More than half of the 1,181 players who tossed in $3,300 + $200 for the 2012 World Poker Tour (WPT) Borgata Poker Open Main Event were still around to compete in Day 2 of the tournament on Tuesday. Of those 625 players, 174 remain for Wednesday’s Day 3 as the field continues its march towards the money. Orson Young is the substantial chip leader, clutching 728,000 chips, well ahead of Barry Hutter and his stack of 604,500.
Young’s name is fitting, as in looking at him, nobody would mistake him for a grizzled vet. Appearing every bit in his early 20’s, Young has yet to nab a major live tournament victory, though he has had a number of cashes since the beginning of 2011. He has found success here at the Borgata in Atlantic City, too, only about an hour and a half drive from his hometown of Oceanport, New Jersey. His largest cash was at this same Borgata Poker Open a year ago, achieved in a $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event where he placed second for $59,058. In January’s 2012 Borgata Winter Open, Young finished fifth, winning $11,929. In sum, Orson Young has won just over $150,000 in his budding live poker tournament career.
Young is also part of an interesting side story at this World Poker Tour event, as his significant other is Cherish Andrews, currently sitting in seventh place with 495,300 chips. She cashed six times this summer at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), including a fourth place finish in one of the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em events. She won more money in that tourney – $210,083 – than her boyfriend has won in all of his tournaments combined.
At one point in the tournament, Young and Andrews were 1-2 in the chip standings, thanks to a bit of luck. Young was already running away with the chip lead, though Andrews was doing quite well. In a hand pre-flop, she raised to 5,000, a player on the button re-raised to 21,800, Andrews three-bet to 55,000, and the opponent four-bet it up to 84,800. Andrews then committed all her chips, as did her opponent, whom she had covered. When the cards were revealed, it was easy to see why they were both so eager to get their chips in the pot. Andrews had Q-Q while the button had A-A. Unfortunately for that player on the button, Andrews was able to turn a Queen to increase her stack to 513,000, second only to her beau. Her opponent hit the rail.
Play is just getting underway in Day 3 at the 2012 WPT Borgata Poker Open. There is still a bit of a climb until the payouts begin, but with the first check going to the player who busts in 110th place, the money bubble will burst today.
2012 World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open – Day 2 Chip Leaders
1. Orson Young – 728,000
2. Barry Hutter – 604,500
3. David Heck – 567,800
4. David Diaz – 541,900
5. Michael Hickman – 537,300
6. Stephen Reynolds – 510,600
7. Cherish Andrews – 495,300
8. Maurice Paradis – 492,700
9. Michael Zats – 484,300
10. Mohammad Siddiqui – 477,600
