Event 10 (Day 3)
The first week of the Winter Poker Open saw six players walk away with WPO trophies and since then, ten more players have walked away with “tiny glass Borgatas”. Those trophies have been awarded through a wide variety of events and the first saw Marc Matz take home the Event 7 ‘Omaha/Stud H/L’ title and an over $6,000 score. That was Matz’s first career tournament win and that kicked off a busy week, with ‘The General’ claiming the next WPO trophy.
That came in the Event 8 ‘Super Stack Elevator’ and prior to the ‘Borgata Million’ starting on Tuesday, James Chen won the Event 9 ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’. The trophies were then kept out of sight for a few days, as that ‘Borgata Million’ played through six starting flights but ‘All-Star Weekend’ did not disappoint, creating plenty of headlines and storylines over the last few days.
The biggest of those storylines was Joe ‘Black’ Reddick claiming his first career title in the $1,000,000 GTD Event 10. Reddick took home just over $215,000 for his ‘Borgata Million’ win and while that wasn’t the first title awarded during ‘All-Star Weekend’, Reddick was the weekend’s highest earner.
Mike Rees was the second biggest earner, after he claimed the Event 11 ‘$1,000 Six Max’ title early Sunday morning. After a nearly seven hour final table, Rees outlasted a stacked field to take home $80,000 and his first BPO title, with Rex Clinkscales doing the same on Saturday night. He won the Event 12 ’40 Big Blind Bounty’ for just over $30,000.
Those two wins bookended Allan Vrooman‘s $100,000 GTD ‘Saturday Series’ win, as he claimed the Event 13 title for his first career Borgata victory. The final trophy awarded on a busy Saturday, saw partypoker’s Jamie Kerstetter take down the Event 16 ‘Charity Series of Poker’ title. That was a win-win for both Kerstetter and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, as over $13,000 were raised through another extremely successful CSOP event.
While Saturday saw plenty of hardware get handed out, Sunday was a slightly less hectic schedule, with only two players claiming WPO trophies. The first was Alex Benyayev, who outlasted a 75 player field to win the Event 15 ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’, the second event of it’s kind during this WPO series.
The big winner from Sunday though was Matt Emmel, who claimed potentially the most prestigious non-main event title, when he outlasted a 64 player bracket to win Event 14. Emmel, who is a heads up sit & go specialist used that experience to claim the ‘Heads Up Championship’ title and a nearly $50,000 score. Emmel was the last WPO title winner but over the next few days, five more trophies are up for grabs, including the WPT Champions Cup.
The WPO blog will be here to bring you all of that action but if you want to go back and catch up on what’s happened over the last week, the links at the top of this post will bring you to each event’s individual coverage. It should also be noted, that a complete list of results from each event are linked as well.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 38: (300,000/600,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 1
Average Stack: 81,700,000
Joe “Black” Reddick – Winter Poker Open ‘Borgata Million’ Event 10 Champion
Joe “Black” Reddick has long been a feared player at any table where he sits and his long list of poker accomplishments back up that intimidation. The one thing eluding Reddick was a major title which is what he took down today by winning the ‘Borgata Million’. Reddick outlasted a field of 3,270 to capture the title and add $217,792 to his career earnings that are now just below $600,000
Reddick came into the final table as the chip leader and was not able to gain much traction in the earlier levels. He gradually chipped up before winning a massive pot that saw the elimination of Farid Jattin when Reddick hit a king on the turn while holding pockets kings against Jattin’s aces. From that point forward, Reddick was an unstoppable force as he eliminated all of his remaining opponents to take down the victory.
While Phil Hellmuth uses the power of White Magic to help him at the table, Reddick credited the use of, in his own words, “black magic” to key his victory. Reddick showed little emotion at the final table which is what may of helped him keep his focus on the championship title and the ‘Mini-Borgata’ trophy.
Reddick said he is already looking forward to the next tournament he gets to play in and following a result like this, it is safe to say that we will be hearing plenty more from the man they call “Black” in the near future.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 38: (300,000/600,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 1
Average Stack: 81,700,000
Almog Biton (Flushing, NY)
Despite never having many chips during the final table, Almog Biton managed to hang around throughout the final table with some double ups in big spots helping him along the way. Biton repeatedly stayed out of harm’s way when he needed to and dodged a few bullets along the way.
Unfortunately for Biton, this was Joe Reddick’s day as Reddick took a commanding chip lead into heads up play and did not take long to finish out the final table.
Biton moved all in for 9,300,000 with {ad}{2c} and was called by Reddick’s {as}{9h}. The {kd}{7c}{5c} gave Biton a few backdoor outs that increased when the {10c} fell on the turn. Biton’s rail was cheering for a two or club to give the pot to Biton but did not find either on the {ks} river.
The $9,816 in career earnings Biton held coming into the final table will now increase dramatically with his second place finish.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 38: (300,000/600,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 40,850,000
Hector Chevalier (New York, NY)
Joe Reddick’s run through the latter stages of this final table continues and he has brought the ‘Borgata Million’ to heads up play after eliminating Hector Chevalier.
Chevalier moved all in for 5,975,000 with {qh}{9d} and received a call from Reddick with {5d}{5s}. Reddick’s trend of winning flips continued as the {ac}{ks}{3c}{10s}{7h} board was no help to Chevalier.
Reddick now brings a commanding chip lead into heads up play against Almog Biton. Reddick holds about 68,000,000 to Biton’s 11,700,000.
Chevalier’s score of $93,260 adds to his bankroll after a great run through this field of 3,270.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 38: (300,000/600,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 27,230,000
Jason Bral (Carefree, AZ)
Jason Bral fought hard to stay alive numerous times at the ‘Borgata Million’ final table, but in the end, he was not able to get over the hump to stay alive in shorthanded action.
Bral moved his final 7,600,000 into the middle from under the gun and action folded to Joe Reddick in the big blind. Reddick thought for a moment for calling with {js}{8h} and would be in a race against Bral’s {3h}{3c}.
The {qd}{10c}{2d} flop gave Reddick additional outs with the gutshot straight draw that he would not need after hitting the {8s} on the turn. Bral was drawing to the two remaining threes in the deck but did not find one of them on the {kh} river.
Bral will take home over $78,000 in his largest career score after cashing in the opening event of the 2016 WPO.
Reddick increases his giant chip lead as he squares off to face Almog Biton and Hector Chevalier in three-handed play.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 37: (250,000/500,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 20,425,000
Jason Bral is still alive with a chance to win the ‘Borgata Million’ after getting a double up through Joe Reddick.
After his early rush at this final table, Jason Bral has seen his stack dwindle numerous times. In spite of that, Bral has managed to stay alive and keep his chances of winning this WPO title in tact.
Bral moved all in for 5,525,000 from under the gun and action folded to Hector Chevalier in the small blind. Chevalier thought about the decision while counting out his own stack to see what he would have left should he call and lose. He eventually folded but Joe Reddick snap-called in the big blind with {qc}{js} and would be facing off against Bral’s {5h}{5c}.
Chevalier claimed to have folded the same hand that Reddick held which made what normally be a flip into a favorable edge for Bral. The {qs}{5d}{4c} flop kept Bral in the lead and a brick on the turn ensured his double up. In spite of shipping the double to Bral, Reddick still holds a monstrous chip lead on the remaining players.
Players are currently on a break and the current chip counts are as follows.
1. Almog Biton – 9,900,000
2. Hector Chevalier – 12,075,000
3. Joe Reddick – 50,775,000
4. Jason Bral – 9,800,000
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 37: (250,000/500,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 20,425,000
Farid Jattin (Miami, FL)
Following a series of tumultuous events where the deck turned against him at the worst possible time, former chip leader Farid Jattin has hit the rail in 5th place.
In the last level, Jattin was the victim of a few small double ups given to Jason Bral along with a recent loss to Joe Reddick that diminished his stack but still allowed him to maintain his chip lead heading into level 36. Reddick overtook Jattin as chip leader with a few small pots but took all of Jattin’s stack in a nightmare scenario for Jattin.
Action opened with Jattin raising to 1,100,000 from the cutoff. Reddick then three-bet Jattin to 2,750,000 from the small blind with Jattin following that up with a four-bet to 5,745,000. Reddick then put in a five-bet to 15,000,000 and Jattin shoved all in for nearly 21,500,000 total and Reddick called barely having Jattin covered.
Jattin rolled over {ah}{ad} which had Reddick’s {kd}{kc} dominated. The {10d}{7c}{3s} flop was safe for Jattin but the {ks} on the turn put a dagger through Jattin’s chances. The {7s} hit the river and Jattin quickly collected his backpack and headed to the payout area clearly frustrated with what transpired.
Reddick is now the dominating chip leader with 44,800,000 of the 81,700,000 in play.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 35: (150,000/300,000/40,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 16,340,000
Joe “Black” Reddick is starting to build his stack after treading water for most of the final table. With numerous final tables on his poker resume, Reddick is certainly a force to be reckoned with only five players remaining.
Joe “Black” Reddick came into the ‘Borgata Million’ final table as the chip leader but has run fairly card dead at this final table. In spite of that, Reddick has hung around long enough to start being able to build his stack back up as the tournament hits the stretch run.
In a recent hand against Farid Jattin, Reddick called a raise of 975,000 from Jattin in the small blind. Jason Bral called as well from the big blind and the three saw a {kd}{js}{9d} flop. Action checked to Jattin who bet 1,155,000 and only Reddick called to see the {9h} turn.
Reddick checked to Jattin once again and Jattin bet 2,750,000. After some contemplation, Reddick called and the {7c} came on the river.
Both players checked and Reddick showed {qd}{jd} which took the pot following a Jattin muck. Reddick is now up to 18,250,000 which is good for second place as the next level closes in.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 36: (200,000/400,000/40,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 16,340,000
Farid Jattin has chipped up immensely over the last few levels and on the other end of the spectrum, Jason Bral has slid from his former perch on the chip lead. Jattin recently added to his stack in a hand that saw Bral lose most of his chips.
Jattin opened the action to 915,000 from early position and Bral called from the small blind. The flop came {as}{6s}{4d} and both players knuckled to the {5c} turn. Bral led for 700,000 and Jattin wasted little time calling to see the {8d} river.
Bral bet 1,200,000 and after stacking some of his chips into a raise formation, Jattin slid in 4,695,000 total. Bral flicked a single chip in to call and shared his vocal displeasure upon seeing Jattin roll over {7h}{5d} for a straight. Bral turned over {Ad}{6d} for the table to see and was left with just over 4,200,000 following that loss.
Jattin is now stacking 37,200,000 and controls nearly half of the chips in play.
Event 10 – $1,000,000 GTD ‘Borgata Million’
Level 35: (150,000/300,000/40,000)
Total Entries: 3,270
Total Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 16,340,000
Almog Biton’s patience has paid off as he just found a double with pocket aces against Farid Jattin.
Almog Biton has not been able to get much going for most of this final table but is still alive thanks to some well-timed pocket aces.
Biton opened the action for 750,000 and was met by a three-bet by Farid Jattin to 2,245,000. Action folded back to Biton who shoved all in for 4,050,000 total and was called instantly by Jattin.
Biton’s {ac}{as} was a massive favorite against the {ad}{kc} of Jattin. The {9d}{8d}{5c} flop gave Jattin runner-runner outs to a chop with a straight and a flush to scoop the pot. The {6d} on the turn fully brought Jattin’s outs into fruition and a look of anguish to the face Biton. Thankfully for Biton, the {10h} fell on the river and he would double up.
Jattin is still the chip leader as the levels are about to go up with players heading on a break. The remaining players and their chip counts are as follows:
1. Almog Biton – 8,272,000
2. Farid Jattin – 31,720,000
3. Hector Chevalier – 13,100,000
4. Joe Reddick – 12,760,000
5. Jason Bral – 17,625,000