2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Event 8: $250,000 Guarantee Deeper Stack NLHE Re-Entry
Day: 2
Event Info

2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
jj
Prize
$99,144
Event Info
Buy-in
$350
Entries
1,392
Level Info
Level
39
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
100,000

Level: 33

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 30,000

Local Spotlight: Anthony Caruso

Level 32 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante
Anthony Caruso is trying to win his second PLO tournament.
Anthony Caruso is trying to win his second PLO tournament.

Anthony Caruso found himself taken aback when Amanda Musumeci started training him to improve his poker game.

"She was the first person who ever called me middle-aged," the 47-year-old said with a laugh. "She helped me with my table image. She was really, really helpful."

"I see improvements all the time," he added. "It's more fun when you can win a little."

Caruso, a Marlton, N.J., native, has done a bit of winning recently. Last fall, he took down a Pot-Limit Omaha tournament here, and he's back for more. He's currently four-handed in the $450 PLO tournament.

Caruso said PLO is his favorite game "by far."

"I like the action," he said, adding that he enjoys playing $5/10 PLO when he plays cash games.

Poker is a mere hobby for Caruso, though. Most of his life, he said, revolves around his children. He has two daughters, ages 14 and 11, and a 16-year-old son. Caruso and his son spend a lot of time working for a charity called Wish Upon a Hero, Caruso said. He also runs a shipping company called luggageahead.com.

Those commitments mean he lags behind players more focused on the game. Every day that they log more hours than Caruso, he has more of a gap to make up, which is where his training with Musumeci helps.

Still, he's optimistic about making a big run in the main event here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open, where he could add considerably to his $74,424 in recorded cashes. He said there's always an amateur or two running up a big stack and making a run.

"Maybe I could be that guy," he said.

Tags: Amanda MusumeciAnthony Caruso

Carnevale!

Level 32 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante
Andrew Carnevale Just Spiked a Five-Outter to Stay Alive
Andrew Carnevale Just Spiked a Five-Outter to Stay Alive

Andrew Carnevale was riding a short stack when the action folded around to him in the small blind. He looked down to find the {k-Clubs}{8-Spades} in the hole, and with just Jason Tulloss left to fade, he made his move with an all-in shove for 1.905 million.

Tulloss happened to have a big hand, however, and he made the call with {A-Diamonds}{j-Clubs} to put Canevale at risk of elimination.

Flop: {4-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{a-Hearts}

Both players flopped a piece, but Tulloss' pair of aces kept him out in front. Nothing had changed, however, and Carnevale still needed to catch a king or eight to keep his seat.

Turn: {k-Diamonds}

"No!," was Tulloss' anguished cry at the sight of the five-outter coming on board.

The river was the {8-Clubs} to keep Carnevale's lead intact, and after a bit of stack accounting, the two players essentially traded places on the leaderboard.

Player Chips Progress
Andrew Carnevale
Andrew Carnevale
4,205,000
1,805,000
1,805,000
Jason Tulloss
Jason Tulloss
2,100,000
-1,100,000
-1,100,000

Tags: Andrew CarnevaleJason Tulloss

James Governa Eliminated in 8th Place ($11,665)

Level 32 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante
Jim Governa - 8th Place ($11,665)
Jim Governa - 8th Place ($11,665)

The last of James Governa's stack was just shipped across the table to David Heck, after his {Q-Spades}{j-Hearts} failed to overcome Heck's {Q-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}.

A final runout of {8-Spades}{7-Clubs}{4-Spades}{4-Hearts}{k-Spades} left the ladies out in front, and Governa was busted in 8th place for a $11,665 score.

Player Chips Progress
David Heck
David Heck
3,400,000
2,100,000
2,100,000
James Governa
James Governa
Busted

Tags: James GovernaDavid Heck

David Gerassi Eliminated in 9th Place ($8,399)

Level 32 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante
David Gerassi - 9th Place ($8,399)
David Gerassi - 9th Place ($8,399)

David Gerassi's magical ride was just derailed, and after he built a big stack throughout the day by playing untraditional hands like {8-Spades}{3-Spades} and {6-Hearts}{9-Hearts}, of course he crashed and burned holding a monster.

Gerassi moved all-in over the top of an opening raise by Nicholas Immekus - our chip leader going into the hand - but he was snapped off.

Showdown:

Gerassi: {K-Clubs}{k-Diamonds}
Immekus: {A-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}

Despite finding a pair of cowboys in the hole, the second-best hand in poker was second-best for Gerassi, as Immekus tabled aces for the second time at this final table.

The final board failed to bring Gerassi any more miracles, and after the {4-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{q-Hearts}{6-Spades}{4-Clubs} hit the board, Gerassi stood up to make his exit. The gracious Gerassi shook Immekus' hand and told him "nice hand" before heading to the cashier's cage to collect his $8,399 for an 8th place finish.

Immekus continues to run over the final table, and he now holds the biggest stack in the room by a large margin.

Player Chips Progress
Nicholas Immekus ca
Nicholas Immekus
16,300,000
6,160,000
6,160,000
David Gerassi us
David Gerassi
Busted

Tags: David GerassiNicholas Immekus

Level: 32

Blinds: 80,000/160,000

Ante: 20,000

James Stenella Eliminated in 10th Place ($5,529)

Level 31 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Jim Stenella - 10th Place ($5,529)
Jim Stenella - 10th Place ($5,529)

After an opening raise by Nicholas Imeekus, the sight of {J-Clubs}{j-Diamonds} in the hole must have seemed like a sight for sore eyes, because Jim Stinella jammed his last 2 million or so into the middle.

Immekus snapped the bet off and tabled his {A-Spades}{a-Diamonds}, putting Stenella's over-matched underpair in a deep hole.

The final board rolled out {3-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{5-Hearts}{6-Clubs} to keep the rockets out in front, and with the win Stenella became the first player in the tournament to cross the coveted 10 million chip mark.

Stenella took home $5,529 for his deep run here today.

Player Chips Progress
Nicholas Immekus ca
Nicholas Immekus
10,140,000
2,190,000
2,190,000
Jim Stenella
Jim Stenella
Busted

Tags: Jim Stenella

Final Table Chip Counts and Seat Positions (full)

Level 31 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante

Here are your final ten players, their chip counts and the table draw:

SeatPlayerChips
1Nicholas Immekus7,950,000
2Jim Stenella2,100,000
3Allyn Marshall8,240,000
4Andrew Carnavale2,400,000
5Jason Tulloss3,200,000
6James Governa2,200,000
7David Gerassi4,200,000
8David Gerard3,400,000
9Eric Rappaport2,500,000
10David Heck1,300,000
Player Chips Progress
Allyn Marshall
Allyn Marshall
8,240,000
4,340,000
4,340,000
Nicholas Immekus ca
Nicholas Immekus
7,950,000
3,850,000
3,850,000
David Gerassi us
David Gerassi
4,350,000
2,350,000
2,350,000
Jason Tulloss
Jason Tulloss
3,200,000
2,340,000
2,340,000
Eric Rappaport us
Eric Rappaport
2,500,000
-1,100,000
-1,100,000
Andrew Carnevale
Andrew Carnevale
2,400,000
100,000
100,000
James Governa
James Governa
2,200,000
-1,050,000
-1,050,000
Jim Stenella
Jim Stenella
2,100,000
-2,000,000
-2,000,000
David Heck
David Heck
1,300,000
50,000
50,000
David Gerard
David Gerard
340,000
-4,560,000
-4,560,000

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