgata regulars, 'Benny Benz' Bianco and Ed Corrado, put up a good fight, but fall short to the young kid on a card rush.

David Rosenau, Manny Patel, Adam Gerber and Tom Dobrilovic were listed as notables that anted up and busted on Day 1. Sheree Bykofsky and Joanne Monteavaro headlined the female participants, with Monteavaro placing sixth, good for $7,421.

After a busy Father's Day at Borgata, Monday's schedule includes:
- Day 1B of the $560 NL Deep Stack
- $120 NL tournament at 7 pm

Chugging Along

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

Entries: 104
Total Buy-In: $31,200
Top Prize: $9,321
Places Paid: 18

Players Remaining:60
Average Chip Stack: 17k
Blinds: 500/1k (Level 11)

Courtesy Double-Up

$500 + $60 Deep Stack NL

Playing in level 9, blinds 500/1,000 with 100 antes:

After a raise to 3k and a couple of callers, Tomasz Gliniecki (Jackson, NJ) shipped his last 15k from the big blind. Everyone but big stack Larry Nguyen opts out and Larry makes the call, showing KT of clubs. Tomasz is holding the weapons of mass destruction, pocket Aces.

The board ran out 7 6 4 7 2 with not a club in sight and Tomasz more than doubled up.

Patrick Hartill

After that hand, Larry was down to about 125k and is no longer the chip leader. Patrick Hartill (Queens, NY) is currently sitting behind 162k.

Other stacks of interest:
James 'Suits' Salters - ~93k
Sheree Bykofsky - ~92k

There are currently 8 tables in action, so fewer than 80 players remain.

Congrats, Hal

$1,000 + 90 NL

Borgata has crowned another Champion,
we have a winner in the 1K...

Hal Neeman (Cherry Hill, NJ)
1st Place - $45,710

"It was two long days of poker, I never tilted and was fortunate enough to take it down," said the newest Borgata Summer Open Champion.

1K Busts

$1,000 + 90 NL

Event #10
Number of Entrants: 153
Total Buy-In: $153,000

Recent 1K Bustouts...

Jack Barnes (Brick, NJ)
2nd Place - $25,230

'Benny Benz' Bianco (Franklin Square, NY)
3rd Place - $14,099

Nut Nut

$300 + $50 Omaha H/L

Neil Levine (Norristown, PA) has been short stacked for the last few levels, but picks up new life when he turns the nut-nut. Levine's K ♦ 2 ♦ 3 ♦ 5♣ turns the high and low nuts on a board of
A ♦ Q♠ 5 ♦ 7 ♦.

His opponent flops top two and needs to pair the board to win the high part of the hand, but when the 6♠ hits the river Levin scoops the pot taking his stack back to 7,500.

The clear chip leader is Walter Soho (Long Island, NY) who has 37k. "Fast and steady," he says, while one player chimes in, "he's hitting boat after boat after boat." Soho smiles and responds, "yup."

80 players remain as Level 10 (400/800) continues.

1K Info

$1,000 + 90 NL

Number of Entries: 153
Prizepool: $153,000

Blinds @ 10,000/20,000/3,000a

Name - Chip-Counts:

Hal Neeman - 1,100,000
Jack Barnes - 810,000
'Benny Benz' Bianco - 475,000

Ed Exits

$1,000 + 90 NL

Ed Corrado (Naples, FL)
4th Place - $10,389

The long time gambler loses a coinflip with A♣ K♠ vs 3♠3♥ to bust in 4th. His wife packs up her romance novel and the couple exits Borgata's Poker Room, another solid showing from the old school poker veteran.

Doran Dusted

$1,000 + 90 NL

John Doran (Woolwich Twp, NJ)
5th Place - $8,905

Hal Neeman limped from the small blind and trapped John Doran, who found all his chips in the middle with Q♣10♣ vs A♥A♣.

The board ran out dry and we're left with 4 players.