The last four or five hands have been played without a flop, with single preflop raises enough to take down the blinds and antes. Every so often a three-bet will be made, but the opener will beat a hasty retreat and surrender the pot. Travis T. Williams is on hand, working alongside the PokerNews live reporting crew, so we'll let him confirm the glacial pace of today's action.
Even though the first player eliminated here today will be disappointed in the outcome, the Borgata has made sure they won't go home empty handed. Check out this tweet from Travis T. Williams touting the consolation prize awaiting our first bustout:
Shin Han opened for 40,000 in the hijack, and Tony Marchitelli made the call in the cutoff. Steven Edwards came along for a discount in the big blind, and the three saw a flop of . Han continuation-bet 70,000, and only Marchitelli called. Both players checked the , and a river put a four-flush on board. Han bet 80,000, and Marchitelli raised to 180,000. Han thought for a bit before laying his hand down.
Steven Edwards is the Most Experienced Player at the Table Today, at Least in Terms of Live Tournament Play
Even for seasoned veterans of the tournament poker circuit, the chance to play for a $1 million payday is truly a novel experience. After all, even last night’s WPT Main Event Championship paid out less than $1 million, which makes today’s New Jersey’s Next Poker Millionaire sit-and-go a special event for all involved.
For six of the eight players at the table though, simply earning a live cash would be something to remember.
Myroslaw Woroch, Sunil Sebastian, Andy Lam, Shin Han, Tony Marchitelli, Eric Natishvili are all recreational players who have not yet recorded a live tournament cash, and while each one is obviously a skilled player on the virtual felt, it remains to be seen if the stage and spotlights affects their play.
Not all of the players here today are entering unfamiliar terrain, however, as Wayne Pineault and Steven Edwards both have a few live cashes to their credit.
Pineault – a resident of Wayne, NJ - has made two final tables here at the Borgata, finishing in third place at last year’s Winter Poker Open $450 No-Limit Hold’em event for a $3,339 score. He also finished in eight place in a $450 Omaha Hi-Lo event at the Borgata Fall Poker Open, taking home $1,315 for the effort.
Steven Edwards is perhaps the most experienced live tourney player in attendance today, as the resident of Atco, NJ has actually cashed in the biggest poker tournament in the world: the World Series of Poker Main Event. Edwards finished in 518th place at the 2006 ME, taking home $22,266 for surviving the weeklong gauntlet. Edwards also has a few other cashes to his credit, including a 59th place finish at the 2011 Borgata Summer Open’s $200 NLHE Re-Entry event.
It’s early yet and the play is still in the feeling out stage, but we’ll keep an eye on Pineault and Edwards today to see if their experience with live tournament play gives them any advantage over their six competitors.
In a limped preflop pot, only Andy Lam and Tony Marchitelli saw the turn. The board read , and Lam fired 50,000. Marchitelli raised to 160,000, and Lam made the call. The river brought a , and Lam check-called 125,000.
flop, Edwards raised to 300,000 after Han bet another 150,000. After about a minute of thought, Han shipped his cards to the dealer.
. Han continuation-bet 70,000, and only Marchitelli called. Both players checked the 
, and a 
river put a four-flush on board. Han bet 80,000, and Marchitelli raised to 180,000. Han thought for a bit before laying his hand down.
, and Lam fired 50,000. Marchitelli raised to 160,000, and Lam made the call. The river brought a 
, and Lam check-called 125,000.
