Follow all the action on Dr. Pauly’s Online Poker blog with play by play updates and on the spot photos from the World Poker Tour Borgata Open.
Day 3 of the WPT Borgata Poker Open.
Day Three of the World Poker Tour Borgata Open in Atlantic City began with 62 players. The top 45 players would win prize money. Franklin Caldwell started the day as the chipleader with over $485K in chips. Several top pros were still in the hunt for the $1.5 million first place prize including Barry Greenstien, Josh Arieh, Kathy Liebert, Evelyn Ng, Erick Lindgren, Clonie Gowen, Mike Matusow, John D’Agostino, David “The Dragon” Pham, Surinder Sunar, David Singer, Denis Ethier, David Levi, and Chris “Armenian Express” Grigorian. In addition, Tex Barch and Steve Dannemann both survived Day Two, which meant that three players who made the final table at the 2005 WSOP main event were all still alive.
Mike “The Mouth” Matusow started jawing with players before the cards were in the air. He walked over to WSOP main event runner-up Steve Dannemann and yelled, “You ruined my life!” That got a chuckle from all anyone within earshot.
The eliminations went fast early on as play approached the money bubble. WSOP bracelet winner Dennis Ethier was busted by David Singer. Chris Grigorian was eliminated when his A-K lost to J-J. Steve Dannemann was also knocked out. Mike Matusow was busted by Barry Greenstien when Barry flopped trips with 10-4 and Matusow flopped top pair with A-9. All the money went in on the turn. Unfortunately, Frtiz Stoner was eliminated on the bubble in 46th place. Here’s the payout list: 1st: $1,498,650 2nd: $799,280 3rd: $427,115 4th: $349,685 5th: $299,730 6th: $249,775 7th: $199,820 8th: $149,865 9th: $99,910 10th-12th: $64,942 13th-15th: $49,955 16th-18th: $34,969 19th-27th: $24,978 28th-36th: $14,987 37th-45th: $12,489
A couple of pros doubled up early. Erick Lindgren survived an all in with J-J versus Wooying Lin’s 9-9. And Kathy Liebert’s A-A held up against A-J. The big story for Day Three involved the excellent play from the remaining female pros which I nicknamed the Three Queens. At one point, Kathy Liebert, Evelyn Ng, and Clonie Gowen all were seated at the same table.
David Levi was knocked out in 45th place when his K-K lost to Robert Hwang’s A-A. Clonie Gowen knocked out Josh Arieh in 41st place. Josh had 9s-3s and moved all in on the flop with a flush draw. Clonie’s A-A held up. Barry Greenstien was eliminated in 38th place when he moved all in from the big blind with Ks-5s. Wooying Ling’s 7-7 held up.
Kathy Liebert doubled up and her stack hovered around $500K. She continued to play excellent poker. Unfortunately, Clonie Gowen was knocked out in 31st place when her A-10 lost to A-Q. Tex Barch, who took third at this year’s WSOP Main Event, busted out in 30th place. Tex had A-Q but lost to Wooying’s K-9 when two Kings flopped. Erick Lindgren was eliminated in 29th place by Greg Fondacaro when his A-J could not win against 8-8. David Singer passed the million mark in chips when he knocked out Luke Chung in 25th place. He joined John D’Agostino as one of the chip leaders.
After dinner break, a bunch of players went out. Steve Rosen was eliminated in 22nd place. Schreiber busted in 21st place. Robert Chasen was knocked out in 20th place when his A-K lost a coinflip to Richard Festejo’s 8-8. John D’Agastino knocked out Dee Franklin Caldwell in 19th place while his stack grew to over $2 million.
Kathy Liebert continued her stellar play while she was seeking her third appearance at a WPT TV table. She busted Tom Coan in 18th place. Coan won $34,969. Surinder Sunar doubled up twice with a short stack to stay alive. With A-9, he caught a lucky card on the river to double up against David Singer’s 8-8. Sunar doubled up again a few hands later when his J-J held up against 8-8.
Tom Martelli’s Q-J was knocked out in 17th place by Evelyn Ng’s K-5. David The Dragon Pham busted out in 16th place by Wooying Lin. Pham had 7-6s against Lin’s A-J. Pham won $34,969. Surinder Sunar and his A-K were eliminated in 15th place by Al Ardebili’s K-K. Karlo Lopez was knocked out in 14th place by John D’Agostino. With K-J, Lopez flopped top pair and moved all in but D’Agastino flopped a set. Both Sunar and Lopez won $49,955.
Evelyn Ng had a severe shortstack and doubled up against Al Ardebili with K-K. She then doubled up with A-K against Greg Fandacaro’s Q-Q and moved out of the basement. John D’Agastino went on a rush and increased his stack to over $3 million in chips after he knocked out Carmine Tirone in 13th place. Trione flopped top pair, top kicker with A-10, but D’Agastino had the Hilton Sisters. Tirone won $49,955.
Robert Chasen’s Q-J was busted by Wooying Lin’s A-Q. Chasen took 12th place and won $64,942. Kathy Liebert was the shortstack and in trouble. Evy Ng was eliminated in 11th place by David Singer. Her A-9 could not beat Singer’s 4-4. Wooying Lin was knocked out in 10th place by David Singer. With a Queen on the flop, both players moved all in. Singer had A-Q while Lin showed Q-9. Lin won $64,942.
Sid Miller was knocked out by Robert “Action Bob” Hwang in 9th place. Miller had A-Q versus Hwang’s J-10. Hwang flopped trips and that’s all she wrote for Miller, who won $99,110 for 9th place.
The action slowed down to a very slow pace. John D’Agastino lost a big pot to David Singer when he missed a straight draw. Singer had Q-Q and took over the chip lead. A few hands later, Kathy Liebert doubled up with A-A versus Al Ardebili’s J-J. She moved up to 4th in chips.
After a lull in the action, David Singer knocked out Greg Fandacaro. Singer had 3-3 and flopped a set. Greg Fandacaro showed A-7 and pushed all in with the nut flush draw. He caught running aces for trips, but that gave Singer a full house. Singer is the chipleader. Greg Fandacaro won $149,865 for 7th place. I can put my impending suicide on hold. David Singer is the chipleader with over $3 million. JC Tran was the shortstack with $320K.
At 4:50am, JC Tran was eliminated in 7th place in a three way pot. He had Q-Q. Al Ardebili showed A-A. And John D’Agostino said “I should fold this,” and called anyway with Ac-Jc. He flopped the nut flush draw but his hand did not hold up. Al Ardebili won the main pot and side pot and JC Tran was busted with the Hilton Sisters. Tran won $199,820.
Final Table Chip Counts:
1 David Singer $ 3,200,000
2 John D’Agostino $ 2,295,000
3 Robert ‘Action Bob’ Hwang $ 1,795,000
4 Al Ardebili $ 1,425,000
5 Kathy Liebert $ 1,045,000
6 Richard Festejo $ 540,000
The final table will start at 5pm local time.