Event 2: Amanda on the Move

$260 + $40 No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Musumeci Mulls Over a Call

She went from rural Pennsylvania to rolling in Vegas, and now Amanda Musumeci's poker tour is here at Borgata. But her whirlwind wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for Black Friday.

"I wouldn't be grinding live if could be grinding in my PJs," says the 27-year old pro, who's resorted to playing live ever since internet poker was shutdown in the U.S.

Musumeci's meteoric rise was highlighted by her 62nd place finish in the recently concluded WSOP Main Event, where she was the second to last woman standing in a field of nearly 6,900 players. The deep run earned her $131,000 and capped a series where she cashed four times in eleven events.

"I was looking forward to it and disappointed that I didn't get (last woman standing)," she says.

Musumeci's career began while studying PR/Speech/Mass Communications on the rural Pennsylvania campus of Kutztown University.

"I mostly played home games when somebody said I should play on-line," she says, adding that her first $150 on-line deposit was her only one. That was in the summer of 2007 and five months later, after training with regional pros, Musumeci moved to Las Vegas.

After four years of building a bankroll and picking up sponsors, Musumeci, like many pros, was forced to give up her laptop and find the best live tournaments she can.

The Borgata Fall Poker Open is the perfect series for Musumeci, who recently moved back to Philadelphia and is the oldest of six daughters in an extended family. And as her career continues to take off, Musumeci isn't hung up on if people only see her as a good woman player.

"Publicity, is publicity," she says, "if you can market yourself well, there's a lot more money to be made away from the table than there is just grinding."

And for the women professionals who long to be looked at for their skills and not their gender, Musumeci counters their thinking.

"A lot of women are outspoken against having specialty tournaments or women's events. I think they definitely should (have them). You should be looking to take advantage of the equity. Bad players are bad players whether they're male or female."

Musumeci has entered each of the first two events and plans on playing most of the tournaments, including the Championship Event, during the 15 day series before planning her next destination.