Event 2
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!
The tournament decks were cleared (pun intended) Saturday night (or rather in the wee hours of Sunday morning) with the conclusion of the first five events. Phil Rousseax (Miami Beach, FL) was the first to claim glory when he captured the Pot Limit Omaha title (Event 3) earning $9,507 and his first Borgata title.
After six starting flights over three days, Event 1, the $2 Million Guaranteed Deep Stack Kickoff event, drew a total of 3,869 entrants. The finale was Live Streamed from the Event Center Saturday night. After 12 long hours, it was Californian Noel Martinez who took home the top prize of $325,292.
It took a 14-hour Day 2, but eventually the final three players in Event 2, the Black Chip Bounty, $100,000 GTD NLH event, agreed to an Adjusted Payout. The 665 entrants built a prize pool more than double the guarantee and over $225,000. Johanssy Joseph (Mansfield, CT) claimed the trophy and $40,295. This is actually his second Borgata Open title — he won the first back in 2011 during the Fall Poker Open.
The Saturday Series Deep Stack, (Event 4) carried a $100,000 guarantee and as usual, that guarantee was met with ease. The prize pool came to more than $160,000, thanks to 481 entrants. Mike LaTour (Clay, NJ) was the eventual winner at about 6am, taking home $41,724.
Event 5, the $500 Super Survivor, drew 200 entrants and 19 players survived to earn $5,000 each! That cleared the board for a fresh start on Sunday with three new events!
Starting off the second week of the Borgata Poker Open, the Mike ‘Little Man’ Sica Memorial Seniors event begins at 10am Sunday. All entrants will contribute $20 to the American Cancer Society for cancer research in Mike’s memory. The Ladies event starts an hour later and the Omaha/Stud Hi/Lo Mix event begins at noon, kicking off what will be a busy second week at the Borgata Poker Open!
Johanssy Joseph got off to a fast start and never looked back in Event 2 The $350+$50+$100 Black Chip Bounty NLH. When the players got down to three handed play they stopped the clock to discuss a deal. After some discussion they agreed on a deal in which Joseph would take home $40,295 and his second BPO trophy.
Harry Korotki who was second in chips at the time collected $35,505 and Neil Kalani took home $26,780. Joseph has been on a quite the heater as of late and it looks like he’s not slowing down. He notched a number of cashes this summer nearly winning his first WSOP bracelet finishing 3rd out of 2,332 entries in the $1,500 Goliath Event earning $239,382.
He followed that up in August returning to his home state of Connecticut finishing 4th in the WSOPC $1,675 Main Event at Foxwoods. Joseph would add another $50,000 to his lifetime earnings which are now over $650,000. He tells us he’ll be back this series to play the Main Event and hopes his heater will continue.
The final three players stopped the clock and elected to make a deal in Event 3. Johanssy Joseph (Center) who held the chip lead took home $40,295 and the BPO trophy. Harry Korotki would agree to take more than second place money $35,505. Neil Kalani (left) who held the short stack earned $26,780.
$350+$50+$100 Black Chip Bounty Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 29: (40,000/80,000/10,000)
Entries: 657
Players Remaining: 3
A short stacked John Cosgrove moved all in holding ace nine of spades. He was called by Harry Korotki who held pocket eights. The board ran out clean for Korotki and Cosgrove was eliminated in 5th place collecting $15,391.
$350+$50+$100 Black Chip Bounty Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 29: (40,000/80,000/10,000)
Entries: 657
Players Remaining: 4
Evan Young moved all in holding pocket nines. Johannsy Joseph woke up with pocket aces in the blind and quickly called. Joseph’s aces held up and Young was eliminated in 5th place earning $12,268.
$350+$50+$100 Black Chip Bounty Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Entries: 657
Players Remaining: 5
Charles Johnson was sent to the rail when his Ace Queen ran into the Ace King of Neil Kalani. Johnson is our 6th place finisher and we take home $10,149.
$350+$50+$100 Black Chip Bounty Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Entries: 657
Players Remaining: 6
Ricardo Eyzaguirre woke up with a big hand on the button and moved all in over Harry Korotki’s raise. Unfortunately for him his Ace King ran into Korotki’s pocket aces. Eyzaguirre was sent to the rail in 7th place earning $8,141.
$350+$50+$100 Black Chip Bounty Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Entries: 657
Players Remaining: 7
Chad Rosow (New York, NY)
The action folds to Johannsy Joseph in the small blind and he raises to 125,000. Chad Rosow moves all in from the big blind for his last 840,000. Joseph makes the call and the hands are shown.
Joseph: {10c}{10h}
Rosow: {4s}{4d}
The board runs out clean for Joseph {5c}{ks}{as}{8s}{8s} earning him the pot and the elimination. Rosow is our 8th place finisher and will take him $6,134 for his efforts.
Johannsy Joseph- 4,500,000
$350+$50+$100 Black Chip Bounty Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 26: (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Entries: 657
Players Remaining: 9
The pace in Event 2 has drastically slowed and we are still down the final 9 players. With the short stack being 18 big blinds deep and most of the table playing between 30-50 big blinds we could be in for a long night.