Nearly $1,700,000 up for grabs at Borgata Poker Summer Open

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey -- The biggest $5,000 buy-in tournament in the history of Atlantic City got underway this weekend at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. The field started with 337 players making for a $1,685,000 prize-pool with over $500,000 for first place. Players came from all over the East Coast to play this tournament, and some players even flew back from the WSOP in Las Vegas.

Matthew Stout, one of the top Internet players in the world, ended play on Sunday night with one of the largest chip stacks. "I flew to Borgata from the WSOP just a few hours before the tournament started, because I could not miss this. There is no other tournament structured like this in the country (each player getting $50k in chips). This really allows great poker to be played; whoever wins this is really going to have to win, not just get lucky."

Notable players in the event include top pro Steve Dannenman, AKA Barta, who made the final table of the 2005 U.S. Poker Championship; "Little Man" Mike Sica, the winner of a World Series of Poker Bracelet; and a local New Brunswick, NJ, native. Other notable players who were part of the field include, Louie Espositio, Paul McCaffrey, Joe Simmons, and Shawn Chaconoas to name a few.

The second day of the tournament resumed on Sunday with 253 still remaining, but by the end of the night, only 88 players remained for the start of Day 3. Play finished at 2:00 am on Sunday, Day 3 of the Championship tournament. Leading the way is D.J. Whorley, but the competition remains neck to neck, with several players ready to overtake the lead and win the half- million dollar first prize.

Press Release - 2007-06-28 09:45:35