The
Event Center at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa was a
vision of poker beauty as the Ladies Only No
Limit Hold 'em event started and players wore
their new pink Borgata Poker Open hats.
Some 516 poker
lovers began playing for the title and these
women wasted no time taking to the event as if they
were all pros, too. Action-packed poker playing
started from the get-go. Observers were witnessing a
truly awesome event where chips were bet back and
forth. The ladies poker playing went well into the
evening as players fought fatigue and short chip
stacks in hopes of taking home the prestigious
Borgata bracelet.
Event seven's first-place
finisher, Aena Kang,
outlasted her opponents and played her hands to
perfection, taking home $29,928 and the championship
bracelet. In the end, her skill and aggressive play
earned her the title of Ladies Only champion.
Connecticut's
Deborah Diehl, the second-place finisher, certainly
deserved a round of applause for her efforts.
Although she didn't win the bracelet, the $16,254
she took home made her day.
Another highlight
of the Ladies Only tournament was the success of a
group of players representing WomensPokerClub.com, a
web site dedicated to teaching women the ins and
outs of the game. After several players cashed, the
group made clear to future competitors that they are
going to be a force to be reckoned with at upcoming
tournaments.
In addition to
hosting the Ladies Only tournament, Borgata's
premier nightclub and restaurant, Mixx, played host
to a lavish and star-filled pre-party for the
players of the WPT main event
The party went off
without a hitch as sponsor 2K Sports gave players a
much needed rest from poker-related activities.
Players mingled and danced to the upbeat sounds of
the house DJ, while 2K Sports' new WPT-based game
played on a large television screen. The game
features several top poker pros and allows players
to battle their way through WPT tournament events.
Even game star Phil
"the Unabomber" Laak took time to see if he could
beat his computer-likeness. 2K Sports, who is
looking to make a dramatic entrance into the poker
video game market, will be releasing the game in
late October 2005 for a projected price of around
$20.
Laak wasn't the
only poker pro to kick up his heels during the
evening as girlfriend and now poker superstar,
Jennifer Tilly, took pictures with fans and worked
the crowd elegantly as only a Grammy-nominated star
could.
Hosts Antonio
Esfariandi and David Williams led the festivities,
making sure everyone was having a good time. They
were joined by a number of other poker stars like
Clonie Gowen, Hoyt Corkins and Chris Bigler.
