Event 12
2018 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Champion Eric Afriat
Last night after nearly four hours of heads-up play, Erif Afriat defeated Justin Zaki to win the $3 Million Guaranteed World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship to claim his second WPT title, earning more than $651,000. ($15,000 is withheld for entry in the Season-Ending WPT Tournament of Champions in May.)
Afriat overcame a 2:1 chip deficit to take the lead, then the chips swung the other way and at one point he was down 4:1 in chips. He continued to battle back until he had all the chips and the win. Zaki earned more than $434,000 for his 2nd place finish.
This final table also included 2015 WSOP Main Event Winner Joe McKeehen, for the second year in a row. And for the second year in a row, he finished 4th.
James Roberts – BWPO Kickoff Event Winner
The WPO series began with a $2 Million Guaranteed Deep Stack Kickoff event which drew more than 4,500 entrants. At the end, it was James Roberts who hoisted the Borgata trophy. The recent retiree earned $378,391 after battling his way through a star-studded final table.
More than $10 million was paid out in prize money in these 23 main events alone, not including satellites and secondary events. A complete list of main event winners is below.
*AP Indicates Adjusted Payout
Thank you to all the participants and congratulations to all the winners! A special thanks goes out to all Borgata tournament staff and dealers for a terrific series.
On behalf of Borgata Poker Bloggers Tim Kelliher, Chris Murray, Brittany Paige, Matt Clark, and myself, thank you for reading! Mark your calendars now for the Borgata Spring Poker Open, which takes place April 10th – 27th. Hope to see you then!
@Kaelaine
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 22: Limits 20,000/40,000
Total Entries: 82
Ishmael Kennedy – 1st Place
In his first-ever reported tournament cash, Ishmael Kennedy took 1st place in the Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix event, along with $9,478. Ishmael is a personal trainer from Glen Rock, New Jersey.
He went wire-to-wire on Day 2 of this event, keeping a hammer-lock on the chip lead. He had the best hand when he needed it and caught the right cards when he didn’t have the best hand. Congratulations to Ishmael on his first-ever tournament cash and it’s the best kind – a win!
Final Results
- Ishmael Kennedy $9,478
- Sang Shin $7,225
- Mark Bowin $3,341
- Warren Sharpe’s Empty Chair $2,227
- Nicholas Marisco $1,949
- Walter Twardus $1,670
- Michael Cicso $1,114
- Marc Matz $835
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 22: Limits 20,000/40,000
Total Entries: 82
Sang Shin
Heads-up play was set to begin with Ishmael Kennedy holding the lead with 1,032,000. Sang Shin had 611,000. Neither of these players have ever recorded a tournament cash at Borgata, so this will be a lifetime best for both
The negotiations were brief. Sang wanted an extra $1,100 and Ishmael agreed on the adjusted payout and they called it a day.
Sang Shin finished 2nd, earning $7,225.
Ishmael Kennedy finished 1st, earning $9,478.
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 22: Limits 20,000/40,000
Total Entries: 82
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 820,000
Mark Bowin – 3rd Place
Playing Stud/8:
When the game changed to Stud/8, Warren Sharpe’s Empty Chair only had to ante and put in the bring-in if dealt the low card. Mark Bowin was playing the waiting game, folding his hands until the empty seat had to put in his last 2,000 chips for the bring-in.
Mark completed the bet, then Ishmael Kennedy raised. Warren called. On 6th street, Warren got the last of his chips in and called by Ishmael. They rolled over their hole cards.
Warren: 
(
) – pair of 5s with low draw
Ishmael: 
(
) – pair of Queens, no low
The river brought Ishmael a useless 
. Warren got the 
which failed to complete his low or improve his high. Ishmael scooped another pot.
Two players were busted on that hand, but the player with more chips gets the higher finish:
3rd Place – Mark Bowin $3,341
4th Place – Warren Sharpe’s Empty Chair $2,227
Warren Sharpe’s Empty Chair – 4th Place
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 22: Limits 20,000/40,000
Total Entries: 82
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 410,000
Playing Omaha/8:
Warren Sharpe’s Empty Chair posted the 20,000 big blind, which was dead, leaving him only 27,000 behind.
Nicholas Marisco
Nicholas Marisco raised utg, then Ishmael Kennedy raised from the button. Nicholas committed the last of his chips and the hands were tabled:
Ishmael: AJ73
Nicholas: AKK9
Board: J 9 7 7 2
Ishmael made a full house to take the pot. Nicholas was busted in 5th place, earning $1,949.
Warren’s Empty Chair moved up a spot on the pay scale.
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 21: Limits 15,000/30,000
Total Entries: 82
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 328,000
Walter Twardus
Playing Stud/8:
Walter Twardus was trying to hold on, but on the last hand of the Stud round, he was dealt the bring-in and only had 2,000 of the 3,000 bring in. Big stack Ishmael Kennedy raised, isolating Walter. His hand looked good to start, but went downhill starting on 5th street:
Walter: 2 3 4 4 A T Q
Ishmael: A K 3 J T T
Neither player made a qualifying low and Ishmael’s pocket Tens were good for the high.
Walter busted out in 6th place, earning $1,670.
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 20: Limits 12,000/24,000
Total Entries: 82
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 273,000
Michael Cisco
Playing Stud/8:
Michael Cisco was the next to see the last of his chips swept away. He finished 7th for $1,114. Last Fall, he made the final table of the PLO event, finishing 8th for $1,013, so he’s working his way up the payouts.
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 20: Limits 12,000/24,000
Total Entries: 82
Players Remaining: 7
Average Stack: 234,000
Marc Matz
Playing Stud/8:
Marc Matz tangled with chip leader Ishmael Kennedy and at the river called one final bet. Marc had a pair of Jacks (no low) and Ishmael had a pair of Aces. He scooped yet another pot.
Marc was left with only 10,000 after anteing the next hand. He put his last chips in on 3rd street, then Walter Tardes got his last chips in on 4th, also against the chip leader Ishmael.
At the river, Ishmael took the high and Walter made the low. Marc was shut out and felted in 8th place, earning $835. He won the Omaha/8 event during the 2016 WPO two years ago, besting the field of 70 players for $6,179. His best live cash was in the 2016 BPO Kickoff event where he finished 4th for more than $114,000.
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 20: Limits 12,000/24,000
Total Entries: 82
Players Remaining: 8
Average Stack: 182,000
They moved to the final table and here’s the new lineup:
- Walter Twardes
- Nicholas Marisco
- Michael Cisco
- Mark Bowin
- Ishmael Kennedy
- Sang Shin
- Warren Sharpe’s Empty Chair
- Marc Matz
- James Matz
As soon as they got cards back in the air, James Matz (who is the nephew of Marc Matz) got his chips in on a hand starting with 2346 and a flush draw. He whiffed it all and was felted in 9th place on the bubble.
The remaining 8 players are in the money and guaranteed at least $835.
When asked who was the better poker player, himself or his uncle, James evaded, saying “he taught me how to play this game”. When James busted out, Marc said “now you have the answer to that question!
James Matz
$350+$50 Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix Re-Entry
Level 20: Limits 12,000/24,000
Total Entries: 82
Players Remaining: 9
Average Stack: 182,000
Glenn Engelbert
Glenn Engelbert’s short-stack finally gave out in 11th place, so there will be no 5th Borgata title for him today.
On table 2, Edward Fishman was all-in on a hand of Stud and had some possibilities, until chip leader Ishmael Kennedy rivered a wheel to scoop.
Edward finished 10th, prompting the redraw for the final table of nine.
Edward Fishman