Event 20: Day 3 Recap - Failla Leads

$3300 + $200 WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship NLH

Failla "Thrilling" his Fans

Moving day had lots of drama and even more big pots as Borgata regular Will "The Thrill" Failla has the chip lead with 27 players left in the WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship.

"The sick part about it is, I don't think I knocked out one person all day," said Failla, who bagged nearly 3.3 million chips. "I just played a couple of big pots and don't remember knocking anybody out."

Failla is ahead of three players, Doug Kim, Ricky Hale and Darren Elias, who are all in the 2.5 million range, but some big names are lurking around the 1.5 million chip average (49 BB).

The list includes Matt Glantz, another Borgata regular, who has $3.8 million in career earnings, WSOP bracelet holders Vanessa Selbst and Fred Goldberg, along with three-time WSOP Champion "Miami" John Cernuto.

The list of recognizable pros who are on the rail during Day 3 of the tournament included two-time WSOP bracelet winner Jeff Madsen, who finished in 60th place ($11,740) and David Williams, who was 31st ($16,352).

"It always hurts when you get knocked out of a tournament," said Williams who was the 2004 Borgata Poker Open Champion runner-up to Daniel Negreanu and began Day 2 as the chip leader. "But now I get to go home to my family so that's a good thing."

Williams at one point had his chip stack up to 2.5 million, but he twice lost big pots with pocket aces, including one to Failla. He was also instrumental in breaking the bubble in a huge hand that cost Mark Bramley his final 450k and a spot in the money as he was eliminated in 101st place.

A king on the river gave Bramley a straight, but he was bested by Williams' pocket kings for a full house. You can see the hand details here as Bramley's elimination sent the remaining 100 players into the money for a minimum cash of $8,386.

The chip lead changed hands throughout the night as Dan Colman, who was involved with this controversial hand, and Joe Dittmar both had the lead at different points. But in the end it was Failla, who recently won his first WPT title, with the lead heading into Day 4.

"When you win your first WPT (title) it's a feeling you really can't put words on. I keep using the word surreal," says the New York native, who cut his tournament teeth at Borgata.

"For me to win it in my home casino that would mean more to me than anything else because my family will be here for it," he said. "It will make a big difference to me."

Failla and the other 26 players return 11 am Thursday to continue their pursuit for the Borgata Poker Open Championship and the $922,441 first place prize. The field will play down to the final six before returning Friday for the televised final table.

Number of Entrants: 1,313
Players Remaining: 27
Chips In Play: 39.3 million

Average Stack: 1.46 million (49 BB)
Big Stack: 3.255 million (109 BB)

Blinds: 15k/30k/3k ante (49 minutes left on level)

Total Buy-In: $4,332,900
First Prize: $922,441
Places Paid: 100