Event 11
The 2018 Borgata Poker Open came to a close in the early morning hours of Saturday morning when the 21st BPO trophy found a new home.
Erkut ‘Eric’ Yilmaz
About eight hours earlier, Erkut Yilmaz took 1st place in the Championship event, along with $575,112 and both BPO and WPT Champions Cup trophies. Yilmaz took a huge lead into the final day of the Championship and held that lead until heads-up with poker pro Timothy ‘TK’ Miles. They proceeded to battle for more than two hours, with the lead changing several times, before Yilmaz finally collected all the chips and the title. Miles added another $383,399 to his career earnings, pushing the total past $3.2 million.
This series saw a lot of firsts. For the first time, the BPO was not held in the Event Center, but in a temporary Tournament Area between the Poker Room and Signature Room. This was a one-time occurence and this area will now he turned into the new Borgata Sports Book. The Winter Poker Open in January will be back in the Event Center as usual.
Another first was buy-in guarantees on the non-No Limit Hold’em events. The Omaha/Stud High/Low, HORSE, and PLO tournaments all had guarantees for the first time ever. There was also an “Old School” Freeze-out NLH tournament with no re-entries, and a Double Black Chip Bounty tournament added to this year’s schedule.
Justin Leeds (seated) took 1st in Event 1 in a 4-way adjusted payout.
Justin Leeds claimed the top spot in the $1 Million GTD Kick-Off event, which saw 3,106 entrants. The final four players all took home more than $170,000 for their efforts in the three-day event.
Altogether, the series had $7.6 million in guarantees and paid out more than $8.3 million in prize money in Main Events alone, not including secondary and satellite events. A complete list of Main Event winners and their winnings is below.
*Indicates Adjusted Payout
The next major tournament series is the Fall Poker Open, which runs November 6th through the 21st, so start making plans now. The tournament schedule has not yet been released. Follow @BorgataPoker on Twitter to catch the announcement when it is. Until then, Borgata’s regular schedule of Daily Tournaments will resume. For those of you in New Jersey, there’s alway another tournament coming up on BorgataPoker.com. October 14th – 21st, the Garden State Super Series (GSSS) will be running with more than $450,000 in guarantees.
For now, it’s farewell from the Borgata Blogging team of Tim Kelliher, Chris Murray, Al Rash, Brittany Paige, and myself. Hope to see you in November during the Fall Poker Open!
@Kaelaine
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 23: 10,000/20,000/20,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 5
Average Chips: 800,000
Fifth place goes to Tanios Abiyaghi, whose kings can’t fade Mark G.’s 
in a preflop raise shove call.
Very quickly, Mark, holding the lead, moved to discuss the numbers. This time they find an agreement. Goathead Palermo says he can play for days, but will be nice about it.
Brian Scherrier, who dominated most of the final two tables, fell in chips at the end and took fourth for $10,344.
John Klodie, Brigantine, NJ 3rd for $11,276.
Michael Palermo, Franklin Square, NY 2nd for $12,282.
Mark Glazewski, Dobbs Ferry, NY 1st for $13,978.
The Old School was a terrific tournament, with a different level of energy, especially in the mid stages as players were more determined than usual to make great decisions. The bubble period was tournament poker at its best. Congrats to the final table and to Mark in particular, for hanging tough even when his chip stack halved late in play. An earned trophy.
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 22: 8,000/15,000/15,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 5
Average Chips: 800,000
Usually getting in low pairs is based on the presumption they are ahead often enough or flipping. The problem is, when you’re dominated, it’s pretty much game over as a four to one dog.
That’s exactly what happened to Jeff Benhart not long after taking out Steve Berkowitz. Jeff ripped in the 
, perhaps hoping to see 
, as Steve had showed, but John Klodie is a different animal. He’d felted nines over three earlier, and now would do the same.
Benhart adds another FT to his resume – but isn’t going to make the early Almight flight now.
takes out Jeff, who completes a very solid run to 6th for $3,880.
We’re five handed, and an adjusted payout is under discussion.
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 22: 8,000/15,000/15,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 7
Average Chips: 571,429
It’s been obvious Steven Berkowitz has been itching to get his chips in. One shove worked, but now, facing an open from Benhart in EP, Berkowitz finds . He goes for it.
Not so fast. Benhart has , and without fanfare or surprises, a clean board gives Benhart a needed boost and the boot to Berkowitz.
Great run for Berkowitz, who took out Nick Pupillo en route to the FT.
Seventh is worth $3,204 for Steven.
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 21: 6,000/12,000/12,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 7
Average Chips: 571,429
Levels 20 and 21 have mostly featured Sherrier running over the table with frequent opens. The level of fight at the table is low. Klodie is the most active in opposing him.
One notable exception was this small three bet from the small blind by Mark Glazewski. Scherrier found a fold, despite position. What sort of hand was this?
John also was able to knock out an opponent, Mathew Maccaroni. John K. had opened 
, and Maccaroni, holding only eight bigs, clearly had a decision. He hesitated but stuck in the chips with 
.
Mathew, short stacked for hours, could not escape the dominating overpair, and takes 8th after a great ladder up. He wins $2,328.
Then, a big pot at the quiet table. “Goathead” Palermo gets in two pair versus the chip leader, doubling to 650,000. Scherrier takes a hit to under 1,000,000.
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 20: 5,000/10,000/10,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 8
Average Chips: 500,000
9th goes to Thomas Hudson, who gets fives in, but is drawing thin against Berkowitz’ timely 
.
Thomas Hudson is out.
Mark G. lets Tanios see the river and pays off the miracle set. It’s a steep plunge in chips for Mark this past level, down from 1.1 m
John Klodie attacks from the button, and Maccroni makes an ambitious flat from the small, as he is getting short…
…and he does face the poor scenario: Berkowitz behind him three bets. Klodie, above, makes the call but Matt has to fold away precious chips.
Klodie ends up shoving a queen high flop, taking the pot away from Berkowitz, who looked committed after an 80,000 cbet.
Estimated chips by seat:
- Mark Glazewski 700,000 m
- Jeff Benhart 300,000
- John Klodie 430,000
- Matt Maccaroni 100,000
- Steve Berkowitz 220,000
- Thomas Hudson 9th for $1,552
- Michael “Goathead” Palermo 250,000
- Tanios Abiyaghi 650,000
- Brian Sherrier 1.1 m
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 19: 4,000/4,000/8,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 10
Average Chips: 400,000
Alli Shultz, holding a few blinds together for an impressively long time, has busted in 12th for $1009. We’re on the final table bubble here at the beginning of level 19.
Barry appears truly bothered by this decision. It’s a big enough shove – nearly 15 more blinds to call – for be concerned.
Jeff Benhard is the latest all-in player. He gets it in good with jacks against Barry, who flops the nut draw with 
, but against top set, he comes up short in the pot and is left short stacked.
James Pupillo, outlasting his brother, has finally gotten short and has to go with 
. It’s Tanios Abiyaghi who takes him out, with 
. The ace hits, and it’s good night for Young Pup, who takes $1009 as well.
With this, we redraw for the unofficial ten handed final table, one off the next pay jump.
We don’t wait long for one to go. Barry Leventhal, who had made the difficult call and lost against Jeff Benhart, is in the danger zone. Forced to go with , he is flopped nearly dead by Mark Glazewski’s . Barry’s hopes for yet another Borgata title are done, for tonight. He takes 10th for $1,009.
We have our final nine.
CORRECTION: Barry’s hand is reported as ace ten, but was apparently qq according to players, still losing on the ace high flop.
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 18: 3,000/6,000/6,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 13
Barry Leventhal
We are now just three eliminations away from the Event 11 Old School NLH final table. It is only fitting that an old school Borgata Poker legend is still in the hunt.
Barry Leventhal just scooped another pot and he is sitting with a healthy stack of about 250,000. Leventhal holds an impressive 7 Borgata Poker titles and is closing in on his 8th here in the late night hours.
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 17: 3,000/5,000/5,000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 15
Brian Sherrier
Brian Sherrier raised from under the gun and two players called. They went three handed to the 
flop.
It folded to the player in the cutoff who bet 20,000 and the player in the small blind moved all in for 119,000. Sherrier called and the player in the cutoff re-shoved all in for 253,000.
Sherrier called and the cards were shown in the largest pot of the tournament.
Brian Sherrier: 
Small Blind: 
Cutoff: 
The dealer burned and turned the 
and Sherrier improved to the queen high flush leaving both players drawing dead. The meaningless 
completed the board and the monster pot was shipped Sherrier’s way.
He is now well out in front of the field with 910,000 and just 15 players remaining.
$400+$50 Old School No Limit Hold’em
$75,000 Guaranteed
Structure
End of Level 16: Blinds 2000/4000/4000
Total Entries: 200
Players Remaining: 25
Average Stack: 160,000
On the bubble, plenty of action.
Kickoff final tablist Dustin Lee doubled with on table one against a big ace.
Dustin Lee, right, doubles on the stone bubble.
Dan Walsh has used the bubble to grow his lead to 400,000.
In one spot he four bet jams [4x][4x] over Pupillo to take needed chips from the shorter player.
Endless tank. Lee and Hartung begin to laugh in the middle of the hand. Brian, center, chats poker protocol with the dealer and the table while they wait.
Sykes and Pupillo chop with 
– Sykes had a five percent free roll suited, though!
TFW you hide your shortstack from the others but they all know you have dust.
Finally, Nick Pupillo on 2 opens and gets jammed on by Steve Berkowitz. Pupillo calls for his tournament life, and the players gather around.
Berkowitz smashes two pair with Ax 3x cracking Nick’s Ax Qx. Standard. The dealer counts Nick’s stack down, but it is a formality – he’s out.
In the money.