ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Three hundred and seventy- eight (378) players marched into the Poker Room at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa yesterday for the start of Event #9. Players took to the felt like fish to water for the $500 buy-in event, which offered a total prize-pool of $189,000 -- one of the largest to date in the 2007 Summer Poker Open. The competition remained fierce, but in the end it was Kalpeshkumar Patel from Elmhurst, NY, who outlasted the field to win the championship and $57,645 in first place prize money.
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John Crumlish of Philadelphia, PA, and David Ruiz of Dover, NJ, rounded out the top three finishing in second and third place respectively, with $31,752 and $15,403 in prize-money.
For Crumlish, poker is but one reason why he enjoys visiting Borgata: "I love playing poker, but I enjoy coming out to Borgata tournaments for the entire experience -- the nightlife at mur.mur (nightclub) and dinners at Bobby Flay Steak, make my stay here even more fun. But, after tonight, I do love poker a little more than I did yesterday."
Week In Review
Week two of Summer Poker Open action has featured over-the-top performances and notable personalities. Four hundred fifty-four (454) players took to the tables on Monday for the start of Event #7, the $350 + $50 No Limit Hold 'Em Event, which featured some of the best tournament play to date at the Summer Open. When the last card was dealt, Vincent Papasodero of Long Island, NY, was the last player standing, capturing the championship and $46,764 in first place prize money. Papasodero, an amateur who plays poker mostly in home-games in Long Island noted, "My buddies and I visit Borgata several times a year for their major tournaments and our trip is always much more than poker -- it's an event. I am usually more concerned with where to eat and party at Borgata than worrying about winning. But it's incredible to have won this tournament."
Tuesday's $350 + $50 Limit Hold 'Em Event drew 185 players bringing in a total prize pool of $64,750. The early rounds of the Limit Event lacked some of the excitement seen in the No Limit tournaments, but that all changed at the final table when John Hunter of Bronx, NY, came out of his shell, creating a fiery atmosphere in the tournament area. Hunter won Event #8, taking home $21,368 in prize money.
2007 Borgata Summer Poker Open
The action continues today at Borgata with the start of Event #10, the $750 Buy-In No Limit Tournament. The 2007 Borgata Summer Poker Open offers players a chance to participate in some of Atlantic City's richest tournaments including Texas Hold'Em No Limit, Texas Hold'Em Limit and 7-Card Stud. In addition, each day of the tournament features super satellites, second chance cash, and sit-and-go tournaments. The Championship Event is a four-day event, starting on Saturday, June 23rd and concluding on Tuesday, June 26th.
Players and fans can follow the action on the ACTV Blog, which features live updates and commentary on the tournament's most notable hands, at http://www.theborgata.com/ and http://www.cityatlantic.com/.
On-site registration for all Borgata Summer Poker Open events is in the Borgata Poker Room, where all tournaments will take place. To view the complete event schedule visit http://www.theborgata.com/.
ABOUT BORGATA HOTEL CASINO & SPA
Borgata is a joint venture of Boyd Gaming Corporation and MGM MIRAGE . Located at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City, it features 2,000 guest rooms and suites, 161,000 square feet of gaming, 200 gaming tables, 4,100 slot machines, 12 destination restaurants, 12 retail boutiques, a 54,000 square foot spa, 70,000 square feet of event space, and parking for 7,100 cars. For more information on Borgata or to obtain a copy of this press release, please visit http://www.theborgata.com/ or use AOL keyword: borgata. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at http://www.boydgaming.com/; additional information on MGM MIRAGE can be found at http://www.mgmmirage.com/.
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