ClubWPT Qualifier Jim McLaughlin in the Top 10 On Day 2

By Matt Clark

What do you think of when you hear that there’s almost $800,000 for first place and you’re one of less than 300 players who have a chance to win?

That question nearly brought ClubWPT qualifier Jim McLaughlin to tears on the second break of Day 2 of the Season XVI Borgata Poker Open Championship. After starting Day 2 with 66,300, McLaughlin is playing a top-10 stack of 330,000 halfway through the day.

“When you get to this stage in life, this is as big as it gets,” said McLaughlin.

McLaughlin hasn’t encountered much trouble so far on Day 2 and managed to pick off a bluff to ship a large pot shortly before the break.

“The last 100,000 came my way by the player on my left, who saw the white hair and thought I was a regular nit that they could bluff off,” McLaughlin told WPT.com. “He was wrong. He started with 120,000. He now has 20,000.

“I had ace-seven and an ace came on the flop. By the river, I still only had an ace. I have no idea what the guy’s got. I checked to him and he bet 60,000 out of his stack of 80,000, thinking he could push me off the hand. Most people would fold a hand like that, but I’m a grumpy old man who doesn’t like to be pushed around.”

That hand boosted McLaughlin up the counts before break and upon being told he was one of the chip leaders, McLaughlin’s voice quivered with excitement.

With the same self-deprecation he showed yesterday, McLaughlin said regarding potentially reaching Day 3, “I’m worried that, knowing my luck overall, I’ll probably have a heart attack between now and tomorrow morning and not have a chance to play for the money.”

McLaughlin noted yesterday that he is trying to take this tournament one step at a time and not get too ahead of himself. That mindset is holding to form so far and McLaughlin is attempting to comprehend just how well today has gone thus far while he continues to accumulate chips.

“The fact that I have many chips at this stage is mind-boggling to me,” he said.

Advancing to Day 2 in itself is an accomplishment for McLaughlin, who largest recorded cash up to this point in his poker career was $2,709.

Out of the 1,132 total entrants in the Season XVI WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship, 110 are set to be paid with the money bubble scheduled to hit midway through Day 3.

McLaughlin is a reasonable favorite to advance to that stage given his current stack and has a plan to ensure a place in the money should he get to that point.

“I have no grand illusions, I’ve been knocked out on the bubble before,” McLaughlin said. “If I get down to 120 players and I still have a decent amount of chips, you will see me standing in the back of this room with [my wife Nancy].”

Last night, McLaughlin was treated to a welcome dinner at Angeline restaurant in Borgata, and he had the chance to sit next to WPT Commentator Vince Van Patten.

That dinner, along with other VIP events, are part of the experience for McLaughlin and the other ClubWPT qualifiers who are playing in this week’s WPT Borgata Poker Open.

The final event is a front-row seat for the live taping of the televised WPT final table on Friday. McLaughlin is off to a spectacular start on Day 2 and if he continues to chip up as he has over the first four levels of Day 2, it could be him sitting under the bright lights of the World Poker Tour stage.

Looking to win your way to a World Poker Tour event for your shot at becoming a WPT champion? Play for your chance on ClubWPT.com, where eligible VIP Members can play for over $100,000 in cash and prizes each month, including seats to WPT events, no purchase necessary.