Level: 33
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 30,000
Level: 33
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 30,000
Anthony Caruso found himself taken aback when Amanda Musumeci started training him to improve his poker game.
"She was the first person who ever called me middle-aged," the 47-year-old said with a laugh. "She helped me with my table image. She was really, really helpful."
"I see improvements all the time," he added. "It's more fun when you can win a little."
Caruso, a Marlton, N.J., native, has done a bit of winning recently. Last fall, he took down a Pot-Limit Omaha tournament here, and he's back for more. He's currently four-handed in the $450 PLO tournament.
Caruso said PLO is his favorite game "by far."
"I like the action," he said, adding that he enjoys playing $5/10 PLO when he plays cash games.
Poker is a mere hobby for Caruso, though. Most of his life, he said, revolves around his children. He has two daughters, ages 14 and 11, and a 16-year-old son. Caruso and his son spend a lot of time working for a charity called Wish Upon a Hero, Caruso said. He also runs a shipping company called luggageahead.com.
Those commitments mean he lags behind players more focused on the game. Every day that they log more hours than Caruso, he has more of a gap to make up, which is where his training with Musumeci helps.
Still, he's optimistic about making a big run in the main event here at the Borgata Winter Poker Open, where he could add considerably to his $74,424 in recorded cashes. He said there's always an amateur or two running up a big stack and making a run.
"Maybe I could be that guy," he said.
Andrew Carnevale was riding a short stack when the action folded around to him in the small blind. He looked down to find the in the hole, and with just Jason Tulloss left to fade, he made his move with an all-in shove for 1.905 million.
Tulloss happened to have a big hand, however, and he made the call with to put Canevale at risk of elimination.
Flop:
Both players flopped a piece, but Tulloss' pair of aces kept him out in front. Nothing had changed, however, and Carnevale still needed to catch a king or eight to keep his seat.
Turn:
"No!," was Tulloss' anguished cry at the sight of the five-outter coming on board.
The river was the to keep Carnevale's lead intact, and after a bit of stack accounting, the two players essentially traded places on the leaderboard.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Andrew Carnevale |
4,205,000
1,805,000
|
1,805,000 |
Jason Tulloss
|
2,100,000
-1,100,000
|
-1,100,000 |
The last of James Governa's stack was just shipped across the table to David Heck, after his failed to overcome Heck's .
A final runout of left the ladies out in front, and Governa was busted in 8th place for a $11,665 score.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
David Heck |
3,400,000
2,100,000
|
2,100,000 |
James Governa
|
Busted |
David Gerassi's magical ride was just derailed, and after he built a big stack throughout the day by playing untraditional hands like and , of course he crashed and burned holding a monster.
Gerassi moved all-in over the top of an opening raise by Nicholas Immekus - our chip leader going into the hand - but he was snapped off.
Showdown:
Gerassi:
Immekus:
Despite finding a pair of cowboys in the hole, the second-best hand in poker was second-best for Gerassi, as Immekus tabled aces for the second time at this final table.
The final board failed to bring Gerassi any more miracles, and after the hit the board, Gerassi stood up to make his exit. The gracious Gerassi shook Immekus' hand and told him "nice hand" before heading to the cashier's cage to collect his $8,399 for an 8th place finish.
Immekus continues to run over the final table, and he now holds the biggest stack in the room by a large margin.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Nicholas Immekus |
16,300,000
6,160,000
|
6,160,000 |
David Gerassi | Busted |
Level: 32
Blinds: 80,000/160,000
Ante: 20,000
After an opening raise by Nicholas Imeekus, the sight of in the hole must have seemed like a sight for sore eyes, because Jim Stinella jammed his last 2 million or so into the middle.
Immekus snapped the bet off and tabled his , putting Stenella's over-matched underpair in a deep hole.
The final board rolled out to keep the rockets out in front, and with the win Stenella became the first player in the tournament to cross the coveted 10 million chip mark.
Stenella took home $5,529 for his deep run here today.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Nicholas Immekus |
10,140,000
2,190,000
|
2,190,000 |
Jim Stenella
|
Busted |
Here are your final ten players, their chip counts and the table draw:
Seat | Player | Chips |
---|---|---|
1 | Nicholas Immekus | 7,950,000 |
2 | Jim Stenella | 2,100,000 |
3 | Allyn Marshall | 8,240,000 |
4 | Andrew Carnavale | 2,400,000 |
5 | Jason Tulloss | 3,200,000 |
6 | James Governa | 2,200,000 |
7 | David Gerassi | 4,200,000 |
8 | David Gerard | 3,400,000 |
9 | Eric Rappaport | 2,500,000 |
10 | David Heck | 1,300,000 |
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Allyn Marshall |
8,240,000
4,340,000
|
4,340,000 |
Nicholas Immekus |
7,950,000
3,850,000
|
3,850,000 |
David Gerassi |
4,350,000
2,350,000
|
2,350,000 |
Jason Tulloss
|
3,200,000
2,340,000
|
2,340,000 |
Eric Rappaport |
2,500,000
-1,100,000
|
-1,100,000 |
Andrew Carnevale |
2,400,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
James Governa
|
2,200,000
-1,050,000
|
-1,050,000 |
Jim Stenella
|
2,100,000
-2,000,000
|
-2,000,000 |
David Heck |
1,300,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
David Gerard
|
340,000
-4,560,000
|
-4,560,000 |
The final ten players have reassembled for the unofficial final table. Current chip counts will be coming shortly.
These are the last 12 players left with chips in Event 8 ($400 Deeper Stack No-Limit Hold'em $250,000 Guaranteed).