ATLANTIC CITY -- Virtually every major name in poker ascended upon the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa for the start of $10,000 World Poker Tour Main Event. Five hundred and seventy players filled the

beautiful 85-table poker room with dreams of winning the first place prize money of $1,603,410.
The first day of competition featured the best poker players in the world. Atlantic City's own, Phil Ivey drew some of the largest crowds throughout the day.
Daniel Negreanu, also had a large group of fans surrounding his table. Negreanu, who spent the previous night at the WPT Televised Final Table, chartered a jet from Tunica, Mississippi, to Atlantic City to make sure he arrived in time at Borgata. Negreanu was having a good time playing in the new 85-table poker room, "I love this poker room (Borgata). I am not just saying it because I'm here; this is the best poker room!"
Jamie Gold, the winner of the 2006 WSOP is one of the chip leaders and the early surprises of the tournament. Other major pros in the event include David Williams, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, Mark Newhouse, Erick Lingren, Barry Greenstein, Gavin Smith, Chad Brown, and Vanessa Rousso.
The play resumed this morning and the tournament will last until January 30, 2007. The large field will be dramatically diminished by the end of the day. The Grinder, the defending Borgata Winter Open champ fell during the first day. Other notable pros to make an early exit from the event include, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, David "The Dragonfly" Singer, and Gavin Smith.
World Poker Tour (WPT)
5700 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 350
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-330-9900
Fax: 323-330-9901
Website: www.worldpokertour.com
| The World Poker Tour (WPT) can be seen in more than 116 countries and territories throughout the world. WPT consists of 17 high stakes poker tournaments filmed at glamorous locations throughout the world, including Bellagio in Las Vegas, Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT, Aviation Club de France in Paris and the Borgata in Atlantic City. Each year the Tour culminates in the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas at Bellagio in April, drawing the leading pros and accomplished amateurs from around the world for an $8-12 million prize pool. |
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
One Borgata Way
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
| Borgata is a joint venture of Boyd Gaming Corporation and MGM MIRAGE. Located at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City, it features 2,000 guest rooms and suites, 125,000 square feet of gaming, 163 gaming tables, 3,600 slot machines, 11 destination restaurants, 11 retail boutiques, a 54,000 square foot spa and 70,000 square feet of event space. |