Event 5
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
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 31: 80,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 4
(L to R) Michael Cohen, Andrew Boujaoude, Fernando Zambrano, Paul Lambrakis (Seated)
When the final 4 Event 5 Saturday Series players returned from break they began to discuss an adjusted payout deal. The stacks were counted down and after a bit of negotiating a deal was struck.
Michael Cohen who held a slight chip lead at the time of the deal takes first for $30,000. Paul Lambrakis takes home $22,498 and his second Borgata Poker Open trophy.
Below is a look at the chip stacks at the time of the deal and the final adjusted payouts.
Michael Cohen- 4,000,000 ($30,000)
Andrew Boujaoude- 3,805,000 ($26,011)
Fernando “Boogie” Zambrano- 3,655,000 ($26,459)
Paul Lambrakis- 2,635,000 ($22,498+BPO Trophy)
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 29: 50,000/100,000/100,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 4
Leonardo Palermo
A short stacked Leonardo Palermo moved all in from the small blind for 450,000. Andrew Boujaoude snap called from the big blind turning over 
and Palermo showed 
.
The board ran out 
and Palermo was eliminated in 5th place earning $10,590.
Andrew Boujaoude- 3,800,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 29: 50,000/100,000/100,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 5
Winston McGregor
Winston McGregor raised from the button and Paul Lambrakis moved all in from the big blind. McGregor called for his last 900,000 turning over 
and Lambrakis showed 
.
The board ran out 
and Lambrakis’ king high was enough to earn him the knockout. McGregor is our 6th place finisher earning $8,699 for his efforts.
Paul Lambrakis- 2,200,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 28: 40,000/80,000/80,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 6
Feng Li
Andrew Boujaoude and Feng Li were just involved in a pre-flop raising war. The end result was Li moving all in for 1,200,000 and Boujaoude snap calling.
Li turned over 
but ran right into the 
of Boujaoude. The board ran out clean for Boujaoude 
and his pocket aces held up.
Li was eliminated in 7th place earning $6,902 and Boujaoude moves into the chip lead with just 6 players remaining.
Andrew Boujaoude- 3,900,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 27: 30,000/60,000/60,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 7
Thomas Rosa
Michael Cohen and Thomas Rosa were heads up on the river on the 
board. There was already over 1,000,000 in the pot and Rosa checked.
Cohen moved all in and Rosa snap called for his last 865,000. Cohen turned over for a rivered set of fours and Rosa showed 
for aces up before tossing his hand into the muck.
“I was shoving no matter what the river was” said Cohen as he raked in the pot and Rosa was eliminated in 9th place earning $5,389.
Michael Cohen- 2,900,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 27: 30,000/60,000/60,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 8
Mike Byaly
Leonardo Palermo raised from middle position and Mike Byaly moved all in for 800,000 from the button. It folded back to Palermo who snap called turning over 
.
It was a cooler for Byaly who turned over 
and the board ran out 
. Palermo’s aces held up and Byaly was eliminated in 9th place earning $3,782 for his efforts.
Leonardo Palermo- 1,900,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 26: 25,000/50,000/50,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 9
Frank Walden
Andrew Boujaoude and Frank Walden went heads up to the 
flop. Boujaoude led out with a bet of 225,000 and Walden moved all in for his last 475,000.
Boujaoude quickly called turning over for top pair and Walden showed 
. The turn 
and river 
were no help to Walden and he is our 10th place finisher earning $2,548.
Andrew Boujaoude- 1,900,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 26: 25,000/50,000/50,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 10
Paul Lambrakis
The Event 5 Saturday Series NLH final table is now set and it’s Paul Lambraki leading the way with 2,655,000. The players will battle it out here into the early morning hours. One lucky winner will be taking home $47,088 along with the Borgata Poker Open trophy.
Below is a look at the updated final table chip counts and seating assignments as well as what’s at stake.
Seat 1. Paul Lambraki- 2,655,000
Seat 2. Leonardo Palermo- 840,000
Seat 3. Andrew Boujaoude- 1,050,000
Seat 4. Thomas Rosa- 850,000
Seat 5. Feng Li- 1,850,000
Seat 6. Mike Byaly- 1,100,000
Seat 7. Fernando “Boogie” Zambrano- 1,200,000
Seat 8. Frank Walden- 850,000
Seat 9. Winston McGregor- 1,500,000
Seat 10. Michael Cohen- 2,000,000
Payouts
1st: $47,088+BPO Trophy
2nd: $26,474
3rd: $17,019
4th: $13,521
5th: $10,590
6th: $8,699
7th: $6,902
8th: $5,389
9th: $3,782
10th: $2,458
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 25: 20,000/40,000/40,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 15
David Jackson
Florida pro David Jackson has been flying a bit under the radar here in Event 5 but that is no longer the case. Jackson is heating is up with just 15 players remaining and he continues to add to his stack.
He is now playing just over 1,000,000 and quickly gaining ground on chip leader Michael Cohen. Jackson has earned more than $1,500,000 throughout his career and is looking to add a second Borgata poker title to his resume.