Poker News

The Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa , Atlantic City, NJ

Atlantic City, NJ, (Sept. 18, 2007) - With a prize pool of more than $5 million, 560 poker players, including some of the top names in the games, anted up Sunday at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa for first day action in the main event of the 2007 Borgata Poker Open/World Poker Tour.

Professional players were joined by other contestants who earned seats in the event by winning a series of satellite tournaments leading up to the main event.

With a first-place cash prize of $1,575,280 on the line, first day action was definitely not for the faint of heart. Some of the world?s elite players watched helplessly as their championship dreams were crushed by the hands of their opponents.

When first-day play ended in the Borgata Event Center, only 350 players were still in the game. The day?s common theme simply bared out the fact that regardless of a player?s skill level, the cards can run hot and cold for both the pros and the amateurs.

Many of the game?s top players hit the rail early and made the long walk out of the room after busting out.

As play resumed Monday morning, Brian Strahl of Staten Island, N.Y., who has made it to several final tables in World Series of Poker events, sat atop the leader board with $170,550.

Other popular players still in the running include Freddy Deeb, David Daneshgar, Mike ?The Mouth? Matusow, Tuan Le, Captain Tom Franklin, Jordan ?iMsoLucky0? Morgan, Shannon Shorr, Justin Bonomo, Michael Binger, Cliff ?Johnny Baxx? Josephy and Ted Forrest.

Despite competition from poker tournaments in other countries, the 2007 Borgata Poker Open Main Event continued to solidify its reputation as a premier event on the world poker circuit. Poker fans can visit theborgata.com and click on the poker blog to keep up with all the action of as the event moves into its second play.

-Noel Stevenson

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