Event 6: Winner - Matranca

$1000 + 90 No Limit Hold'em

Martin Matranca (Miami, FL)

$48,595

Martin Matranca (Miami, FL) can no longer say he doesn't run that well in Borgata events, as he take home the trophy (and the $48,595 prize) for Event 6.  This $1000 buy-in event brought in a great field, and Martin outlasted a truly class field.

Event 6: Runner-Up - Skinner

$1000 + 90 No Limit Hold'em

Troy Skinner (Safford, AZ)

$26,728

With both players holding over 100 BB each beginning heads up play, this looked like a heads up match that could go deep into the night.  It was only three hands into the heads-up play before we would be crowning a champion.  With blinds at 6k/12k/2k Troy was first to act on the button and raised to 30k.  Matranca called from the big blind and we went to a flop of Kh Kc 8c.  Matranca checked-called Skinner's 40k bet on the flop, and the turn came out the 3d.  The players went check-check, and it was to the all important river, which brought the 4c.  Seemingly from left field Matranca shipped all in and was called by Skinner.  Skinner table As 5s, and Matranca thought he had lost the hand at first thought.  Martin had Ac 7h, and the kicker would play giving him the win, and the $48,595 first place.

Event 6: Lee Childs - 4th Place Interview

Video interview with Lee Childs - Event 6 4th Place Finisher - $12,959

Event 6: 3rd Place - McKeehen

$1000 + 90 No Limit Hold'em

Joseph McKeehen (North Wales, PA)

$15,389

McKeehen was the short stack when the players got to three handed, and it was going to take something monumental to get back in the game.  In a blind v. blind situation, Martin Matranca raises to 36k, and was three by McKeehen to 100k.  Matranca subsequently went all-in and was then called by McKeehen:

McKeehen: Ah Jd             Matranca: Ac 9c

Flop: 4c 10h 9h

Turn: 2s

River: 9s

Event 9: Playing Into The Night

$350 + 50 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha High

There are 29 players remaining, playing Level 14 with 1500/3,000 blinds and a chip average of 104k.  Allen Kessler has taken the chip lead from Eric Doerr (315k) with just over 330k.

Event 6: Updated Chip Counts

$1000 + 90 No Limit Hold'em

Three handed chip counts:

Joseph McKeehen - 360
Martin Matranca - 1.1 million
Troy Skinner - 1.3 million

Event 8: Bubble Burst

$260 + 40 Ladies No Limit Hold'em

The bubble has finally burst for the ladies as two players are eliminated during the same hand-for-hand play.  The 17 remaining entrants are currently on break, and when they return we will be in Level 18 with 4k/8k/1k.

Event 6: 4th Place - Childs

$1000 + $90 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Lee Childs (Alexndria, VA)

$12,959

Martin Matranca shoved from the small blind and short-stacked Lee Childs called all-in from the big.

Lee was ahead with KQ.  Martin had 86.

Then the board brought a brutal 8 8 4 3 9 giving Martin trips.j

Lee busted out in 4th place, earning $12,959.  Not a bad finish considering he started the day 25th in chips out of 27 returning players.

Event 8: Interesting Happenings

$260 + 40 Ladies No Limit Hold'em

With 19 players remaining, and being one from the money, we had a very interested situation.  It folded around to the blinds, who were two of the bigger stacks in remaining in the tournament.  The small blind open shoved for over 150k, and was called by Claire Chiang (Chandler, AZ) from the big blind.  The small blind tabled a pair of three's, while Claire showed A K.  Chiang took the lead with a king on the flop and never relinquished it.  So with a handful of stacks with less than eight big blinds, the two big stacks tangle, and Chiang takes a dominating chip lead in the event.

*After that hand, the player who was crippled tripled up, still leaving us on the bubble.

Event 6: Shifting Chips

$1000 + $90 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Level 21:  Blinds 6k/12, with 2k ante

Troy Skinner opened for 30k.

Lee Childs shoved from the small blind.

Troy gave it some thought, then said "I don't want to double you up" and folded.

Lee is still short with ~150k.

Joseph McKeehen opened for 24k and Troy called.

On the flop of K 8 2 -- all diamonds -- Joseph led out for 20k.  Troy raised to 40k.  Joseph shoved.  Troy folded.

Event 8: Martin Doubles On The Bubble

$260 + 40 Ladies No Limit Hold'em

With two more bustouts we will be in the money, and Nancy Martin picked a great spot to double up.  After a raise to 12k (3k/6k blinds), Nancy shipped her last 30k with a pair of tens, and was called by the original raiser who held A Q.  The board ran all unders to Nancy's pocket tens, and she doubles up to over 60k.

Event 6: Childs Doubles; Doubles McKeehen

$1000 + $90 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Lee Childs opened for 22k and Troy Skinner called.

On the flop of T 5 4, all the chips went in the pot.

Lee had pocket Tens and had flopped a set.  Troy had A3 suited and had flopped a flush draw with gutshot.

Troy made his flush, but the board paired, giving Lee the full house.  He doubled up to 408k.

Then in a battle of the blinds, Lee flopped a pair of Aces, but ran into a set held by Joseph McKeehen.

Lee dropped to 170k.  Joseph is up to ~400k.

Event 8: Bubble Approaching

$260 + 40 Ladies No Limit Hold'em

Helen Ellis (New York)

There are 23 players remaining, and the bubble looms close (18 players paid).  Helen Ellis, who final tabled Event 2 (HORSE - 6th Place $2,767), is now creeping up the ladder towards the chip lead.  Helen sits with 180k and is looking to make her second final table of this series.

Event 9: Break Time

$350 + 50 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha High

Bryce Fox (Pittsburgh, PA)

The now 36 players remaining are on a 15 minute break as the black chips are colored off the table.  When they do return, Doerr will have some competition for the chip lead as Bryce Fox (Pittsburgh, PA) now sits with just under 260k.  Coming back the blinds will be 1k/2k, with a chip average of 83k.  We did get an update on Allen Cunningham's departure, as Robert Melo (Brooklyn, NY) flopped a full house against Cunningham who was super short and committed to the pot.

Event 6: 5th Place - Martini

 $1000 + $90 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)     

James Martini (Incline Village, NV)

$9,719

Lee Childs opened for 20k, Troy Skinner called, then James Martini raised to 65k.

Lee folded (pocket 4s, he said later) and Troy called.

On the flop of 7 5 3, Troy got all-in against James.

Troy had 96 suited for a double-gutshot straight-draw.

James was ahead with pocket Queens.

Then the last two came 9 6 giving Troy runner-runner two pair.  He doubled up.

James was then all-in and dominating with AJ against Troy's KJ.

But the board fell 8 7 3 K T and Troy paired his King to take the pot.

James Martini finished in 5th place ($9,719).

Event 6: Another Double Martini

$1000 + $90 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)     

James Martini was all-in with AJ suited against Troy Skinner's pocket 8s.

Board was J 7 3 A 6 and James doubled up to ~580k.

Troy was down to ~400k.

Martin Matranca is still the chip leader.  He got about 1 million.

Lee Childs has about 360k.

Joseph McKeehen is the short-stack with ~320k.

Level 20:  Blinds 5k/10k with 1k ante.

Event 9: Big Stacked Field

$350 + 50 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha High

Eric Doerr (Newark, DE)

The PLO field was a stacked one today, with a handful of notables still alive.  There are 41 players remaining, currently in Level 12 with 800/1500 blinds.  Our current chip leader is Eric Doerr (Newark, DE) with over 260k.  Players will play until 18 remain or 2:00 am (which ever comes last), and those remaining are all shooting for the $15,381 first place prize money.  Allen Kessler is just one of the many notables still remaining, while Allen Cunnigham is the most recent to hit the rail.

Event 6: 6th Place - Egan

$1000 + $90 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Andrew Egan (Hockessin, DE)

$8,100

Andrew Egan got his chips in the middle with KJ against Troy Skinner's AJ.

Andrew took the lead on the flop of K 4 4, and picked up a flush draw on the turn, but an offsuit Ace on the river sent the pot to Troy.

Andrew Egan finished in 6th place, earning $8,100.

Event 9: Payouts

$350 + 50 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha High

Entrants: 151

Total Buy-In: $52,850

1. $15,381
2. $8,459
3. $4,870
4. $4,101
5. $3,076
6. $2,563
7. $2,051
8. $1,538
9. $1,153

10-12. $1,025

13-15. $897

16-18. $769

Event 8: Ladies Rolling Along

$260 + 40 Ladies No Limit Hold'em

Robyn Resnick (Northfield, NJ)

The ladies event is moving at a brisk pace, with 29 players remaining of the 139 entrants that started the day.  The ladies are currently in Level 15, with blinds at 2k/4k/400 and a chip average of 58k (~14 BB).  The chip leader is Robyn Resnick with just over 165k, but there are a handful of players near that mark.  Some notables (and Borgata regulars) still alive are Nancy Martin and Marguerite Spagnuolo.  18 players will being making money in this event, and we will bring you more updates as we reach the money bubble.

Event 6: 7th Place - Brikis

$1000 + $90 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)      

Josh Brikis (Pittsburgh, PA)

$6,480

Lee Childs got all-in holding AK against Martin Matranca's KQ.

The board fell 6 3 4 9 4 and Lee's nut-no-pair was good for the double-up.  He's now got 375k.

Josh Brikis got his chips in with AK suited against Martin's pocket 6s.

The flop of A A 6 was crushing.  Josh made trip Aces, but Martin flopped 6s-full.

Bricks on the turn and river were no help to Brikis.

Josh Brikis finished in 7th place, earning $6,480.

Event 7 Recap

$260 + $40 + $50 Double Green Chip Bounty All In or Fold NLH (Re-Entry)

Having this much fun in a poker tournament should be illegal, that's how the final three players felt about the inaugural All in or Fold trophy event.  In the end Chris Jones (Nyack, NY) had 70% of the chips in play before he finished off Mike Holm (Woodridge, IL) as runner-up and Jack Battaglia (Staten Island, SC) in third place.

"This made my day right here," said Jones while holding his first Borgata trophy to go along with $8,019 for the win. "I didn't care about the money, I just wanted the trophy."

The final three players were having such a good time that midway through the event they wrote on the prize pool sheet that they would be at the top.  "It suited our play well because we both play conservatively," said Jones about his and Holm's play.

"Avoid the big stack, avoid calling with good hands, and don't be afraid to push with good hands," said Holm who authored the prophetic prediction and listed his keys to success.

None of the top three had ever played in this format. "I wanted to have some fun," said Battaglia, "and we had a blast. This was a great tournament."

The 106 entries put up a total buy-in of  $27,560 and featured 5 time WSOP bracelet winner Allen Cunningham and 2005 WSOP Main Event runner-up Steve Dannenmann.  At one point they were seated side-by-side putting more than $15 million in career tournament earnings at the table, but both failed to reach the money.

Borgata regulars who cashed included, Mike Marder (9th), Thomas Hoglund (14th), Joe Opie (15th) Byung Yoo (16th), and Ari Alibiliav (18th). Opie's cash comes on the heels of his 4th place finish in Event 3 for $14,360.

Jones is a physical therapist who plays poker "seriously" and now has his sights set on the WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship event.

Final Table Results

1 Chris Jones (Nyack, NY) $8,019
2 Mike Holm (Woodridge, IL) $4,410
3 Jack Battaglia (Staten Island, SC) $2,540
4 Mikhail Patish (Edison, NJ) $2,139
5 Rich Pyne (Turnversville, NJ) $1,604
6 Robert Miller (Nanuet, NY) $1,337
7 Terry Grimes (New Rochelle, NY) $1,069
8 Peter Bowman (Sullivans Island, SC) $802
9 Mike Marder (Sewell, NJ) $602
10 Darryl Tam (New York, NY) $535

Event 7 Winner - Jones

$260 + $40 + $50 Double Green Chip Bounty All In or Fold NLH (Re-Entry)

Chris Jones (Nyack, NY) 

$8,019

After holding 70% of the chips in play, Jones finishes off the final two players to win the All In or Fold tournament.  Jones finishes ahead of Mike Holm and Jack Battaglia.

"This made my day right here," says Jones while holding his first Borgata trophy, "I didn't care about the money, I just wanted the trophy."

Jones is a physical therapist who plays poker "seriously."  He says he'll play just about any tournament and this format suits his conservative game.  

Jones now has his sights set on the WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship event.

Event 7: 2nd Place - Holm

$260 + $40 + $50 Double Green Chip Bounty All In or Fold NLH (Re-Entry)

Mike Holm (Woodridge, IL) 

$4,410

Holm and Jack Battaglia were close in chips, but Holm finishes runner-up as both players were way behind event winner Chris Jones.

Holm is having a heck of a run at the Borgata Poker Open as he's cashed in all four events he's played.  He cashed in Events 1 & 5 and a Survivor tournament for $6,000.

Holm also had a great run at this series in 2011 when he won a tournament for $34,000 and finished 9th on the Borgata Points Leaderboard promotion.  He's on his way to another successful series with more than $10,000 in earnings in just five days.

When he's not playing poker, Holm runs his audio/video company and is a head hunter in the food industry.

Event 7: 3rd Place - Battaglia

$260 + $40 + $50 Double Green Chip Bounty All In or Fold NLH (Re-Entry)

Jack Battaglia (Staten Island, SC) 

$2,540 

Battaglia was just eked out by Mike Holm for second place, but was a distant third to tournament winner Chris Jones.

Battaglia says he was short stacked most of the tournament and was down to five big blinds at the final table, but manged to hang around with a couple of double-ups.

"I wanted to have some fun," Battaglia says, while playing in this format for the first time, "and we had a blast. This was a great tournament."

Battaglia is a tax accountant who says he'll try and satellite into the WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship event.