Blinds 250k/500k/50k ante
Anthony Zinno (Cranston, RI)
$825,099
After seizing the chip lead, Anthony Zinno puts the final pressure on Vanessa Selbst.
Zinno raises to 1.2 million, Selbst moves all in for nearly 8 million and Zinno calls putting Selbst at risk.
Zinno: A♣
6♦
Selbst: K♠ 10♣
Flop: Q♣
9♣
7♠ (Zinno still leads, Selbst gutshot straight draw)
Turn: 5♥ (no change)
River: 4♣
Zinno wins the hand with Ace high to take the tournament, the WPT Borgata Poker Open title and $825,099 first place prize.
"The fact that I'm now a WPT Champion, it's a dream come true for any poker player," says Zinno who earns his first career title and largest tournament cash.
The 32-year-old, who passed the Massachusettes bar exam and then passed on being a lawyer to play poker, is mildly surprised at this success. "I knew it would eventually come, but didn't think it would come yet," he says after two years of intense playing, "so in that sense it hasn't sunk in yet."
Zinno had the Event Center crowd on his side as he calls Borgata his home casino. His rail included girlfriend Jackie and Mike "Little Man" Sica, who has been battling cancer and made it a point to be on hand.
"I would love to dedicate this win to "Little Man" as an inspiration, as a mentor, as a friend, as a consumate professional poker player and everybody loves him," says Zinno.
The first place prize money includes entry into the season-ending WPT World Championship which will be held in spring 2014, and for the first time at Borgata. Zinno also gets a smaller version of the WPT Champions Cup and a framed winner's photograph provided by Borgata and IMPDI photography.
This is Zinno's 18th career Borgata cash and third of the series, including a 3rd place in Event 6 ($1k entry) and he finished 14th in the H.O.R.S.E event.
Zinno adds that with the life changing money, he'll pay off his law school loans, start a college fund for his 10 month old nephew Pasqual, and make a donation to the AMA Animal Rescue in New York.
"I couldn't be prouder, what a blessing. I always count my blessings, had I come in sixth I'd be smiling, but this is a blessing, a double blessing."
"The fact that I'm now a WPT Champion, it's a dream come true for any poker player," says Zinno who earns his first career title and largest tournament cash.
The 32-year-old, who passed the Massachusettes bar exam and then passed on being a lawyer to play poker, is mildly surprised at this success. "I knew it would eventually come, but didn't think it would come yet," he says after two years of intense playing, "so in that sense it hasn't sunk in yet."
Zinno had the Event Center crowd on his side as he calls Borgata his home casino. His rail included girlfriend Jackie and Mike "Little Man" Sica, who has been battling cancer and made it a point to be on hand.
"I would love to dedicate this win to "Little Man" as an inspiration, as a mentor, as a friend, as a consumate professional poker player and everybody loves him," says Zinno.
The first place prize money includes entry into the season-ending WPT World Championship which will be held in spring 2014, and for the first time at Borgata. Zinno also gets a smaller version of the WPT Champions Cup and a framed winner's photograph provided by Borgata and IMPDI photography.
This is Zinno's 18th career Borgata cash and third of the series, including a 3rd place in Event 6 ($1k entry) and he finished 14th in the H.O.R.S.E event.
Zinno adds that with the life changing money, he'll pay off his law school loans, start a college fund for his 10 month old nephew Pasqual, and make a donation to the AMA Animal Rescue in New York.
"I couldn't be prouder, what a blessing. I always count my blessings, had I come in sixth I'd be smiling, but this is a blessing, a double blessing."
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