Event 19
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
Andriy Kovalchuk (left) Baruch Krieger (right) $8,612
Event 19 of the Borgata Poker was the $230 Deeper Stack NLH with a $25,000 guarantee. There were a total of 193 entries creating a prize pool of over $38,000.
The players played into the early morning hours here in the Signature Room. With the elimination of John Whitworth in third Andriy Kovalchuk and Baruch Krieger had nearly identical chip stacks.
They agreed to an adjusted payout deal in which they each took home $8,612 and they ran one hand out for the trophy.
Andriy Kovalchuk was the winner of the hand and he will take home his first Borgata Poker Open trophy to go along with his first place finish.
2nd Place- Baruch Krieger ($8,612)
3rd Place- John Whitworth ($3,799)
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 18: 4,000/8,000/8,000
Total Entries: 193
Players Remaining: 18
Luis Vazquez
A player moved all in for 52,000 and it folded to Luis Vazquez in the small blind. “I have to call you I have a monster” said Vazquez turning over 
.
It was a cooler for his opponent who showed 
and the board ran out clean for Vazquez.
His opponent was sent to the rail and the remaining 18 players are now all in the money and guaranteed at least $562.
Luis Vazquez- 725,000
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 18: 4,000/8,000/8,000
Total Entries: 193
Players Remaining: 19
While the Event 20 Double Black Chip NLH Bounty players return from break in the Signature Room Event 19 is on the bubble in the Poker Room.
It has been a lengthy hand for hand period and we have yet to lose a player in nearly a level of play.
When the bubble does finally burst the remaining 18 players will all be in the money and guaranteed at least $562 for their efforts.
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 16: Blinds 2500/5000/5000
Entries: 193
Remaining: 29
Average chips: 166,379
Edward Brodsky and Luis Vazquez are now neck and neck for the chip lead at 470,000.
They are also seated at the same table now: Brodsky, left, with Ma and Vazquez, concentrating….
…Luis faces a tough decision versus a shorter stack after Brodsky lets it go. Luis relents as well.
Meanwhile, Whitworth had taken a hit, but here picks off Odis Felder, an early bigstack, with good old AK. Good game.
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 15: Blinds 2000/4000/4000
Entries: 193
Remaining: 38
Average chips: 126,974
We return from the dinner break, heading toward the bubble.
- $11,045
- 6,178
- 3,744
- 2,995
- 2,247
- 1,827
- 1,498
- 1,123
- 749
- – 12. 749 13. – 15. 655 16. – 18. 562
John Whitworth, chip leader at the break.
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
End of Level 13: Blinds 1200/2500/2500
Entries: 193
Remaining: 53
Average chips: 91,938
We take a one hour dinner break.
Luis Vazquez remains one of the big stacks, at about 260,000.
Ed Brodsky celeberates knocking out two with tens, snapping off the ten on the turn to overthrow queens. His tablemate looks thrilled for him.
We return at 8:55 pm.
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 13: Blinds 1200/2500/2500
Entries: 193
Remaining: 53
Average chips: 91,938
Key pot on one: Jose Reyes in the tank.
UTG Alan Wentz opened and picked up two callers, including Jose Reyes on the button. Wentz went for the full triple, arriving on the river for 69,000 and all-in.
While one tablemate urged him not to take more time, it seemed like a genuine decision had to be made by Reyes.
Wentz all in while Reyes, left foreground ponders: Is this man running a bluff?
With time and thought, Jose let it go. He still has a very playable stack. Wentz rises and has since peaked at 160,000.
Mickey Ma gets it in ahead, flops set over set, and nails for the fourth jack for good measure. She has 120,000.
Meanwhile, Grandpa continues to gather, here taking a shortie’s tournament with AQ over A9. John has 350,000.
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
Level 12: Blinds 1000/2000/2000
Entries: 193
Remaining: 63
Average chips: 74,231
John Whitworth is the patriarch for now, with over 200,000 and grandchildren to impress.
Soukha Kachittavong has doubled twice, this time with a set of jacks. AK always loses, duh.
Henry Bumble, perennial Seniors’ deep runner, looks like he needs some more caffeine in his action.
$200+$30 Deep Stack NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure
End of Level 10: Blinds 600/1200/1000
Entries: 193
It’s nearly post registration for the Deep Stack – time to make your chips count!
Just before the break, plenty of action.
In one spot Anthony Anastasi held on with jack high against Jimmy Nunes, and got to show down the winner against ten high.
Annastasi cracks 107ss with j6hh, showing it down like a boss. “I’m like a goalie with my BB.”
In the next hand, however, Nunes got it all back from the table when everyone calls and he shoves into five players. His draw gets through uncontested.
Nunes, in red, gets involved straightaway with a far better hand – king high. Anthony, right in blue, apparently defends his small blind less viciously, letting the bet get through.
Odis Felder is rising on 6, now one of the big stacks.
Brodsky sends one packing with the ajhh, cracking queens the easy way – smashing that ace on the flop.
The Deep Stack will start again in a few minutes.