Friday night's Event #12: $20,000 GTD NLH of the Borgata Spring Poker Open Online Series saw 188 entries obliterate the guaranteed prize pool and generate its own figure of $37,600, with 21 players making it into their money and earning a share of the prize pool.

However, it was one person's night to shine. "thekid32" rode a roller coaster to the top, outlasting the field en route to the first-place prize of $9,682. The victory came after a heads-up match that lasted over 30 minutes saw "thekid32" two cards away from defeat at one point, only to regain momentum and ultimately earn the win.

Friday Night Fun

The tournament started with just 17 players registered, though that number grew quickly and steadily over the course of the three-hour late registration period. Just thirty-four remained when registration closed and that number dropped to 27 by the break that occured 10-minutes later.

Half an hour later, the bubble burst and play was in the money. It took only another 35 or so minutes before the field of 21 was reduced to nine, and Ari "spinach_kale" Engel found himself the first to depart the final table after losing two consecutive pots to the eventual champion of the tournament.

Players fell from there one by one and eventually three remained. [B"]rumpthumper"[/B] was the next to go after nearly two full levels of play after finding themselves short and running ace-jack into the pocket kings of "mmflpoker."

Heads-Up Play

"thekid32" entered heads-up play with a slight chip lead but "mmflpoker" pulled ahead, eventually gaining as much as 80% of the chips in play. However, "thekid32" clawed back and then found an improbable double after stacks got in on an ace-four-three flop. "thekid32" had four-three suited and was up against the ace-three of "mmflpoker," but hit a four on the turn to improve to a full house and double.

From there, "thekid32" pulled away further and eventually called a shove from "mmflpoker" with ace-four. "mmflpoker" had queen-three and the outcome remained unchanged when the runout was finished, resulting in "thekid32" claiming the most recent title of the series.

Event #12 Final Table Results

With less than a minute left in Level 34 and blinds at 50,000/100,000 with an ante of 12,500, "mmflpoker" went all in on the button for 2.2 million and "thekid32" called in the big blind.

"mmflpoker":
"thekid32":

The runout saw five bricks come for "thekid32" to see their ace high remain best, fading the straight coming on the river for a chop en route to victory and the accompanying first-place prize of $9,682 as "mmflpoker" finished in second place, earning $6,674 for their efforts.

Player	Chips	Progress
thekid32	9,400,000 1,989,358	1,989,358
mmflpoker	Busted

In Level 34 with blinds of 50,000/10,000 and an ante of 12,500, "thekid32" raised to 200,000 on the button and "mmflpoker" defended their big blind.

The flop came and "mmflpoker" checked. "thekid32" made a continuation-bet of 136,000 and "mmflpoker" check-raised to 833,000. "thekid32" came back all in over the top and "mmflpoker" quickly called.

"thekid32":
"mmflpoker":

Both players had flopped two pair and "mmflpoker's" top and bottom pair left them needing to fade two cards twice to secure victory. However, the turn was to give "thekid32" a much-needed full house and the river came to hold and score them the double, taking better than a two-to-one chip lead along with it as the match continues.

Player	Chips	Progress
thekid32	6,425,252 3,556,376	3,556,376
mmflpoker	2,974,748 -3,556,376	-3,556,376

In Level 31 with blinds of 35,000/70,000 and an ante of 8,750, "mmflpoker" opened to 140,000 on the button and "rumpthumper" three-bet all in for 1.3 million. "mmflpoker" called.

"rumpthumper":
"mmflpoker":

The flop came to leave "rumpthumper" with two cards left to improve. The turn did bring improvement with both a pair of jacks and the nut flush draw, but the river was of no avail and their pair of jacks remained second best to result in their elimination from the tournament in third place.

Heads-up play is now underway and stack sizes have been posted from the start of the match.

Player	Chips	Progress
thekid32	5,104,766 388,300	388,300
mmflpoker	4,295,234 656,372	656,372
rumpthumper	Busted