Event 11: Yuster Yanked

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Kim Yuster - 64th Place
$536

Kim Yuster hadn't played a hand in about an hour. She thought she deserved some poker cred when she finally shipped her short stack into the middle and was surprised when Opponent called holding only Q♦ 8♦.

Kim tabled 2♣ 2♥.

Sick flop for both players bringing a flush for Opponent and a set for Kim.

The board failed to pair and Kim was sent to the rail in 64th Place, just making the next pay level increase.

Board: 3♦ 2♦ 6♦ J♣ 10♥

Event 11: Table Two-rrific

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

It's that time of night when short stacks shove and big stacks bully.

With the blinds up to 8,000 / 16,000 Yiming gets his stack in holding Q-10 up against Patrick Brown's JJ.

River brings a Q on a board of 6-K-4-7-Q.

With that pot, Yiming doubles up to 120,000.

The very next hand, possibly steaming, Brown calls off his stack pre-flop and finds himself at risk against QQ.

Brown tables A-3 but fins a wheel on a board of 4-5-7-2-4. Brown smiles and says, "I'm still in there."

Chips are passing around in rapid fashion.

1105 entries today with 80 players remaining.

Event 11: Break Time

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Our 82 remaining players are on a ten minute break.

Alex Rivera is the chip leader with just South of a million in chips.

Mike Borovetz has increased to 695,000.

Don't forget we'll be playing this one to the wee hours of the morning until it's over.

Event 11: Buzz With Buzgone

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Daniel Buzgone - 150,000

If you've been watching the 2012 WPT Borgata Championship coverage in the last couple weeks you've certainly watched Daniel Buzgone who finished 3rd for $335,433.

Daniel told me he had an interesting time watching the TV tournament.

"It was as if I had no idea what happened. I was almost in a trance when I was actually playing in it. It was nerve wracking to watch."

Daniel is anxious to someday make it back to the final table under the lights. "I'd love to get back there" said Daniel.

He's in Event 11 with 130,000 looking to double up.

97 players remain.

Average stack - 227,835

Event 12: Miami John's Twitter Update

$350 + $50 Pot Limit Omaha 8B

Thanks to Miami John Cernuto's use of Twitter, we're getting updates on the PLO/8 event, going on across the hall in the Signature Room.

John Cernuto ‏ @MiamiJohnC

Level 8 I have 44K stack which is 2nd highest. Leader has over 140k. Deal with him later. 38 players left and avg. stack is 22k.

That sums it up nicely.

Event 11: Bubble Burst!

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

After several hands of hand-for-hand play, the money bubble burst.

100 players remain at 10 tables.

The bust-outs should come even quicker now as the short-stacks take their shots.

Some time was added back to the clock so they've got 40 minutes to play in level 20, blinds 6k/12k with 2k antes.

The first player to cash out of this event was Jeremiah McKenna (Norwalk, CT).  His 100th place finish was good for $429.

Event 11: Rockets Launch

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Matt Galluzzo - 520,000

Now the men are starting to separate themselves from the boys.

Matt Galluzzo (Marlboro, NJ) finds himself with a healthy stack after his AA holds up for a 200,000 pot. Opponent shoved pre with 10-10 and Matt called.

He then won another hand with AA only this time his opponent had them. Matt had K-J in the big blind, caught a Jack on the flop and a King on the river for a huge pot. Aces cracked!

Right after the bubble broke, Matt's table in the far back right of the Poker Room also broke up.

Everyone has their eye on the giant first place prize of $47,160. Great pay day for one day's worth of work.

Event 11: New Chip Leader

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Chris Kusha's pocket Kings were cracked by pocket 6s that flopped a set.

Greg Glassman's T9 suited was good for a double-up against a player holding pocket 8s. He's up to 440k.

Alex Rivera

Alex Rivera is up to ~600k and possibly the chip leader.

Michael Borovetz is coming on strong. He's up to 520k.

Players are dropping fast. Adam Agaev was among the recent departures.

Event 11: Borovetz Scores

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Mike Borovetz - 520,000

Sick run for Mike Borovetz (Pittsburgh, PA). He was down to 80,000 then doubled up with AA, then caught a Q at the right time with A-Q.

Dealer accidentally exposed Mike's card, a 9, and replaced it with a 6. That mishap gave Mike pocket 66's. So he jumped in a hand he previously would have folded.

Of course he flopped a set of sixes and scooped a monster pot.

Mike took a couple years off but is back strong. He's having a great Borgata Spring Poker Open.

Came in 2nd in Event 2, then cashed 17th in another Event. Looks like he's gonna make some more money tonight as we're hand for hand on the bubble.

Mike is a protege of another Mike "Little Man" Sica.

With 520,000, Borovetz is among the chip leaders.

Event 11: 116 Remain

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)   

Blinds Up: 5k/10k, 1k

They're down to 12 tables now with a few empty seats, leaving 116 players in the hunt.

Michael Borovetz is making a nice comeback.  He's built his way back to 330k.

Alex Rocha was all-in holding KQ versus KT.  He held on to double-up to ~200k.

Dan Buzgon also caught a timely double-up -- to 120k.

Event 12: Chip Leader Goes Bottoms Up

$350 + $50 Pot Limit Omaha 8B

Action Table Three

Six tables strong in the Signature Room with table three getting the most action.

A big hand had 5 players going at it with 2 punching their ticket out the door.

Chip leader, Anoput Phimmasone continues to dominate after scooping the big 5-way.

His secret, "lots of beer".

PLO Master Barry Levy will try his hand at Anoput's table after a recent move. Barry knows that Anoput is hot with 130,000 chips but that there's still a lot of game left.

49 players remain.

Blinds are 200 / 400.

Event 11: 15 tables

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)  

Blinds 4k/8k, 1k ante

Play has resumed with all remaining players in the Poker Room.

15 tables remain with a few empty seats, so about 145 player remain.

100 get paid.  Min-cash is good for $429.

Event 11: DeStefano Making News

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Robert DeStefano (Franklin Square, NY) - 118,000

So you say having 118,000 isn't newsworthy when the chip leader has over 500,000? Well when you were as short as 24,000 and had to grind and battle your way back, it's a pretty good feeling.

Robert DeStefano works for the NY Daily News and he's trying to make headlines in Event 11.

A key hand for Robert was winning an A-Q race vs. 10-10.

DeStefano is one of three tables placed in the back old high stakes cash room.

"It's my first time back here...I feel like I'm a big limit player" said DeStefano.

Event 11: Mikhail Making Moves

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Mikhail Volfson

 On the last hand before the color-up break, Michael Borovetz tangled with the big stack of Mikhail Volfson (Belarus via Brooklyn, NY).   Michael surrendered to a raise on the turn.

Mikhail chipped up to ~500k, possibly good for the chip lead.

All players are on break while they color up the 500 purple chips and combine all players into the Poker Room.

Event 12: Payouts

$350 + $50 Pot Limit Omaha 8B

Payouts:

Position.............Amount
1.............................$9,625
2............................$5,225
3............................$3,300
4............................$2,475
5............................$1,925
6............................$1,650
7............................$1,375
8...........................$1,100
9...........................$ 825

Total Buy-In - $28,350

Number of Entries - 81

Everybody is breaking play at 2am and will return tomorrow to finish.

Event 11: Glassman's Twitter Feed

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry) 

Greg Glassman has come close a couple of times, (a second and a third place finish) but is still waiting for his first Borgata Open win.

He's in contention today and is keeping the Twitter-verse up to date on his progress:

96k at dinner #howdidthathappen #atleastigotfreenoodles #imeant10buxworth #BSO2012

Got very lucky for once! Double to ~200k #weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee #BSO2012

Oops doubled a shorty 33 < JJ 150ish #BSO2012

Wowee AQ > 10 10 aipf for heaps. Yeeeeahhhhboyeeeeeeeeeeeee 310k #BSO2012

Event 11: Moving Time

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Last hand for Event 11 in the Signature Room. The remaining 49 players will merge with the other players and finish out this tournament in Borgata poker room.

Floor are coloring up the purple chips then players are bagging and tagging the rest.

After the move players will receive a 20 minute break.

Instructions shouted out: Whoever is the button must put the button in their bag.
There should be no purple chips in your bag.

See you on the other side!

Event 11: Bajrami Busted; Vyacheslav Up

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Eduart Bajrami got his last chips in pre-flop with AQ and was racing against Desmond Gulston's (Brooklyn, NY) pocket Jacks.

Eduart flopped two Aces, but Desmond back-doored a heart-flush to claim the pot, sending the early chip leader to the rail.

Vyacheslav Eyzerovich had a shorter stack all-in holding pocket Jacks. 

Vyacheslav's AK of diamonds flopped a flush and despite catching a third Jack on the board, his opponent couldn't catch up. 

Vyacheslav chipped up to ~330k.

Event 11: A Lead For Kalid

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Kalid Ali - 420,000

After the break poker pro Kalid Ali soars up to 420,000 after his pocket kings hold up and knock two players out.

More recently he turned the nut flush and got paid off.

Ali is sitting to the right of Patrick Brown who finished 6th last night in Event 10.

"I'm back for more action" said Brown.

Event 11: Back to Business

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Dinner's done and it is time to get back to business.

Play resumed with blinds of 3k/6k and 500 antes (level 17).

Event 11: Dinner Time Chip Counts

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Here are some chip counts collected from dinner-time Tweets:

Cherish Andrews - 350k-ish
Patrick Brown - 350k
John Hinds - 238.5k
Chris Kusha - 210k
Jose Montes - 131k
Alex Rocha - 130.5k
Chris Brand - 110k
Greg Glassman - 96k
Dan Buzgon - 70k

With an estimated 189 players remaining, the average stack is 117k.

Other Random counts:
Anonymous (72-2) - 500k
Vyacheslav Eyzerovich - 250k
Desmond Gulston - 240k
John Zoldak - 60k
Eduart Bajrami - 25k

Event 12: Dinner Break

$350 + $50 Pot Limit Omaha 8B

Anoput Phimmasone (Fairfax Station, VA) is the chip leader with 72k (206 BB) as the 58 remaining players are on dinner break.  "This is my specialty," says Phimmasone as it's been a steady climb during this PLO split game.

The average stack is 17k (48 BB) as blinds are going to 150/300 when play resumes at 8:40 pm.

Event 11: Payouts

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Entries: 1,105
Total Buy-In: $221,000

Place - Amount

1st $47,160
2nd $28,340
3rd $17,150
4th $14,363
5th $11,790
6th $9,539
7th $7,610
8th $5,788
9th $3,966
10-12 $2,572
13-15 $1,822
16-18 $1,179
19-27 $965
28-36 $836
37-45 $750
46-54 $665
55-63 $600
64-72 $536
73-81 $493
82-90 $450
91-100 $429

Event 12: Registration Closed

$350 + $50 Pot Limit Omaha 8B

The last few straggles are into the PLO field and it includes two players recently eliminated from the no limit field.  Larry Gold and Mike Leah are taking advantage of the later start time of this tournament.

80+ players are in the field.

Event 11: The Mighty Has Fallen

$200 + $30 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

I guess getting those Aces cracked sent Eduart Bajrami into a tailspin.  He has spewed his chips across table 77 and is down to only 25k.

One table over, another player (who wishes to remain anonymous) is up to over 500k and most likely the chip leader.

189 players remain and they're off for a one hour dinner break.

Play will resume at about 8:30pm.