On the Felt with Randy James: Lions of the East at Borgata
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Last Updated on October 14, 2026 by Bala Kumar
Borgata, Atlantic City
The cards are in the air at Borgata for the BetMGM Lions of the East, featuring a $600 buy-in and a massive $2 million guaranteed prize pool!
I entered Day 1A with 30,000 chips and quickly built my stack to 62,000. Then poker reminded me how unpredictable this game can be. I lost two significant hands — one to a royal flush and another to a straight flush! Not something you see every day.
By the first break, I was down to 36,100, but the comeback was underway.
My Day 1A journey:
- Final entries: 122 players
- Starting stack: 30,000
- First break: 36,100
- Second break: 64,500
- Third break: 141,000
- Evening update: 79,000 with 18 remaining
- Milestone: Made the money with 16 players remaining!
With approximately 12.5% of the field getting paid and only 8% advancing to Day 2, every hand became increasingly important.
Making the money was the first goal. Bagging chips for Day 2 was the next.
Tournament poker is about patience, resilience, and making the most of opportunities. Today delivered plenty of challenges, but that’s what makes this game so exciting.
The Lions of the East continues throughout the week, with Day 2 scheduled for Sunday, October 18, when qualifying players from Borgata and MGM National Harbor come together.
Stay tuned for more updates, photos, and stories from the felt!
See you on the felt!
Randy James | @RJPOKER1110
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