Event 16 - PokerNews Cup
The 2016 Borgata Poker Open is a wrap and after 18 days of play, 19 trophies were awarded and more than $8 million in prize money paid to the participants, not including the secondary events and satellites!
![Jesse Sylvia - WPT Borgata Poker Open Main Event Champion [Photo courtesy of Joe Giron and the WPT]](https://borgatapokeropen.blogtheborgata.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/09/29886815375_4414efe8cd_z.jpg)
Jesse Sylvia – WPT Borgata Poker Open Main Event Champion
Photo courtesy of Joe Giron and the WPT
This year’s Open series also saw some other firsts. The Inaugural BPO PokerNews Cup $2,000 NLH event was the first post-championship event and Ryan van Sanford claimed the first PokerNews Cup title awarded on American soil. The first-ever hybrid Live/Online Heads Up tournament was held in the Event Center and online at BorgataPoker.com, “Battleship-style”. Matt Emmel came up just short of repeating at Heads Up Champion, finishing second to New Jersey online player Eric Schwartz.
Another first was the live-streaming of the $1,000 Six Max NLH final table, which ended in a heads-up battle between well-known pro and BorgataPoker.com Ambassador Vinny Pahuja and relatively unknown amateur player George Alberto. Alberto prevailed, claiming his first BPO title and $53,366.
A complete list of Main Events and trophy winners is below. On behalf of Borgata, we would like to thank all the participants for making the 2016 Borgata Poker Open a great success and congratulate all the winners. From the BPO bloggers, @mattclark345, @TKbluffs, @Kaelaine, and @WOCPoker and players, thanks to Borgata tournament staff and the World Poker Tour for another excellent tournament series!
Event 16 The $2150 PokerNews Cup NLH drew a total of 120 to create a prize pool of over $232,000. When the dust settled Florida pro Ryan Van Sanford was the last man standing. Van Sanford outlasted a stacked field that included Barry Hutter, Jake Bazeley, Aaron Massey, Jeremy Ausmus, Brian Hastings, Christian Harder and the list goes on.
Van Sanford started Day 2 with 116,000 (23 big blinds) and was able to spin it up quickly and never look back. Eventually it was Van Sanford and Dominic Picnic who would play an epic heads up match where the chip lead continued to exchange hands.
In the end it was Van Sanford’s ace jack defating the ace deuce of Picinic that earned him the victory. Van Sanford will take home $68,676 and the Inaugural PokerNews Cup trophy to bring his career earnings just under $1,000,000.
$2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 27: (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 1
Dominic Picinic
Dominic Picinic raises to 150,000 and Ryan Van Sanford moves all in for 1,850,000. Picinic makes the call for 1,750,000 and the hands are shown.
Ryan Van Sanford: {ac}{js}
Picinic: {ah}{2d}
Van Sanford is in great shape to earn the knockout and the victory and he does just that when the board runs out {qh}{7h}{ks}{5d}{kd}. Picinic is our runner up finisher and will take home $38,412 for his efforts.
$2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 27: (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 2
Ryan Van Sanford
Ryan Van Sanford moves all in for just under 900,000 and Dominic Picinic makes the call. Van Sanford shows {kh}{qh} and will need to improve against the {ah}{6d} of Picinic.
The dealer fans the {3s}{jd}{10s} flop and Van Sanford picks up an open ended straight draw to go along with his live cards. The turn brings the {7d} and he is just a river card away from elimination. The {kc} hits the river pairing Van Sanford’s king to earn him the pot and the double up.
Ryan Van Sanford- 1,800,000
Dominic Picinic- 1,800,000
$2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 26: (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 2
After doubling up early in the heads up match Dominic Picinic (right) continues to chip at Ryan Van Sanford (left). Picinic is now play a stack of 2,000,000 to the 1,600,000 of Van Sanford. The two continue to battle it out heads up for the $68,676 and the PokerNews Cup trophy.
2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 26: (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 2
Dominic Picinic
Ryan Van Sanford moves all in and Domininc Picinic calls for his last 737,000. Van Sanford shows {ac}{3s} and Picinic turns over his {9s}{10s}. The dealer fans the {10d}{6d}{7d} flop and Picinic pairs his ten to take the lead. The turn brings the {3c} and the {10h} hits the river to give Picinic trip tens and the double up.
Dominic Picinic- 1,530,000
Ryan Van Sanford- 2,070,000
2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 25: (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 2
Heads Up play is now underway and Ryan Van Sanford is sitting with more than a 3-1 chip advantage. Van Sanford is playing 2,735,000 to the 785,000 of Dominic Picinic. The winner will take home $68,676 and the inaugural PokerNews Cup trophy.
2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 25: (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 2
Sergio DeZen (Woodbridge, ON, CAN)
A shorty stacked Sergio DeZen moved all in from the small blind. Ryan Van Sanford made the call from the big blind and they turned over their hands.
DeZen: {ks}{3c}
Van Sanford: {10d}{9H}
The dealer spread the {10c}{6c}{9c} flop improving Van Sanford to two pair. DeZen picked up a flush draw but the turn {7h} and river {5d} were no help. DeZen is our third place finisher collecting $23,280 for his efforts.
Ryan Van Sanford- 2,600,000
2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 25: (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 3
Barry Hutter
Ryan Van Sanford raises to 60,000 from the button and Dominic Picinic calls from the small blind. Barry Hutter calls from the big and they go three handed to the {7c}{10h}{2c} flop. Both players check and Van Sanford tosses out a bet of 125,000.
Picinic quickly folds and Hutter moves all in for his last 650,000. Van Sanford makes the call and the hands are revealed.
Hutter: {qc}{5c}
Van Sanford: {kc}{10d}
Hutter will need to improve against the top pair of Van Sanford to stay alive. The turn {6h} and river {2h} are no help to Hutter who is eliminated in 4th collecting $18,624. Van Sanford adds to his now massive chip lead and is playing a stack of 2,400,000.
2,000+$150 PokerNews Cup NLH
Level 25: (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 120
Players Remaining: 4
Barry Hutter (Bradenton, FL)
The action folds to Barry Hutter in the small blind and he moves all in for about 400,000. Sergio DeZen calls from the big blind and the hands are shown.
Hutter: {9c}{9s}
Dezen: {Ad}{10c}
The board runs out clean for Hutter {kc}{kh}{qd}{8d}{2c} earning him the pot and the double up.
Barry Hutter- 830,000
Sergio DeZen- 120,000