2017
Daniel Weinman (Washington, DC)
2017 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Champion
Over the previous 18 days, the Borgata played host to another record-setting Winter Poker Open Series, culminating in the World Poker Tour BWPO Championship event. That $3 Million Guaranteed event fielded 1,312 runners, setting a new record for the largest-ever WPO Championship event. It was also just one entrant shy of matching the record for most entrants in any Borgata Open series Championship, which was set in 2011. During that year’s September Borgata Poker Open, 1,313 entrants took to the felt. This year’s record for Borgata also places fourth on the World Poker Tour’s all-time most-entries list.
Georgia-born Daniel Weinman took the title and his first WPT win at a final table was live-streamed by the World Poker Tour. First-place prize money was more than $892,000.
The series also started of with a record-breaking Kickoff Event. The $2 Million Guaranteed Deep Stack opener drew 5,512 entrants, handily beating the previous year’s record-setting field of 5,101 runners. Aristoteles Neto claimed more than $216,000 for the win.
The series boasted a total of $6.4 million in guarantees and all were covered easily. Nearly $10.5 million was paid in total buy-ins just for the 25 Main Events, not including satellites and secondary events. (* Next to 1st place indicates Adjusted Payouts.)
Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all the participants. We hope to see you back at Borgata for the next series, the Spring Poker Open, coming up April 18th through May 5th.
Although there were some technical issues with the blog during this series, we want to thank all the players, friends, and family for their patience as they were sorted out. Our servers have been upgraded so should be able to handle the next record-breaking event at Borgata! Until next time, farewell from the Borgata Blog team of Kaelaine, Matt Clark, Tim Kelliher, and Chris Murray!
Gonzalo Villarreal (left) Jaren Chang (Center) John Humpert (right)
After Satish Surapaneni was sent to the rail in 5th place the final four agreed to stop the clock and discuss an adjusted payout deal. After some brief discussion they were able to come to an agreement.
Gonzalo Villarreal who was a one man wrecking crew at the final table was the chip leader at the time of the deal. He will be taking home his first BWPO title and $12,242 for his efforts.
Below is a list of what the final four players will be taking home.
1st. Gonzalo Villarreal- $12,242+BWPO trophy
2nd. John Humbert- $12,242
3rd. Joe Pitti- $11,242
4. Jaren Chang- $9,242
Event 24: $260+$40Deepest Stack ($50,000 guaranteed)
Level 28: (40,000/80,000/10,000)
Total Entrants: 289
Players Remaining: 4
Chip Average: 2,900,000
Satish Surapaneni had his queen jack flushed away by the queen nine suited of Joe Pitti. Surapaneni is our 5th place finisher collecting $4,373 for his efforts.
Event 24: $260+$40Deepest Stack ($50,000 guaranteed)
Level 28: (40,000/80,000/10,000)
Total Entrants: 289
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 2,300,000
A short stacked Jiqiang Tong moved all in holding ace queen. John Humbert made the call with pocket jacks from the small blind. Humpert improved to a full house by the turn and Tong was sent to the rail in 6th place.
Event 24: $260+$40Deepest Stack ($50,000 guaranteed)
Level 28: (40,000/80,000/10,000)
Total Entrants: 289
Players Remaining: 6
Chip Average: 1,925,000
John Humpert raises to 700,000 from under the gun and Joe Pitti moves all in for 1,050,000. It folds back to Humpert who quickly calls and the hands are shown.
Humpert turns over 
but Pitti is holding the weapons of mass destruction 
. The board runs out 
improving Pitti to a full house to earn him the double up. The once short stacked Pitti is now over 2,000,000 with just six players left.
Joe Pitti- 2,300,000
John Humpert- 2,700,000
Event 24: $260+$40Deepest Stack ($50,000 guaranteed)
Level 27: (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total Entrants: 289
Players Remaining: 6
Chip Average: 1,925,000
Maguerite Spagnuolo (Staten Island, NY)
John Humpert limps in and it folds to Maguerite Spagnuolo in the big blind who checks. They see a flop of 
and Spagnuolo checks. Humpert bets 100,000 and Spagnuolo makes the call.
The turn is the 
and Spagnuolo moves all in for her last 510,000. Humpert nearly beats her into the pot with the call tabling his 
for a flopped straight.
The 
completes the board earning Humpert the pot and the knockout. Spagnuolo is our 7th place finisher earning $2,915 for her efforts.
Event 24: $260+$40Deepest Stack ($50,000 guaranteed)
Level 27: (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total Entrants: 289
Players Remaining: 7
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Ed Bajrami (South Boston, MA)
Gonzalo Villarreal raises to 250,000 from early positon and Ed Bajrami moves all in for 950,000. It folds back to Villarreal who snap calls turning over . Bajrami sees that it’s a cooler situation as he shows his 
.
The board runs out 
and Bajrami is sent to the rail in 8th taking home $2,187. Villarreal has now eliminated all three players at this final table. He is sitting behind a mountain of over 5,000,000 of the 11,560,000 in play with just 7 players left.
Event 24: $260+$40Deepest Stack ($50,000 guaranteed)
Level 27: (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total Entrants: 289
Players Remaining: 8
Chip Average: 1,445,000
Peter Gray was the next player to go here at the hands of Gonzalo Villarreal. His pocket fives failed to improve against the pocket nines of Villarreal. Gray is our 9th place finisher and will earn $1,458.
Event 24: $260+$40Deepest Stack ($50,000 guaranteed)
Level 27: (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total Entrants: 289
Players Remaining: 9
Chip Average: 1,285,000
Tom Smargiassi (Union, NJ)
It folds to Gonzalo Villarreal in the small blind and he raises to 130,000. Tom Smargiassi moves all in from the big blind for 435,000 and Villarreal makes the call.
Villarreal:
Smargiassi: 
The dealer spreads the 
flop and Villarreal pairs his ten but Smargiassi picks up a flush draw. The turn 
and river complete the board and Smargiassi is sent to the rail in 10th earning $948 for his efforts.
Limit Hold’em
Level 21 (stopped): (10,000/20,000 Limits)
Total Entrants: 26
Heads up has been even for the first few hands, then Syracuse takes a key bite out of Bruch, getting a value bet in with middle pair versus a worse pair. Big swing, as they started 350,000 to 140,000, and now, instead of reasonable deficit and plenty of bigs to work with, Bruch is in trouble and down to four big bets.
Two hands later they get it all in, and it’s a fair fight, Syracuse with and Bruch with 
. The board starts off 
giving Syracuse a 60-40 lead with a pair and a useless gutter against the two overs and a straight draw. The turn comes a fun 
which now solidifies Syracuse’s lead while giving Bruch backdoor clubs.
The end.
Another five makes Syracuse a full house and it is over! Our final tournament on the schedule, but not the final one running, as the Deepest Stack looks like it will go deep into the night.
Dale Bruch takes second ($1513)
Andrew Sanft aka Syracuse aka Syracuse Bartlby aka LHE Champ of the BWPO (Port Washington, NY) $2522. Who doesn’t like the seven five of diamonds?
Limit Hold’em made for a great tournament event. The action and the structure may have been slow in the beginning, but once the final table started, all the players raised their level of play. There were huge swings, and big favorites Wazir Baksh and Jialan Tang took big tumbles after looking destined for the money. Jeremy Iocozzia’s play also stood out, and he snuck into third and a payday when the stacks said it might not be so.
It was also the final table where Andrew showed his class as a player he became far more aggressive and was suddenly a noticeable table presence. He did not pay off light despite being laid odds and this kept him from the short stack quandry, letting others make mistakes. He also, like Bruch, chose to fight for the trophy, and the money did not even seem to be an object at the end.
For all this, Andy Sanft is a worthy champ of this blast from the past – limit hold’em.
Many congrats to Andy!
Thanks for following my coverage on the Borgata Poker Blog and on Twitter @out_of_position throughout the BWPO Best wishes – Chris M/Persuadeo