The Killing Fields
A total of 529 runners made their way to the Borgata Poker Room with high hopes for this Day 2, but during the first level the field has been culled in merciless fashion.
Nearly 60 players were sent to the rail during the first 40 minutes of play, meaning more than one bustout per minute occurred to start the day.
One of those casualties was Allard Broedelet, who you may remember as the chip leader from the suspended Event 1 from January's Winter Poker Open.
According to the always gregarious Broedelet, he found in the hole and played the premium pair to perfection, opening to 13,000 from the button and disguising his cowboys as a mere blind steal. The big blind defended against the theft with the lowly , finding top pair on the flop.
Broedelet responded to the big blind's tap of the table with an 18,000 c-bet, and when his opponent shoved all-in over the top, the Dutchman committed his last 40,000 or so with his overpair to the board.
When a paired the board on the turn Broedelet's positioned was strengthened, as his opponent could not make two pair to win the hand.
River:
As Broedelet knows all to well from his previous experience in the aforementioned suspended tournament, poker can be a cruel game. And the river confirmed as much, delivering his opponent's miracle three-outer and knocking Broedelet out in the process. He appeared in good spirits despite the beat though, and expressed his intention to play in Event 2 over in the Signature Room.