2015
Level 36 (200,000/400,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 1,027
Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 30,810,000
David Paredes – WPT Borgata Poker Open Main Event Champion
Sometimes, being quiet, like David Paredes was during yesterday’s Day 4 session, isn’t a bad thing and as it turns out, Paredes was just waiting to announce himself to this WPT BPO Championship final table. Today, he did in a very big way, picking up massive hands when he needed them and playing a nearly flawless game to earn his first World Poker Tour title.
If quietness was a recurring theme in Paredes’ road to this title, redemption was as well, as Paredes has found himself heads up for a WPT BPO title before. That was two years ago and after, as Paredes put it, he made “critical errors heads up” during that event, Paredes didn’t let that happen this time around. Instead, he leveraged his big stack and then picked up another one of those massive hands, again, right when he needed it.
That previous runner-up finish was in the back of Paredes’ mind throughout this run, as the Massachusetts native used it as motivation during the last two days. Those two days were filled with tactical play, as Paredes used his cash game background and big stack to his advantage. He kept pots small when he wanted them to be and avoided all-in pre flop encounters, instead perfectly navigating post-flop while he kept his stack trending upwards.
Ironically enough, Paredes notched the final three eliminations at this final table, all coming through the pre flop variety, twice with aces and once with kings. The final elimination was met with excitement and a bit of relief, as he notched his first major tournament victory on potentially poker’s biggest stage.
In total, he’ll make just under $725,000 for his WPT BPO Championship win, a victory that solidifies himself as one of poker’s more consistent players in main event structured events.
That concludes our coverage of this WPT final table and the BPO blog will now pick up coverage of Event 22, which is the final trophy event of the series currently playing down to a winner in the Poker Room.
Level 33: Blinds 120,000/240,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 1
Brian Keane – 1st Place
(Egg Harbor Twp, NJ)
After running his pocket Jacks into pocket Aces, Brian Keane was down to only 600,000 at the start of level 31, with blinds of 80,000/160,000 (less than four big blinds). Then he went on a heater the likes of which I haven’t seen in a long time.
In a three-way all-in, his A8 was up against AJ and AK. He flopped an 8 to bust one opponent and more than double up. Then his AK won a flip against pocket Jacks to bust another player; got all-in on the flop with a flush draw and got there on the turn to bust yet another opponent. From there he just mopped up the rest of the final table.
He started heads-up play with more than a 5:1 chip lead and it didn’t take long to run down his final competitor. Brian Keane will collect $20,117 for the win and his first Borgata title. This win will nearly double his reported tournament earnings. Brian is a police officer from nearby Egg Harbor Township.
With the awarding of the 21st and final trophy of the 2015 Borgata Poker Open, the series has officially come to a close! Signing off for the entire Borgata Blog Team: WillOC, AlCantHang, matthewclark, and Kaelaine. To quote WPT’s Mike Sexton, “May all your cards be live and all your pots be monsters!”
Level 33: Blinds 120,000/240,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 1
Johann Mueller (Pittsford, NY)
On a flop of {th}{8h}{4s} Johann Mueller got all-in and called by Brian Keane. Johann had {qh}{2h} for the flush draw. Brian was ahead with {Jh}{4c} and had Johann well covered.
The last two fell {3c}{5c} and it was over. Brian took the final pot with his pair of 4s.
Johann Mueller finished in 2nd place, earning $11,176.
He went deep in the Championship event, finishing 24th yesterday for $14,793. He has two previous Borgata Open series wins from Winter and Spring of 2014, and was hoping for number three, but came up short.
Level 33: Blinds 120,000/240,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 9.6 million (40 big blinds)
Christopher MIkil (Cyprus, Greece)
Brian Keane raised from the button and Christopher Mikil shoved from the big blind for ~2 million. Brian called, showing {ks}{8d}. Christopher had {9s}{4h} and needed help. The board ran out Q 5 2 2 6 and missed both players. Brian took the pot with King high.
Christopher finished in 3rd place, earning $6,950.
Heads-up play began with Brian Keane holding 16 million to Johann Mueller’s 3 million.
Level 32: Blinds 100,000/200,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 6.4 million (32 big blinds)
Frank Calomino (Bronx, NY)
In a battle of the blinds:
On a flop of {jh}{5d}{2h} Frank Calomino (bb) got all-in holding {8s}{8d}. He was ahead of Brian Keane’s {7h}{5h} (middle pair, flush draw). The turn brought the {3h} completing Brian’s flush. Frank was drawing dead. He finished 4th for $5,587.
Level 32: Blinds 100,000/200,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 4.8 million (24 big blinds)
Renata Colache (Clayton, NJ)
Renata Colache got all-in and was ahead with {js}{jh}, but was racing against Brian Keane’s {Ad}{kc}. Brian has been on a rush, so as expected, he won the race. The final board was {kd}{th}{9h}{ah}{6d}.
Renata’s Jacks were cracked on the flop and despite picking up a flush draw on the turn, the river bricked and she was busted. She’ll collect $4,395 for 5th place.
Level 32: Blinds 100,000/200,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 3.8 million (19 big blinds)
Will G (Astoria, NY)
Brian Keane shoved early, then Christopher Mikil called from the small blind, exposing his hand {as}{js} before the big blind acted. Will G (bb) called all-in after seeing Christopher’s hand, because he had a better one. The hands were tabled:
Christopher: {As}{Js}
Will: {Ad}{kc}
Brian: {ac}{8c}
Board: {8s}{6h}{4c}{ah}{9h}
Brian made Aces-up to more than double-up, busting Will in the process. He finished 6th for $3,613.
Level 31: Blinds 80,000/160,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 3.2 million (20 big blinds)
Christopher Mikil (bb) and Johann Mueller (button) got to the river with the board showing {ah}{kd}{kc}{2d}{ts} and Christopher checked. Johann bet 875,000 and Christopher called. Johann mucked his hand, so Christopher was awarded the pot without showing his hand.
Blinds going up!
Level 32: Blinds 100,000/200,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 3.2 million (16 big blinds)
Level 31: Blinds 80,000/160,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 3.2 million (20 big blinds)
Graeson Burnette-Peake (Philadelphia, PA)
Brian Keane shoved and got no takers, so he picked up 380,000 in blinds and antes, taking his stack over 900,000.
Frank Calomino (utg) tossed out 120,000, but it’s 160,000 just to call, so he was forced to call. Action folded to Will G on the button, who shoved for 865,000 total. Frank gave it some thought, then called, showing {ad}{9d}. Will was ahead with {td}{tc}. The board ran out {Jd}{8h}{2c}{kd}{4s} and Will doubled up to 2.1 million.
Johann Mueller took a bite out of Renata Colache on a hand that did not reach a showdown.
Christopher Mikil (utg) and Graeson Burnette-Peake (bb) were looking at a flop of {jc}{8c}{7s} and got all their chips in the pot. Christopher had pocket Queens and was ahead of Graeson’s {qs}{9d} (gutshot). The last two fell {6h}{4d} and were not the cards Graeson was looking for. He busted out in 7th place, earning $2,905.
This is back-to-back final tables for Graeson, who finished 3rd last night in Event 21 for $5,999.
Level 31: Blinds 80,000/160,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 384
Players Remaining: 7
Average Stack: 2.7 million (17 big blinds)
Just before the end of the previous level, Brian Keane ran his pocket Jacks into Frank Calomino’s pocket Aces. After shipping 1.8 million to Frank, Brian was left with only about 600,000. Frank doubled up to more than 4 million.
Following a break, the final seven are back on the felt. Here are the chip counts:
- Graeson Burnette-Peake – 2,660,000
- Christopher MIkil – 2,635,000
- Will G – 1,225,000
- Renata Colache – 3,890,000
- Brian Keane – 600,000
- Frank Calomino – 4,050,000
- Johann Mueller – 4,140,000