Whilst the $10,000 Freeezout remains the main attraction, the 2006 Borgata Open WPT at the Borgato Hotel & Casino Spa amassed an impressive $865,000 prize pool for the $5,000 No Limit Hold 'Em Event.
With 173 players participating, winning the Event was to be no easy mission, especially with many of the big names taking part. And whilst most of the 'name' players dropped at the early hurdles, there were three well known players seated on the final table;
Vanessa Rousso - A law student from White Plains, New York
Hasan Habib (left) - A well known pro' who won a remarkable $1,372,223 for his runner-up spot in the 2004 $25,000 WPT Championship.
Joe Sebok - An emerging star, who famously donned a Spiderman costume at this year's WSOP after losing a bet. Also well known for being the son of the 'Robin Hood of Poker', Barry Greenstein.
Although a relatively new name to many, Vanessa Rousso has been threatening to win a big event for severals month now, fairing well in both the WPT Final and the recent Paris WPT, not to mention a solid performance at this year's WSOP, most notably her 8th place finish in the $5,000 short-handed Event.
But it would ultimately be Borgata that would host her first victory as she saw off the aforementioned pro's to take first prize of $285,450, even more than the 263k she won at the Bellagio.
Whilst Sebok took 5th and Habib could only manage 4th, 3rd and 2nd positions fell to the lesser known Cliff Josephy and Doran Malinsky who went home with $86,500 and $151,375 respectively.
Now affirmed as one of poker's strongest female players, Rousso dominated the final day's play, adopting a fierce agressive game in which she never appeared intimidated by her fearsome opponents.
Unfortunately, Rousso's cracking form failed to overspill into the $10,000 Main Event as she was eliminated midway through Day 1, but, overall, a rather splendid week for one of poker's most exciting prospects.