Event 6
Level 17 (3,000/6,000/500)
Total Entries: 164
Players Remaining: 13
Average Stack: 204,000
Adam Benowitz just squeaked into the money and is very proud to show off his payout receipt.
The eliminations have been swift and the final two tables have been drawn for in the Seniors Event. Once play was narrowed down to 18, five eliminations occurred rapidly and the field is now down to only 13 players. TJ Shulman has the chip lead with around 575,000 but there is still plenty of
TJ Shulman has the chip lead with around 575,000 but there is still plenty of poker left to be played before all is said and done. Other big stacks in play include Brad Pulver and Bob Piacnetino who are both over 300,000. Additionally, both players are sharing a table with Shulman which should make for an interesting dynamic down the stretch.
A full redraw of the remaining is below along with accompanying chip counts.
Table 1
- Philip Sorge – 130,000
- Natale Kuey – 120,000
- Alyson Parker – 115,000
- (empty)
- Gregg Miller – 230,000
- John Clifford – 100,000
- Tom Millmore – 160,000
- (empty)
- (empty)
Table 2
- Denny Gross – 125,000
- Bob Piacentino – 305,000
- Andy Gallagher – 225,000
- John LoDuca – 200,000
- TJ Shulman – 575,000
- Brad Pulver – 305,000
- Bill Lisek – 50,000
- (empty)
- (empty)
Level 16 (2,500/5,000/500)
Total Entries: 164
Players Remaining: 23
Average Stack: 109,000
Bob Piacentino has had much success in Borgata’s “Deep Stacks Challenge” Events and is using that experience playing in that structure in the Seniors Events as he is near the chip lead close to the money bubble.
After a 60-minute dinner break, the field has returned to play out the remainder of the Seniors event. Only five eliminations are left before the field redraws to play down to the final table. The money bubble should burst fairly soon, and once it does, all players will have secured at least a $716 payday for their work today.
With many highly skilled players still in the field, it should be an exciting fight to the finish as the field narrows down.
Level 14 (1,500/3,000/400)
Total Entries: 164
Players Remaining: 28
Average Stack: 82,000
The Borgata Poker Open Seniors Event is nearing the money late in Level 14 and there are few players who have distinguished themselves on top of the leaderboard from the rest of the field. Based on their litany of past results, it is no surprised to see each of these collective players doing well once again.
Steven Nooralian made it through over 3,800 entrants to finish 13th in BPO Event 1. That $11,000 score adds to Nooralian’s $70,000 in previous career earnings. Nooralian already has one title in 2016 when he took first place in a 10-way deal at Maryland Live! and could soon be adding another trophy to his collection.
TJ Shulman’s $525,000 in career earnings is likely the highest among all players remaining in this field. Shulman has been remarkably consistent over the course of his career and is in the hunt for his first career BPO trophy.
Natale Kuey has experienced prior success in “Seniors” Events having finished 16th in this summer’s World Series of Poker “Super Seniors” event. Kuey also finished second at the 2014 Winter Poker Open Seniors Event and will look to add his first career Seniors victory to his list of results.
$300+$40+$20 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors NLH
Level 12: Blinds 1,000/2,000/300 ante
Entries: 164
Players Remaining: 45
Average Stack: 54,700
Paul Tong (Nanuet, NY)
After Paul Tong (cutoff) opened for 6,000, Barbara Spano (button) moved in for 21,500 total. Action folded back to Paul, who gave it some thought, then called.
Barbara had him dominated with {ad}{kd}. Paul rolled over {ac}{qh}. You might think Barbara was headed for a double-up, but the board did not cooperate. The completed board read {9h}{5h}{2h}{4h}{3d} and Paul made a flush on the turn to take the pot. He chipped up to about 70,000 while Barbara headed for the door.
Paul made the final table of this event last year, finishing 8th for $1,196.
$300+$40+$20 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors NLH
Level 10: Blinds 600/1,200/200 ante
Entries: 164
Players Remaining: 80
Average Stack: 30,750
The Seniors are back from a color-up break and the green 25 chips have been removed.
Anthony Kietrys (Hawley, PA)
Anthony Kietrys won this event during last year’s BPO and he’s back today to defend that title. Last year there were 137 entrants and the win was good for $11,961. He took home his first Borgata Open trophy and booked his largest tournament score. Since then he’s booked several other tournament cashes bringing his lifetime total to nearly $25,000. Anthony is a retired Physics teacher who lives in the Poconos.
*Update: shortly after play resumed, Anthony got all-in holding pocket Jacks and was ahead of two opponents who held pocket 9s and pocket 4s. Four clubs hit the board and the only one holding a club was the player with pocket 9s. Anthony was felted, so there will be no repeat Seniors Champion today.
Event 6 – $300+$40+$20 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors NLH
Total Entries: 164
Prize Pool: $47,724
Payouts:
- $14,080
- $7,875
- $4,772
- $3,818
- $2,863
- $2,386
- $1,909
- $1,432
- $1,074
10 – 12. $954
13 – 15. $835
16 – 18. $716
$300+$40+$20 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors NLH
Level 9: Blinds 500/1,000/100 ante
Entries: 164
Registration has closed for the Seniors event with an unofficial total of 164 entrants. These are just some of the familiar faces in that field:
Gregg Miller
Arthur Bressler
Abe Korotki
Natale Kuey
Ted Geier
Dan Heimiller
Joe Pitti
Dan DaConti
TJ Shulman
Paul Tong
Alyson Parker
Barbara Spano
Arthur Peters
Bob Piacentino
Steve Nooralian
Carlo Sciannameo
$300+$40+$20 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors NLH
Level 5: Blinds 150/300/25 ante
Entries: 149
Joe DeBonis (Toms River, NJ)
Another member of Mike Sica’s family is here today, playing in this memorial event. Joe DeBonis, who is Little Man’s nephew, is a poker player as well. He made the final table of the Seniors event during the 2015 Winter Poker Open, finishing 4th for $5,467.
$300+$40+$20 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors NLH
End of Level 3: Blinds 100/200
Entries: 127
After three levels, the Seniors are on their first break of the day.
Kal Alwan (Wayne, NJ)
On the last hand before the break, Kal Alwan got his stack all-in holding pocket Aces against a player holding pocket 7s. They both flopped a set, so Kal only had to sweat a single out on the last two cards. The final board read A K 7 Q 6 and Kal’s set of Aces was good for the full double-up.
After 15 minutes away from the felt, the Seniors will get back in action.
$300+$40+$20 Mike Sica Memorial Seniors NLH
Level 2: Blinds 75/150
Tom Selesky and Michele Sica Selesky, Little Man’s Daughter
Michele Sica Selesky said a few words about her father this morning before issuing the instruction to “Shuffle Up and Deal!” Her husband Tom is playing today, although he’s not a poker player, per se. She’s got Little Man’s signature toothpick holder and is handing them out to anyone who wants to honor Mike.
Shortly after he sat down, Michele asked the table to “take it easy on” her husband, but the player to his left said “he’s won the last four hands!”