Play has resumed after a short move into the Borgata Poker Room's secluded final stage area.
2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open
Here are the exact chip counts for each of the three remaining players at dinner break.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Joe Mckeehen |
1,566,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
|
||
Mike Sandler |
793,000
-357,000
|
-357,000 |
Attilio Bitondo |
581,000
281,000
|
281,000 |
Attilio Bitando was in the small blind and he moved all in for his short stack, with Mike Sandler quickly calling and tabling .
Bitando held only and when he saw that his bluff had been picked off he quietly asked the dealer to "gimme a straight."
The flop came down and Bitando caught a lifeline of sorts by pairing his five, but he would still need help to survive this brush with the brink. When the arrived on the turn Bitando softly said "three" while awaiting the river, still searching for that straight (who can blame the 85-year old for a bit of forgetfulness, especially on an empty stomach).
River:
With that, Bitando had caught up to crack Sandler's queens, earning a much needed double up before shuffling off in search of sustenance.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Mike Sandler |
800,000
-350,000
|
-350,000 |
Attilio Bitondo |
575,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
The dinner break has arrived and play will resume in 60 minutes.
Take a look at where they stand.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Joe Mckeehen |
1,550,000
210,000
|
210,000 |
|
||
Mike Sandler |
1,150,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Attilio Bitondo |
300,000
-350,000
|
-350,000 |
With all of the action involving Joe McKeehen and Mike Sandler taking place recently, one might suspect heads-up play has already began.
Attilio Bitondo is still here though... he's just keeping quiet.
At the tender age of 85, the New Yorker has lived a long life filled with countless stories of intrigue and intimidation... you just won't hear it from him.
With a large family to earn for (larger than you can imagine... just take our word for it), Bitondo has never been one to speak out of turn, which is why he's survived for so many years despite the occasional call to go to the mattresses.
He's still hanging tough here today, despite playing with a feared professional in McKeehen and a made guy like Sandler. Bitondo currently rides the short stack at the table, but he's much more than mezza morta at the moment, needing only for one of his opponents to clip the other to pocket an even fatter envelope filled with 2nd place prize money.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Attilio Bitondo |
650,000
-80,000
|
-80,000 |
Joe McKeehen and Mike Sandler just went to war yet again, after waging a series of all-in assaults against one another's stacks.
This time the action was limped to McKeehen, who exercised his big blind option by raising to 70,000. Attilio Bitando laid his hand down and Mike Sandler then shoved all in from the small blind, effectively betting 637,000 to put McKeehen at risk if he called.
And call he did holding the , which was well out in front of Sandler's . The dealer fanned a flop of across the felt and Sandler winced at the sight of the ace in the window, but a king on board gave him a glimmer of hope.
The turn brought the to the table and Sandler picked up additional outs to a chop, but the on the river was a brick, sending yet another huge pot to McKeehen as the pair's seesaw battle rages on.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Joe Mckeehen |
1,340,000
590,000
|
590,000 |
|
||
Mike Sandler |
950,000
-450,000
|
-450,000 |
Level: 24
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 3,000
Here's the score.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Mike Sandler |
1,400,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
Attilio Bitondo (Attilio Bitando)
|
800,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Joe Mckeehen |
750,000
-630,000
|
-630,000 |
|
The pace of play has stagnated just a bit, with the three remaining players content to contest small pots while waiting for one another to make a fatal mistake.