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Day 2 of the WPT Borgata Poker Open comes to a close

Date: Tue, Sep 16, 2008 Live Tournament Women

There are roughly 70 players remaining in the Borgata Poker Open after two days of action. Many of the more popular poker players got knocked out on the second day, but there are still many notables left in the field such as Ted Forrest, Joe Sebok, Mark Seif and Tiffany Michelle.

Flyers' Scottie Upshall is still in the hunt as well. He is playing for two charities and has made it to the Day 3 in his first live tournament. Upshall is used to playing with his teammates on the road. He doesn't play online nor does he play in the casinos. Not bad for his first time out.

Many of the players have their own views of Atlantic City. Check out the latest radio from PokerRoad.com. They have an interesting view of the resort and, well, it's not the plushy image Atlantic City's old name gives it. These guys don't like to venture to boardwalk side of Atlantic City. However, I can't say that I blame them.

With the Eagles playing the Cowboys on Monday Night Football, many of the players were paying attention to the game. This allowed the Philadelphia haters and their obsessive fans to come out and show their colors. There were many talking about sports from that point, Nicky Frangos was giving his opinion on the New York Yankees, who won't be making the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

Keeping checking in with the Borgata Poker Open's own blog. The men on the scene are giving live updates with all the information you could possibly need.

Here's Card Player's recount of Day 2 with Julio Rodriguez reporting.

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Upshall All-In for Charities (Philadelphia Daily News)

Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2008 Live Tournament Women


NOTHING LIKE PLAYING with house money, right? Flyers forward Scottie Upshall still has his seat after Day 1 of the Borgata Poker Open, which kicked off yesterday at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. Upshall, 24, had his $10,000 entry fee waived by the Borgata. The catch? Upshall's winnings are being split between his two favorite charities: Flyers Wives Fight for Lives and Kids Forever Foundation, which Upshall founded with Chris Phillips from the Ottawa Senators.

"These are two great causes," Upshall said. "It's great to get to play poker with the pros and see what the World Poker Tour is all about."

Each of the tournament's 500 players, who Upshall said were "dropping like flies," began the day with $40,000 in chips. Upshall doubled his stack after the first five sessions. He is hoping that will carry him to the final table on Thursday.

"By no means am I the chip leader," he joked. "But I'm certainly not hanging on for dear life."
The winner's share of the $5 million prize pool is $1.4 million.

The tournament is good practice for the upcoming season for Upshall. Poker is a hit on Flyers' road trips. Bet on this being a little bit tougher than bluffing a pot off Derian Hatcher or Scott Hartnell.

Don't worry, Flyers fans. Even though he played poker for 8-plus hours yesterday, Upshall returned to Voorhees, N.J., for a workout session this morning in preparation for the opening of training camp on Saturday. *

- Frank Seravalli


Perhaps the Borgata does care. It's nice to see the Borgata support local charities and a fun way to do it. It gets to have a Philadelphia Flyer in its tournament while not actually having to donate any money.

It's a $5 million guaranteed and it got a little over that with the buy-ins. So waiving one player isn't going to hurt them. However, I wonder how many of the tournament players got in through satellites. I am not entirely sure how it works. Does the money from the satellites go into the prize pool as well?

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Smoke-Free casinos are finally coming

Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2008 Live Tournament Women


The 100 percent smoking ban of Atlantic City casinos is coming – fast.

For anyone who has taken the Atlantic City Expressway over the last few weeks should have noticed the billboard along the way: “Breathe Easy Atlantic City.”

That’s right. Everyone should be able to breathe easier on Oct. 15 when the casinos become entirely smoke free.

This is a touchy subject for many people. Smokers feel they have a right to smoke. Proponents of the ban say casino workers and other players shouldn’t be tortured by second-hand smoke.

For the record, I fall into the second category. I don’t smoke nor will I ever. I developed asthma because of second-hand smoke. My mother smoked in our home all the time. She still smokes and caused a problem for my niece, who at two years old spent about a month on a nebulizer and in the emergency room because she had difficulty breathing. Her symptoms didn’t go away until my mother stopped smoking in the house.

Now, why would casino workers choose this job if they know the consequences?

Because, they need to work.

Why should casino workers be subjected to poisonous air?

Well, they shouldn’t. And as much as the smokers are going to complain about this one, I can’t wait for Oct. 15. I won’t have to hold my breath anymore as I walk to the poker room.

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Day 1 of the WPT Borgata Poker Open Main Event

Date: Sun, Sep 14, 2008 Live Tournament Women


The economy is lagging, gas is on the rise again (although it never got low) and people are scrounging to find their last dollars. But don’t tell anyone at the Borgata about the economy’s downward swing.

The Borgata has had a great turnout for its Borgata Poker Open and 516 people registered for the main event, which is a World Poker Tour event that started today. The multi-table tournament costs $10,000 to enter, unless you are lucky enough to get in through a satellite.

However, plenty put up the cool 10K themselves, including plenty of notables that casual poker fans would recognize.

John Juanda was in the house. As were Joe Sebok (Barry Greenstein’s son), Mark Seif, Michael Mizrachi, Nicky Frangos and Beth Shak, who my boyfriend is sad he didn’t see her. These were some of the more popular players, although there were many local pros.

Flyers forward Scotty Upshall is playing in the tournament. According to the Borgata poker blog, Upshall doubled up and should at least make it to Day 2 of the tournament. The Flyers have been practicing in the early morning getting ready for camp, which starts on Saturday. Upshall is probably taking a small break before Philadelphia makes a run to get back to the Eastern Division Finals.

Today was the first day of the U.S. Poker Championships over at the Taj Mahal, which is just a quick ride from the marina. It started with a $300+$40 limit event and will continue through Oct. 8. Its main event ($10,000K) is from Oct. 5-8.

It will be interesting to see how well the Taj draws or if the people are just flocking to the Borgata.

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Card Player TV of the Borgata Poker Open

Date: Sun, Sep 14, 2008 Live Tournament Women

Check out Card Player's first video from the Borgata Poker Open.


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Borgata Poker Open Still Underway

Date: Wed, Sep 10, 2008 Live Tournament Women


Just wanted to let readers out there know the Borgata Poker Open is still going on. You can check out the action, which is updated live on the Borgata's Poker blog. There is tournament updates and little tidbits about the tournament in general. A little something for everyone.


For anyone looking for results of the tournaments, you can go to Card Player and check out the information for the tourneys that are completed.

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Everyone plays poker, they just don't know it

Date: Mon, Sep 8, 2008 Live Tournament Women

For anyone who has played live poker in the past year, one thing you have learned is that poker is not cool. There are people who think they embody James Dean or Young Jeezy at the table. However, sitting behind a computer for hours creating a persona doesn’t make a new person when you’re at a table.

Playing poker doesn’t make someone any less and more intriguing (unless, of course, you’re a female. Men love that stuff). However, promoting a game that has been associated with degenerates and criminals isn’t going to help your reputation, especially to people who don’t understand the world of poker. (I was thinking about the recent article that Michael Phelps and Doyle Brunson have been in talks).

Despite poker’s mainstream emergence, there are many who view it as a bad habit or an addiction.

Those who just play poker (not the occasional gamers) and make a living out of it are not addicts. They are supporting families.

People who play poker and ship their money playing craps as soon as they get up from a game are just stupid.

However, countless people give me strange looks when I tell them that I play poker. The first question is always, “Are you good?”

My answer is always: “I get by.”

The next response is different and you can always gauge how they feel about poker.

First, there’s the overwhelming agreement that poker is fun and then you get to trade bad beat stories.

Second there are people who don’t understand the game, but think it’s “cool” because it’s on ESPN. They claim they play, which means lodging grenades into the $2-$4 limit game.

Then, there are those who absolutely hate the game and give you speeches about gambling. I’ve run into more of these people than I have realized. The rebuttal that poker isn’t really gambling and it requires skill falls onto deaf ears. They never want to hear about how you make perfect plays based on percentages and reads. They want to talk about the other 10 percent of the time when you are sucked out on or when your opponent has a two-outer and fills up.

What these people don’t realize is they make the same plays every day. They make choices in their lives based on the percentages (should I take an umbrella with me to work?). They decide whether to smile at the girl across the aisle on the bus based on how they read her (Does she look cranky this morning?).

Poker is life.

In this case, I’m just using money.

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Blame Hanna

Date: Fri, Sep 5, 2008 Live Tournament Women


After doing more research on the impending storm, I realized my little sidequest to Mohegan Sun is not going to happen. Mapquest let me know that it was nearly two hours from my location, which would mean I probably wouldn't get there until 11 p.m. or so.

That would mean leaving at midnight (since I am just checking out the room). I could stop halfway to Atlantic City in New York with no problems. However, getting from NY to AC would be a problem with the terrible weather that is slated for the Eastern seaboard tomorrow.

I really want to check out this and I plan on doing it within the next two months. Now, having said that I am opening it up to the audience. Let me know what you want me to find out about the poker room. What sort of information are you looking for? I promise to get everything you need and will provice a detailed report of the room and everything it has (or doesn't have) to offer.

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A Connecticut side trip

Date: Fri, Sep 5, 2008 Live Tournament Women

The Sr. Marketing VP of Mohegan Sun talked me into it. I was considering checking out the week-old, 43-table poker room and he invited me – along with the rest of the audience – to check out the new Tower of the Wind. That sealed it.

I’m working at the Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend and plan on leaving tonight to avoid Hanna, however, the drive South is going to take me right into the storm’s path.

I’ll only check out the room and rate it based on what I know, the Atlantic City casinos. I don’t on playing (but that could always change) because as far as game play goes, there shouldn’t be much difference. Poker in poker anywhere you go.

In one room you could have every table playing differently. It depends on the players.
Check back later for my take on the room at Mohegan Sun and, maybe, some shots from my camera phone.

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Come on in, the water is just right

Date: Wed, Sep 3, 2008 Live Tournament Women

Poker isn't on the rise, but it's hardly dead, even though tournaments have seen player entries level off. During the huge poker storm, many people got swept up and now find themselves full-fledge card carrying members of the Texas Hold ‘Em Fan Club.


In the first tournament of the Borgata Poker Open ($300 buy-in) there were close to 1,200 eager students of the game hoping to get the top prize of $77,170. But the game of poker doesn’t just lure college kids who would rather bet at 20 simultaneous games than finish their midterm project or the retirees, who don’t want to sit in their house all day.

Celebrities joined the club a long time ago with notables such as Ben Affleck and Shannon Elizabeth popping up in various tournaments. The latest celeb with the poker bug is Michael Phelps, who needs no introduction.

According to AintLuck.com, Phelps’ agent has recent been contacted by the World Series of Poker Europe for a sponsorship deal. The famed Olympian has been spotted playing Texas Hold ‘Em in various casinos, including Caesars Windsor in Ontario, which is close to where he trained at the University of Michigan.

Phelps is home in Baltimore now and doesn’t plan any intense training until next year. Does this mean a three-hour trip to Atlantic City in his future? With eight poker rooms in The Resort, Phelps has plenty of options from the Borgata, where the cool people go, to the Hilton, where the people wouldn’t know who he was if he had a sign around his neck.

If Phelps does become a sponsor for the WSOPE, it could have a negative impact on his other sponsors. While poker has taken off and is seen as part of the mainstream culture, there is still that sense that it’s a backroom game. There is still the gambling aspect involved.

What would the conservative public think of Phelps, the guy who wanted Frosted Flakes instead of Wheaties, if he promoted a gambling tournament?

By taking on this sponsorship, he could lose fans and hurt his bottom line as conservative sponsors would back away. He wouldn’t gain anything out of it (except the money) because poker players are cheap, just ask the waitresses who bring them drinks every night. Showing his face on WSOPE billboards isn’t going to draw more people to the tables. Especially not those who would continue to come back.
It's not poker that people want to beat him in, but as Phelps has shown nothing could crack his aces.

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Borgata Poker Open Underway

Date: Wed, Sep 3, 2008 Live Tournament Women

The Borgata Poker Open, which is enormously popular here in Atlantic City, is underway this morning. You get all the updates that you need at the official Borgata Poker Open blog

Like always, I am sure they are going to bring all the action, and update as much as they can. It's 16 days of non-stop poker. If life were only this fun for all us. (Hint: Boys, if you're reading this, a cute brunette could use a side job).

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Borgata Poker Open Starts Tomorrow

Date: Tue, Sep 2, 2008 Live Tournament Women

The Borgata Poker Open kicks off its next installment starting Wednesday with a $300 + $50 No-Limit Hold 'Em tournament beginning at 11 a.m.

The tournaments will go on through Sept. 18 (I may play a little stud tourney next Monday).

Click here for the schedule of the tournament or check the calendar on the sidebar that has all the information you need.

For updates of the tournament, I will try to post any interesting information, but the Borgata usually has live bloggers on site that will give constant updates throughout the tournament. Once I get that link (I think it's this one), I will post more information. Even though, I won't be there (I am not paying $5 a day for parking), there are plenty of others who willbe on site.

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What's wrong with Harrah's? My boycott begins

Date: Mon, Sep 1, 2008 Live Tournament Women

Tonight while playing at Harrah's might have seen the worst possible night I've had there. AND I WON! It wasn't the game or the people I played with, it was the room from the dealers to the floor people to those few players who think they are better than everyone. I witnessed abuse toward dealers and floor people not backing them up. There were dealers who didn't enforce rules because they were looking to get the dollar tip, thus making the job harder for those pushing them.

And, worse, and I mean worse, were female dealers (not even good looking ones at that) sweet talking and flirting their way to the better tables and pretty much screwing over the people that they work with.

Perhaps it's easy for them to go home with over $300, look in the mirror and feel good about themselves. Who cares whose night they ruin? At least, they got to drop some red birds. These people have no integrity.

As I played tonight, I saw it all transpire. It wasn't fair that some of the best dealers in that room got screwed over and yelled at by selfish, immature players. I can't even describe the chaos that went on in that room. Ever since it was revamped, Harrah's has gotten even worse. They are more worried about looking pretty and busy, than trying to run a respectable poker room.

Here were a few observations:
- A dealer getting yelled at by a player for telling him to follow the rules. Then, causing a scene in the poker room because he is Seven Stars. Ohhh, now I'm impressed. A gaudy Seven Stars player has decided he is better than someone who deals cards and, of course, I am sure Harrah's will cater to this player. I promise if this dealer gets fired, there will be a lot more made of this than what is seen on this blog.

- A female dealer outlandishly flirting with the floor person who does the seating. Amazingly, after she was finished, she ended up on the $2-$5 NL game. After talking to some of the dealers who came to my game, this isn't a rare occurrence. Her and a few other females in the room have learned that this new floor guy has a thing for the ladies and can easily be swayed. That's definitely a person I would want working for me if I had a business. Plus, he's from the Borgata, so he knows what he's doing.

- Several dealers in a row not enforcing simple rules such as don't talk about hands and don't flash your cards. Then, when a good dealer sits down and tells the players to follow the rules, getting berated and stiffed. I stood up for these dealers, but my little voice isn't heard.

On top of all of these problems that I witnessed tonight, Harrah's has decided to get rid of the cell phone ban. Apparently, people are allowed to use cell phones, which includes talking on the phone and texting while on the game, including while in a hand.

Honeslty, I've had enough of Harrah's. It used to be my favorite place to play poker. But I am not going to play at a casino where dealers are treated like garbage and one that supports collusion. Neither one of these options sounds like my idea of fun.

While I know Showboat is part of the Harrah's system, I would rather give them my rake than to Harrah's. Perhaps, if I get annoyed enough I'll go back to the Tropicana, which is not affiliated with the Gestapo that is now Harrah's.

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Harrah's Atlantic City new daily tournament schedule

Date: Sun, Aug 31, 2008 Live Tournament Women

On Labor Day (tomorrow), Harrah's is rolling out a new tournament schedule that should be used until the end of the year, when they will re-evaluate the current format.

Harrah's is implementing more tournaments during the day. There will be four tournaments daily starting 10 a.m. Trying to fulfill everyone's needs, there are cheap tournaments, as well as a $500+$60 deep stack tournament on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday night, there will be a World Series of Poker Circuit satellite ($500+$60).

The players should enjoy the extra tournaments, although, expect to hear dealers grumbling. Every dealer in that room is going to be affected because dealers drop an average of .50 cents a down for tournaments. Yikes!

Included in the daily tournament lineup is a midnight madness tournament, which is so popular in Atlantic City that the Trupm Taj Mahal raised its buy-in and the Borgata got rid of it after a few month experimentation.

The $300 and $500 tournaments will have 30-minute blinds and the others will be 20 minutes.

Here's the schedule breakdown:
Sunday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Monday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Tuesday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Wednesday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Thursday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Friday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $300+$40
12:15 a.m. $68+$12

Saturday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $500+$60 Deep Stack 12K
8:15 p.m. $500+$60 WSOP Circuit Satellite
12:15 a.m. $68+$12

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