Event 12 (Day 2)
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 6,090,000
Borgata Poker Open “Six-Max” Champion – George Alberto
There’s something to be said for going into an event as an unknown quantity and having players unsure of how to play against you. George Alberto used that unknown factor to his advantage for all of Day 2 of the Six-Max event and ended up in the winner’s circle as a result.
Alberto’s starting table today included WSOP Main Event Champion Joe McKeehen, BorgataPoker.com ambassador Vinny Pahuja and respected professional Nicholas Immekus. Alberto passed that test with flying colors and was soon put to the test again when he faced Pahuja, Immekus and Vincent Moscati with 12 players left. Once again, Alberto flummoxed the pros and was on to the final table.
Alberto used an aggressive style of play for all of Day 2 and continued to utilize that strategy at the final table. With a big stack at his disposal, Alberto was consistently putting the heat on his opponents forcing them to make decisions for all of their chips. Alberto was on the right side of many of these confrontations and as a result, became the Six-Max champion.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 6,080,000
Vinny Pahuja (Hicksville, NY)
Vinny Pahuja played exceptionally well to make it all the way from the start of Day 1 to the final table. Unfortunately for Pahuja, George Alberto would not be stopped by anyone today and eliminated Pahuja shortly after the start of heads-up play.
The final hand saw Alberto get the best of Pahuja in a post-flop confrontation. From the button, Pahuja limped in and Alberto checked his option. On a flop of {10h}{5d}{3s}, Alberto bet 125,000 and Pahuja called.
The turn was the {7c} and with 380,000 in the pot, Alberto bet 400,000 into Pahuja, who moved all-in for 1,350,000 total.
Alberto called with {10s}{7h} having turned two pair leaving Pahuja’s {js}{10d} drawing to the river. The {2s} was no help and Pahuja will earn $44,232 for his run in the six-max event.
A winner’s recap will be posted shortly.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
Level 27 (30,000/60,000/,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 2
Chip Average: 3,040,000
Sonny Kim (Staten Island, NY)
George Alberto continued his aggressive streak after play resumed and Sonny Kim fell victim as a result. In one of the first hands after play restarted, Kim was crippled by Alberto and was soon all-in.
Following a raise from Kim out of the small blind for 155,000, Alberto shoved for 2,105,000. Kim thought for a few moments and called with {ad}{8h} and did not like what he saw when Alberto rolled over {10c}{10h}.
The {9s}{6c}{4h} wasn’t what Kim was looking for and neither was the {4s}. The {jh} sealed the double for Alberto, leaving Kim with less than 1,000,000.
A few hands later, Kim was all-in for his last 900,000 with {kc}{7c} against the {6s}{6d} of Alberto. The {qc}{jd}{9d} gave Kim outs to a straight and the {ac} on the turn gave him a flush draw. Despite all of his outs Kim missed the {2h} river and hit the rail earning $33,616.
Alberto and Pahuja will heads-up up play with Alberto holding a 4,905,000 lead to Pahuja’s 1,075,000.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 2,030,000
George Alberto, Vinny Pahuja, and Sunny Kim engage in three-handed play with Borgata Team Member Vic on the call.
The action has been relatively limited since three-handed play commenced between George Alberto, Vinny Pahuja and Sonny Kim. Kim and Alberto effectively traded double ups early on and Pahuja has stayed primarily out of the way.
With massive pay jumps in play, it will be interesting to see how players adjust to the rising blinds. Alberto has been the most aggressive player out of the three and that trend is likely to continue. Players are on a short break and will resume play shortly.
Below is a look at the updated chip counts along with the remaining payouts.
- George Alberto – 2,250,000
- Vinny Pahuja – 1,450,000
- Sonny Kim – 2,500,000
- $72,250
- $44,232
- $33,616
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
Level 26 (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 2,030,000
Dan Sewnig (Yardville, NJ)
After Vinny Pahuja took a good-sized portion of his stack, Dan Sewnig continued to tumble down the chip counts. After losing a small all-in to George Alberto to put him below 1,000,000, Sewnig was unable to chip back up and was soon eliminated at the hans of Alberto.
From the button, Sewnig shoved for 850,000 and found a call from Alberto in the big blind. Sewnig was behind with {as}{9s} against the {jc}{jh} of Alberto but picked up some additional life on the {9d}{7d}{7s} flop.
Sewnig asked for a spade on the turn, specifically requesting the {js} not come off, but indeed it did leaving Sewnig drawing dead the river.
A reinvigorated Alberto is now now once again the chip leader with 2,550,000 with Sonny Kim trailing him with 2,200,000. Vinny Pahuja isnt that far behind either of them with 1,910,000.
Sewnig will head to the payout cage to collect the largest payout of his live poker career.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
Level 26 (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 4
Chip Average: 1,520,000
Vinny Pahuja has climbed up the chip ranks slow and steady for all of Day 2, but is now the overall chip leader with four players remaining after taking a hefty pot from Dan Sewnig.
Vinny Pahuja has been able to chip up for all of Day 2 without having to deal with any major confrontation. Pahuja has continued to employ that pattern at the final table. In a recent hand against Dan Sewnig, Pahuja executed an out of position play against Sewnig and took the chip lead from him as a result.
From under the gun, Pahuja raised to 100,000 and was three-bet by Sewnig on the button to 255,000. Pahuja called and the two went to a {qc}{jd}{2c} flop. Pahuja checked to Sewnig, who continued for 225,000. Pahuja called again and the {2d} peeled on the turn.
The two players checked the turn and the {jh} hit the river. Pahuja led out for 453,000, leaving himself with about 640,000 behind. Sewnig conceded after some thought and Pahuja scooped the big pot to move up to 2,050,000, while Sewnig drops down to 1,450,000.
Sonny Kim is still in third with 1,300,000 while George Alberto has fallen to the short stack and only has 600,000.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
Level 24 (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 4
Chip Average: 1,520,000
Nicholas Immekus (Jefferson Hills, PA)
Dan Sewnig has been chipping up ever since the final table started and is now head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the field after sending Nicholas Immekus to the rail.
Sewnig has been active since the final table started and opened for 60,000 from the cutoff. The action folded to Immekus in the small blind who shoved for about 725,000. Sewnig made a quick call and turned over {jc}{jh} which had Immekus’ {6d}{6h} in trouble.
The {ks}{qd}{4d}{as}{kd} board was bone dry for Immekus and he will head to the rail in fifth place. Sewnig is now over 2,100,000, good for one-third of the total chips in play.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
Level 25 (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,216,000
Sonny Kim found an ace on the river to double through George Alberto and is now second in chips in the six-max final table.
George Alberto has employed an interesting strategy at this final table, putting his opponents to the test at will by raising all-in over the top of their opens. Most players have shied away from confrontation to Alberto’s aggression, but Sonny Kim finally took a stand and came out alive.
Kim opened for a raise to 60,000 and Alberto came over the top from the blinds to put Kim at risk for his last 700,000. Kim pondered his decision and called to put himself all-in. Alberto was ahead with {jd}{jh} and was flipping against the {ah}{ks} of Kim.
The {9h}{5c}{4s} gave Kim a backdoor straight draw to go along with his over cards. The {9d} didn’t add anything else to Kim’s outs but the {ad} on the river gave him a better pair and the pot.
With the hit, Alberto falls to 770,000 while Kim is right behind Sewnig for the chip lead with 1,550,000.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
Level 25 (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,216,000
Jason Rivkin (Tinton Falls, NJ)
Jason Rivkin and Richard Bai came into the final table as the two respective short stacks and were hindered from the start of play. Both players had their stacks shrink slowly into the quicksand without ever receiving the double they badly needed.
Bai was the first of the two to hit the rail at the hands of George Alberto, who has recovered from his early hit by winning his own set of preflop confrontations. From the cutoff, Bai moved all-in for 260,000 and Alberto found a call in the small blind.
Alberto was behind with {as}{10c} against the {8d}{8s} of Bai. The {7c}{6s}{4h} gave Bai a straight draw which would come in handy once Alberto hit the {ac} on the turn. Bai found no help on the {3h} river and Alberto climbed back into the chip lead with 1,700,000 after taking down the pot. Bai will take home $11,058 for his finish.
Richard Bai (Schaumburg, IL)
Rivkin hit the rail shortly after with Dan Sewnig doing the deed. Rivkin opened to 115,000 from early position and action folded to Sewnig in the big blind. Sewnig saw that Rivkin had about 65,000 left behind and raised enough to put Rivkin all-in, who called. Sewnig held a small fraction of an edge with {ah}{5d} against the {10s}{9s} of Rivkin.
The edge was enormously expanded on the {8h}{5h}{2h} flop taking away all heart outs for Rivkin. The {4c} on the turn was a brick and the {kc} on the river sent Rivkin out. Sewnig moved up to right behind Alberto with 1,520,000 after the hand. Rivkin will earn $15,186 for his six-max run.
Event 12: $1,000 Six Max NLH, $200,000 Guaranteed
Level 24 (12,000/24,000/3,000)
Total Entries: 304
Players Remaining: 7
Chip Average: 869,000
Dan Sewnig is the new chip leader at the six-max final table after taking down a sizable preflop hand against George Alberto.
Dan Sewnig started the final table of this six-max second in chips behind George Alberto but held the advantage of being two to the left of Alberto. The roles are now reversed and Sewnig is in the chip lead after taking down a large pot preflop against Alberto.
From the hijack, Alberto raised to 60,000 and Sewnig three-bet to 155,000 from the button. Action folded back to Alberto who put in a four-bet to 360,000. Undeterred by Alberto’s aggression, Sewnig five-bet to 710,000. Alberto thought for less than a minute and gave up his hand, conceding the pot.
With the pot, Sewnig is up to over 1,700,000 while Alberto drops below 1,000,000. It will be interesting if this dynamic continues as the final table wears on.