Borgata Poker Open Breaks Records

ATLANTIC CITY -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Energy levels among players and guests at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa rose early Monday morning as the hotel welcomed players of the World Poker Tour (WPT) main event.

The highly regarded tournament series recorded the largest turnout of players in the history of Atlantic City casinos with over 500 players ponying up $10,000 for a shot at the biggest pool prize in Borgata Poker Open history.

Spectators were treated to some intriguing tables as a number of top pros matched up the first round of this four-day event. Legends T.J. Cloutier and Amir Vahidi traded stories and tried to take each other's chips at one table, while reigning poker queen Jennifer Tilly faced Carlos Mortenson and Mike "the Mouth" Matasow on another.

One thing was certain, there was no shortage of the game's best players for the WPT main event, as top players from across the world took time out of busy schedules to compete.

Players like Daniel Negeanu (2004 WPT Player of the Year and winner of the 2004 Borgata Poker Open), Phil "the Unabomber" Laak, Phil Ivey, David "the Dragon" Pham, Maciek "Michael" Gracz, Ted Forrest, and current leader in CardPlayer magazine's player of the year race, John Phan, mixed with other seasoned veterans to try and score a Borgata Poker Open bracelet, WPT title, and an enormous first-place payday.

The men weren't the only ones having fun on the first day of competition. Several women immediately challenged their male opponents. Clonie Gowen, Evelyn Ng, Cindy Violette and Tilly, both a World Series of Poker champion and WPT champion, quickly showed the men they were not to be underestimated.

Even Godsmack lead singer Sully Erna got in on the action as he tried to take his musical skills and apply them to the changing rhythms of poker. Erna, who played drums for many years before he assumed his role as leader of one of today's biggest rock bands, may have felt at home listening to the melodic sound of chips being shuffled by almost every player at the tables.

Play will only get more dramatic as the pressure of playing top-level poker rises. Day two looks to be even more intense than day one as chip leaders try to continue winning and short stacks begin to risk everything in the hope of getting back into the game.