Event 16 (Day 2)
2014 BPO H.O.R.S.E Champion – Kevin Nettles
Despite coming into the final table as the short stack, Kevin Nettles refused to give up. He eventually made it to heads up against Nicolas Scafidi as a 2-1 dog in chips. One hand of razz turned the entire tournament around for Kevin though as he made a 7 low and Scafidi made an 8 low. On the last hand of Hold’em Nettles would make quad fives to earn him the first place prize of $14,514 and the Borgata trophy.
2nd Place – Nicolas Scafidi
On a board reading {2c}{2h}{5s}{Qc} Nicolas Scafidi opened the action with a bet. This initiated a raising war between Scafidi and Nettles that eventually led to all the chips in the middle. Scafidi tabled {Ad}{Qd} for a pair of queens, but he was way behind the {5h}{5c} of Kevin Nettles. He would be drawing to only a queen to remain in the tournament but the dealer peeled off the {5d} on the river to give Kevin Nettles quads and the title.
Scafidi will take home $7,879 for his second place finish here in event 16!
Level 23 (Limits 15,000/30,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 2
Seven Card Stud
3rd Place – Stuart Rotter
With three players remaining, Kevin Nettles had a 5-to-1 chip lead over Stuart Rotter, and decided to use that edge to chase an open-ended straight.
Showing a {10d}, Rotter completed for 25k and Nettles made the call showing a {3s}. With Nicolas Scafidi also showing a {3x} before folding, Nettles said, “It’s a strange call, but I’m gonna call.”
They got it all-in on 5th street with Nettles making the first bet.
Nettles: {3s}{6h}{Ks} / {5d}{4s} (open-ended straight) 6th street: {7h} 7th street: {Qh}
Rotter: {10d}{2h}{9c} / {2s}{2c} (three of a kind) 6th street: {4d} 7th street: {Jd}
Nettles made his straight and Rotter was unable to pair any of his first six cards on 7th street and was eliminated with three deuces.
Rotter takes home $4,976 for the 3rd-place finish, and leaves Scafidi and Nettles battling for the H.O.R.S.E. trophy.
Level 22 (Limits 12,000/24,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 3
Bo Toft (Yardley, PA)
Bo Toft (Yardley, PA) would make his second final table of the series, finishing third in the Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8B event earlier in the series ($2,933). He would come to the final table as one of the chip leaders, but as the blinds grew higher, they just caught up to him.
This would be Toft’s 83rd career cash, and while it may not have been the largest on his resume, he did enjoy his time playing with good friend James Woods. Woods was unable to reach Day 2, but the two players spent a lot of time chatting it up during the early stages of the event last night.
Nicholas Scafidi has now eliminated each and every player from the final table, and now has over 620,000.
Level 22 (Limits 12,000/24,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 4
Craig Fleischman (New York, NY)
Craig Fleischman’s final hand came in the “S”-tud high portion of the tournament, as he would be all-in against Nicholas Scafidi after the initial deal. The cards would be immediately turned over, and it would be the {qd} {9d} {8h} of Fleischman against the {as} {ad} {4h} of Scafidi.
The runout would bring no improvement to Craig’s hand, and he would be eliminated in fifth place ($2,903). This would be Fleischman’s third tournament cash in his career, and his largest to date. He does have one no limit hold’em cash and one mixed cash, but this is his first at Borgata.
Level 22 (Limits 12,000/24,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 5
Russell Clayton (Huntington Valley, PA)
“So I’m all-in now,” Russell Clayton (Huntington Valley, PA) as players were in the “O”-maha portion of the tournament. His chips were in the middle against three other players (Nettles, Scafidi, Rotter). The board would run out {9s} {2c} {4c} {4s} {js}, with Nettles betting the flop and turn (getting called by Scafidi), and the river going check-check.
Nicholas would turn over {ac} {5s} {5c} {4h}, having turned trips, with no low possible on the board. Russell would wait for Kevin to fold his hand before turning over {ah} {6h} {10c} {7d}, which would offer no resistance against Scafidi’s trips.
Clayton had eight career results before this sixth place finish, and all but one have come in mixed events (we are seeing a pattern here). This is Russell’s first ever cash at Borgata, and he will end up taking home $2,488 for the final table finish.
Level 23 (Limits 15,000/30,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 7
Ronald Winkelvoss (Rose Valley, PA)
While playing limit hold’em, Ronald Winkelvoss three-bet an open from Nicholas Scafidi, which would end up being exactly the amount “Wink” had left. Kevin Nettles would fold behind and Scafidi made the call for the extra bet:
Winkelvoss: {ks} {kc}
Scafidi: {as} {8c}
Flop: {4c} {6d} {10s}
Turn: {ad}
River: {jc}
Ronald would give a big smile when the ace hit the turn, seemingly ending his tournament. He still had the river to come, but the paint that would come did not match either of his two kings. This would be Ronald’s tenth career cash, and wouldn’t you guess…they’ve all come in mixed events!! Winkelvoss receives $2,073 for his seventh place finish, bringing his career earnings above the $25,000 mark.
Level 22 (Limits 12,000/24,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 8
Lawrence Zito (Flushing, NY)
The next elimination would come just a few hands after Matheny’s departure, as Lawrence Zito (Flushing, NY) fell at the hands of Kevin Nettles as well. While playing stud-high, Zito starting with pocket kings, against Kevin showing a king. As the hand would play out and Zito was all-in, all of the cards would be exposed. It would be the kings of Zito ahead of Nettle’s deuces, but not for long.
Kevin would receive an ace on sixth and seventh street, making aces up on the river, while Zito didn’t manage to improve his hand at all. Zito is another player that can say all of their cashes are in mixed events. Lawrence had four career cashes to his name coming into the day, all of them final tables. He continues that streak today, and earns himself $1,659 for his eighth place finish.
Level 22 (Limits 12,000/24,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 9
Michael Matheny (Mason, MI)
Michael Matheny (Mason, MI) would sneak his way to the final table, walking over with just over 41,000. The first final table hand would be stud, and Matheny would put his chips in against Kevin Nettles off the initial deal. Both players would turn over flush draws, with Nettles holding {ks} {9s} {3s} and Matheny {kd} {qd} {2d}. The runout wouldn’t be kind at all to Matheny, as Nettles would complete his flush on fifth street, having Michael drawing dead.
Matheny would be the first player to cash in the event, adding $1,244 to his career earnings, and getting his first ever Borgata score. The three cashes that Michael had coming into the day were all in mixed events, with this his third final table of four recorded cashes.
Level 22 (Limits 12,000/24,000)
Total Entries: 95
Players Remaining: 10
Ronald Winkelvoss (Rose Valley, PA)
In the limit hold’em portion of the tournament, Ronald Winklevoss was all-in for his final 24,000, with two players having called. The dealer would run out the entire board, as both of “Winks” opponents checked each street. The board would read {as} {10h} {qd} {ac} {2s}, and Ronald would say to his opponents, “I’m going to need some help.” The announcements of jack high and nine high were pretty good for Ronald, who was clearly joking when he turned over {ah} {qs}. He triples up and stays alive on the bubble…which would burst only a few hands later with the elimination of Steven Berkowitz.
Players are now set at the final table, and we will bring you names and updated chip counts once the cards are back in the air.