As the World Series of Poker was going full steam in Las Vegas, the Borgata gave the East Coast its version of summertime poker glory with its always successful Borgata Summer Open. And one of the cool surprises of this series was an event that wasn’t in the main preliminary schedule: the All-in or Fold tournament. The rules are simple: The only action is to fold or go all-in. The tournament created such a buzz and was so much fun, the Borgata has added an All-in or Fold Bounty tournament to its weekly schedule, slotted on Wednesdays at 11 p.m. with a $115 buy-in.
The Summer Open main event drew 305 players for a $762,250 prize pool. Melad Marji won the title and $198,078. Finishing seventh was seasoned veteran John Aglioloro, who longtime poker fans may remember as the winner of the 2004 United States Poker Championship in which he bested a final table that included Hoyt Corkins, John D’Agostino, Joe Cassidy and Matt Glantz. Aglioloro has nearly $1 million in lifetime earnings, including a seventh-place finish at the 1994 World Series of Poker Main Event. This was his first cash since 2007.
SHRONK CHARITY EVENT: The Revel in Atlantic City, N.J., will host a charity tournament at noon on Aug. 18 to benefit the Justin Shronk Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Buy-in is $215, with $200 rebuys for the first three levels. Half of the proceeds will benefit the scholarship fund.
Shronk, once a producer for PokerRoad, player and poker media veteran, died in 2009. The scholarship in his name at Temple University is awarded to deserving communications students.
Eastern Pennsylvania
Speaking of Matt Glantz, the East Coast high-stakes pro recently signed a multiyear partnership with Parx Casino, serving as the ambassador for Parx poker. Glantz has earned $4,134,880 in tournaments over his career, including a win at the 2009 London EPT High Roller event, and is one of the most respected cash-game players in the world. His record speaks for itself in terms of his poker abilities and the rest of the poker world speaks for him in terms of his character.
“Matt Glantz is a highly respected and skilled player in the poker world,” Parx CEO Tony Ricci said. “His professional profile lends integrity to our flourishing poker brand. In addition to being the face of Parx poker, Matt will also be involved in the planning and design of the poker room expansion plan, which is currently under way.”
“I am very proud to have reached this milestone in my poker career and honored to be partnering with Parx Casino,” Glantz said. “It will be my mission to support Parx in becoming the premier poker room on the East Coast.”
Fans looking to mingle with the new ambassador or for budding players hoping for the opportunity to take on Glantz won’t have to wait long. The World Poker Tour’s Parx Open Poker Classic kicks off Aug. 1 (schedule on Page 69) with a no-limit hold’em re-entry event and commences with a $3,500 buy-in main event, including Pennsylvania’s first televised final table. Included in the series of events are bounty tournaments, an Omaha/8 tournament, and plenty of mega satellites to make your way into the main. There’s no better place to be come August than Parx Casino.
— Cris Belkewitch is the Ante Up Atlantic City Ambassador. A member of Team Bustout, his insight can be found at thepokerjourney.net.
