Frederic Breton squeezed to 4,600 out of the big blind and only the player on the button called as they headed to the 9♣8♦3♥ flop, which was checked through. Breton then bet the 5♠ turn for 3,000 to pick up a call before making it 10,000 to go on the 5♦ river. His opponent gave it some thought and folded.
In the meanwhile, players were high-carded to a fifth table that now also includes Pranav Sarda.
In a duel small blind versus cutoff, Andrew Porter bet the 8♥7♠3♥6♦ turn for 2,000 and Benjamin Duronio called. Porter bet another 7,500 on the 7♥ river to get called and showed the Q♣9♥ for a bluff, Duronio claimed the pot with the 5♦4♦ for the eight-high straight.
On the 10♠7♠4♥J♥ turn, Craig Robertson bet 4,600 and then faced the shove by Jason Nguyen for around 23,000. After a few seconds of consideration, Robertson said "I don't like it" but he called and the cards were flipped over.
Jason Nguyen: Q♠J♠ 
Craig Robertson: 7♣7♦
Nguyen had turned top pair to go with his flush draw but needed another spade that didn't pair the board to survive. No help came with the Q♦ river and the set of sevens by Robertson secured the second knockout of the opening flight.
While the hand played out, the 2025 Borgata Fall Poker Open Championship winner Matthew Zambanini entered the field on the same table.
The action early into Day 1a can only be described as incredibly fast and even multi-way multi street hands barely last a minute. One such clash saw a preflop raising war between Benjamin Duronio and Andrew Porter in which the latter squeezed to 9,500. Duronio came back over the top with a reraise to 19,000 and that ended the hand right there.
With already 28,000 in the middle to the A♠4♥3♥2♣ turn, Craig Robertson checked and then called a bet worth 11,000 by Jason Nguyen on the button. They both checked the 7♠ on the river and Robertson tabled the A♥10♣ for the top pair, which was good enough to win the pot.
There are four tables in play with up to 33 entries so far and only one player has been eliminated. The latest entrants are Luis Nargentino and John Scrimenti.
Just before the blinds went up, the three-way flop of 7♣4♥2♣ saw Benjamin Duronio bet 600. Jason Kluska raised to 5,000 and won the pot uncontested.
One table over, Sharman Olshan bet the Q♠Q♣8♣ flop for 2,000 and folded when David Olshan raised to 6,000.
Last but not least, the 9♠5♠4♦ flop saw Frederic Breton bet 2,100 out of the blinds. Juan Mahecha Jr pushed all-in for what appeared to be 18,900 and Breton folded.
Level: 2
Blinds: 200/300
Ante: 300
On the tail end of a K♥3♣2♦10♣4♠ board, Grzegorz Kozacki made it 10,000 to go and then faced the all-in shove by George St.Lawrence for more than 44,000. Kozacki didn't ask for an exact count and folded, after which Benedetto Bianco said "kings are good".
St.Lawrence shook his head and said he didn't have kings, but showed his 3♠3♦ for a set of treys instead.
"I already lost with two sets today, Bianco replied.
Only a few minutes later, Bianco was then knocked out by Mariano Castro to become the first casualty of Day 1a.
With some 7,500 in the middle to the Q♣10♥5♥5♣ turn, Andrew Porter called a bet of 2,500 and the 5♠ on the river was then checked by both players. Porter was shown the 9♦9♥ for nines full of fives, which he had beat holding the K♣10♠ for tens full of fives.
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