Event 9
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 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 21 (15,000/30,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 1
Average Stack: 2,050,000
James Chen – Winter Poker Open Event 9 ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’ Champion
Even though heads up play went on a little longer than James Chen would have liked, his run towards the Event 9 ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’ title was as wire to wire as it gets. Chen came into today with the chip lead and from the start of Day 2, he began sending short stacks to the rail in quick succession.
Eventually the table got short and while most big stacks would wait and let the short stacks cannibalize each other, Chen did the opposite. He applied pressure and continued to pick up big hands while scoring knockouts, eventually notching 7 of 8 during this final session.
When he finally defeated Tim D’Alessandro for the WPO trophy, he turned to his friends on the rail and said, “Tournaments are fun.” and then admitted that he doesn’t play many, as he’s mainly a cash game player. Tournaments are fun when you’re dealt the goods and run over the final table, lots of fun.
Today was for Chen, as he takes home over $11,000 and his first major tournament title. That concludes our coverage of Event 9 of the Winter Poker Open and now that we’ve crowned our first champion of the day, the WPO blog will turn it’s focus to the homestretch of Day 1A of the ‘Borgata Million’.
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 21 (15,000/30,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 1
Average Stack: 2,050,000
Tim D’Alessandro (Wayne, NJ)
Almost just as we posted that Tim D’Alessandro refused to die, doubling up a few times through James Chen, he finally couldn’t win an all-in. D’Alessandro had complained about Chen picking up pocket aces throughout this heads up match but in the end, it was the furthest hand from pocket aces that would spell his demise.
Chen hit a flush on the river, holding {8c}{6d}{4d}{3c}, after he continued for 60,000 and called D’Alessandro’s pot-sized shove on a board of {Ac}{9h}{7c}. The short stack held {9d}{9s}{8h}{8s} and needed his set to hold to score the double.
The {8d} on the turn gave D’Alessandro another set and pushed him closer to the double but the {10c} was the final card he’d see, as it gave Chen the flush and the title. This is the second time in as many WPT BPO series that D’Alessandro has notched a mixed game runner-up finish, as he finished 2nd in Event 3 in September.
He’ll make just over $6,000 for his Event 9 run this time around and will surely be back throughout the rest of the series to try to claim that elusive BPO title.
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 21 (15,000/30,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 2
Average Stack: 1,025,000
We’ve almost been heads up for two hours here at the Event 9 final table and throughout that timeframe, Tim D’Alessandro has yet to eclipse the 1,000,000 chip mark. He’s doubled a handful of times but most of those doubles have come with extremely short holdings, meaning that even though he’s staying alive, he’s not doing much to gain on chip leader James Chen.
The first of those doubles came when D’Alessandro was all-in pre flop holding {Qc}{Js}{8c}{8h} against Chen’s {As}{Js}{9h}{5c}. The {8d}{8s}{3s} flop gave D’Alessandro quads and a healthier 400,000 chip stack.
A few hands later, he was doubling again on the {Qc}{8c}{2h}{2d}{9h} runout, with Chen holding the losing hand with {Ah}{Ac}{8h}{6c}. D’Alessandro held {As}{Jh}{10c}{7c} and his shouts for a “nine” on the river worked, as he hit the only card that could keep him alive.
He is still alive but he’s still short, as he peaked at 700,000 but is now back down near 350,000. He’s not going away quietly and is motivated to not have another runner-up finish in a BPO PLO event, just like he had in September of 2015.
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 19 (8,000/16,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 2
Average Stack: 1,025,000
Tim Dalessandro and James Chen came into this Day 2 session one-two on the leaderboard and they are now heads up for the Event 9 title.
While we were collecting names for the Event 8 ‘Super Stack Elevator’ final table lineup, Tim Dalessandro and James Chen got all-in on a board of {Ac}{Kh}{10c}{Jh}{9h}, with the short stacked Dalessandro free-rolling to a double with {Qd}{Qs}{10h}{6h}.
Chen held {Kd}{Qh}{10c}{10s} and both were chopping the pot before the {6h} fell on the river, giving Dalessandro a flush. Chen couldn’t believe his luck, or lack thereof, as he was shipping Dalessandro a double worth just under 400,000.
After that double, Chen picked up a few small pots to bring himself back up near the 1,400,000 mark, still controlling an over 2:1 advantage in this heads up battle. The blinds and antes are ready to go up again in just a few minutes, which should put a little more pressure on the still short stacked Dalessandro.
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 18 (6,000/12,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 2
Average Stack: 1,025,000
Kal Alwan (Newark, DE)
James Chen’s stock dropped slightly over the last level but he just made potentially the best hero call of the tournament to cripple Kal Alwan and then eliminated him a few hands later. Action was picked up with Chen opening to 30,000 from the button and both Alwan and Tim Dalessandro called in the blinds.
All three checked the {Jd}{8h}{7s} flop and Alwan led the {2h} turn card for 75,000. Dalessandro called and Chen called, leaving Alwan with just over 350,000 behind. The {Ac} completed the board and Alwan bet the majority of that stack, as he fired 200,000.
Chen went deep into the tank and eventually, he called, which brought a tap of the table from Alwan, who was more or less conceding defeat. He could only table {10c}{10d}{8s}{2c} but Chen turned over {10s}{8c}{7d}{6c}, good for a better two pair. Two pair in Pot Limit Omaha isn’t that strong of a hand though and even Tim Dalessandro had to comment on just how good of a call Chen made.
The call Chen made to score the eventual knockout of Alwan, who was crippled in that hand, was much easier, as he defended his big blind and then check-shoved a {9h}{8s}{7s} flop after Alwan committed himself with a pot-sized bet. He called and was drawing to a flush, as he held {As}{10s}{9s}{2c} to Chen’s made {Jd}{10h}{9d}{8c}.
The big stack faded the turn and river, officially eliminating Alwan in 3rd place. We are now heads up for the Event 9 title, with James Chen playing 1,600,000 to Tim Dalessandro’s 450,000.
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 17 (5,000/10,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 3
Average Stack: 660,000
Moe Bacharach (Quakertown, PA)
After fading a few of the early final table payout spots and doubling up a few times, Moe Bacharach couldn’t fade pocket kings when he finally got all-in four-handed. He held suited pocket aces but Tim Dalessandro flopped better to score the knockout.
The action was picked up with Dalessandro opening to 40,000 from the button and, next to act in the small blind, Bacharach three-bet shoved for 82,000 total. James Chen thought for a minute but eventually folded and Dalessandro called off his slightly short stack to try to score the elimination.
He held {Kd}{Kc}{Qd}{9h} and Bacharach turned over {Ad}{Qh}{6d}{5s}, meaning that Dalessandro’s diamonds were not live. He didn’t use diamonds though, as the {Kh}{5c}{3s} flop gave him a set and left Bacharach looking for help.
He didn’t get it, as the turn brought the {7d} and the {Jc} completed the board and confirmed his 4th place elimination. Bacharach will make just over $3,000 for his deep run and we are now three-handed with just a few minutes remaining in Level 17.
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 17 (5,000/10,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 4
Average Stack: 490,000
James Chen started Day 2 as the chip leader and he’s now playing over half the chips in play four-handed.
We are still four-handed at the Event 9 final table and, as it stands, the other three players are starting to fall behind chip leader James Chen. Chen started this Day 2 session with the chip lead and he hasn’t given it up, as he’s scored every knockout at this final table and moved himself up and over the 1,000,000 chip mark.
Chen is now playing more than half the total chips in play and in a game where big stacks can apply pressure, we could see this final table fall to Chen over the next few levels.
It should be noted that we are now in Level 17 and that Event 8, the other restart that resumed at 12 PM, is still on the final table bubble.
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 16 (4,000/8,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 4
Average Stack: 490,000
Moe Bacharach has seen his stock rise throughout the start of this Event 9 restart, as he’s now playing over 200,000. He’s still alive four-handed and could be one double up away from getting some more ‘honeymoon’ money.
Moe Bacharach came into today with just a few big blinds but, with four players remaining in Event 9, he’s still alive and looking to not only make some more pay jumps but also make some more ‘honeymoon’ money. Moe and his wife are at Borgata on their honeymoon, after getting married last Monday.
His wife, who is sweating the final table, joked, “If he wins, we can go on a real honeymoon.” The rest of the table erupted and laughter but so far, the joke has been on them, as Bacharach has doubled and even tripled a few times so far today.
He’s working just over 200,000 and a complete list of the remaining chip counts are provided below:
- James Chen – 715,000
- Khaled Alwan – 480,000
- Tim Dalessandro – 510,000
- Moe Bacharach – 205,000
Event 9 – ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’
Level 15 (3,000/6,000)
Total Entries: 130
Remaining Players: 4
Average Stack: 490,000
Thomas Balla (Bronx, NY)
There will be no title defense in Event 9 ‘Pot Limit Omaha High’, as Thomas Balla, who won this tournament during last year’s Winter Poker Open, was just eliminated by, you guessed it, James Chen. Chen opened to 15,000 from late position and Balla called in the blinds to see a flop of {7s}{5c}{4h}.
Balla had just over a pot-sized bet behind and those chips got in the middle after he bet and Chen quickly moved all-in. Balla called and needed to hit, as he held {Ah}{7h}{6c}{5h} to Chen’s {8c}{6s}{5s}{3c}.
The big stack flopped a straight and Balla now just had the turn and river to hit any of his backdoor or full house outs but he could manage neither, as the {2s} and {10d} completed the board.
Balla will hit the rail in 5th place, good for a $2,200 score and we certainly imagine to see Balla next weekend, as another PLO event will run on Saturday. We are now just a few minutes from break, with four players remaining in Event 9.