Poker Tournament Results

Borgata Poker Open - WPT Season 4

Bill Blanda

Tournament Report

TEXAS MAN MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST PLAYER TO CAPTURE TWO BRACELETS IN BORGATA POKER OPEN ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (September 15, 2005) - As the heavy fog began to lift on Wednesday morning, players gathered at the final two tables of the third event of the 2005 Borgata Poker Open. The changing weather outside was a perfect foil for the stormy action taking place inside the Borgata Event Center, as Bill Blanda became the first player in Borgata history win two tournament bracelets with his victory in the $1,000 event. Beating the odds and the exhaustion that comes from a 19-hour card marathon, Blanda outlasted 368 other players to win his second title in two consecutive years and cashed in for $114,390. Having previously won the $2500 event in 2004, this victory established him as the only player to have back-to-back first-place finishes in the stellar event series. Blanda, who originally hailed from South Philadelphia, but now calls Galveston, Tx. home, garnered the respect of other players throughout the tournament as many quickly noticed the gold, diamond-encrusted Borgata championship bracelet on his right wrist. Blanda combined humorous table banter, mathematical skills and intuitive people-reading skills to defeat all challengers. This multi-faceted champion won by capitalizing on his ability to instantly read players, a skill which comes from his long-standing experience in the credit card business and the mental sharpness that he has acquired playing on the professional billiards tour. These skills helped him eliminate tough competition at the final table, which included a number of regional semi-pros and better-known poker talents like Chip Jett. According to Blanda, his experiences at Borgata are second to none. 'I just love the atmosphere here. I like the people and I like this part of the country. I come here to play three or four times a year, but I specifically come up for the Borgata Poker Open. I just feel real comfortable here. This is my happy place. This is my place of choice,' he said with a big smile. Blanda wasn't the only player to rave about his experience at this year's WPT-hosted event. Joesph M. Gradowski, a sanitation worker from Staten Island, N.Y., had nothing but positive things about Borgata's player-friendly event. 'The blinds are so high here that you can actually play poker. You're not obligated to rush in and make unwise decisions. I really liked the chip amount you started with. It's a nice layout,' he said after finishing in fourth place and collecting $25,830 cash. While a number of players commented on the tough game play and positive attributes of the tournament set-up, others suggested that their surroundings provided a wonderful experience while at Borgata. According to third-place finisher, Tom Coan, Borgata's first-class restaurants were a highlight. 'I came here for the poker but my favorite thing about being here is the Old Homestead. The food was excellent,' he said.