Event 13
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
Level 25: Blinds 15000/30000/4000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 2,790,000
Small pots now, including an interesting one where Dylan extracts a ten percent bet with ace high, emblematic of his skill.
However, another big pot has decided the match. All preflop, Seth started out slightly ahead with 
against Smith’s 
, and an unusual all queen flop provided no relief for Smith.
However, as he had all final table, Smith ran well. The king on the turn left Seth needing an ace, but it did not come. Akash Seth takes second place in the 6 max and $41,000.
The king on the turn gives Smith the tournament.
Akash Seth, wearing something special for his family today. Great run.
The 6 max champ, Dylan Smith – $69,011.
Level 25: Blinds 15000/30000/4000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 2,790,000
A deal was entertained but not seriously, with both wanting the trophy. “I want to battle,” said Smith. “I promised it to my mother.”
Seth took down a medium pot to open the action, but then a large pot swung the stacks.
On 
, all the money went in with Seth holding 
and Smith 
.
Seth picked up the flush draw on the turn but a complete blank deuce fell on the river, leaving Smith, who had shortstacked through the whole day before rising in the last few levels, with a commanding lead at 4.2m to 1.4m.
Heads up, Akash Seth and Dylan Smith.
Disaster for Seth. “Spade one time!” he lamented afterwards, going over all his equity on the turn against top and bottom pair.
End of Level 24: Blinds 12000/24000/3000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 2,790,000
A quick series of hands have pulled down The Thrill’s comfortable position.
First Smith double barrelled into an advantageous flop and risky turn card, wounding Failla when he had to fold to the pressure.
Then Seth led out on the river on a paired board after Failla opened. Again Will folded but now showed signs of frustration, complaining at the outcome.
He moved all in the next hand, and down to less than 600,000 did it again a few minutes later.
Smith and Seth, gathering the power over a tilty Thrill.
Then, confrontation. On 
between Failla and Seth, a moment of tension, then Seth jammed everything into the dwindling stack in front of Will. Snap call! Will had flopped bottom two, but Seth was live with the nut flush card, 
.
The turn was the 
and the river the 
. Will had run badly and was done, immediately packing up and leaving. For a strong but obviously disappointing finish Failla takes $31,222.
Heads up begins with Seth holding 3,200,000 and Smith 2,300,000.
Will Failla.
Level 24: Blinds 12000/24000/3000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 1,860,000
The new level got off to a rocky start for Dean Potashner. He had three bet Akash Seth light and then faced a four bet ship from Dylan Smith for another near 400,000.
Seth folded and after some thought, Dean made the call, hoping to see the old tournament standby, . Dean flipped up 
, but his plan came to a screeching halt, as Smith did not have ace king, but .
Mismatch.
A king on the flop left Dean nearly dead, and Dylan received a key double through the former big stack to 1,400,000. At last, the high stakes pro has chips to work the table with.
Reeling, Potashner then paid off Seth’s flush on the river with second pair and a blocker. The thin decisions have grown costly and the stacks are changing.
Failla 1,650,000
Smith 2,100,000
Seth 1,900,000
Dean Potashner 4th for $25,033
Then, Dylan opened, Seth folded, and Potashner put in a committing three bet to 200,000.
Dylan confirmed the chips, then went all in. Potashner called and was again near dead, holding 
against Dylan’s . A clean runout, and suddenly the once cautious shortstack has the lead!
Great run for Potashner, who had destroyed Lytle earlier with the quads and whose loose style had kept him in the running all tournament.
Another monster gets inexplicably paid at the final table, a dream outcome for Smith.
End of Level 23: Blinds 10,000/20,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 1,395,000
“Cbet once in your life, Uncle Fester!” Will bellowed at Potashner, who had declined to barrel into the trapping Thrill.
“That seemed like your kind of flop,” Dean simply explained, accurately.
Will also turned his huffing and puffing on Smith, a high stakes cash grinder. Smith is still short stacking well, while Will continues threaten to stack him from out of position, hopelessly.
“Uncle Fester” has Will’s number.
Then, as the clock wound down, Ketan got stuck in a shove with a middle queen while Dylan Smith had a weak ace. Running well, Smith nailed top pair and left Ketan with little left to do other than collect $19,621 for 5th.
Ketan, seat one, in trouble.
Failla 1,700,000
Smith 700,000
Seth 1,900,000
Potashner 1,300,000
We return at 8:30 PM, 4 handed.
Level 23: Blinds 10,000/20,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 1,116,000
Will Failla has been gathering pots and momentum for several levels and has finally surpassed Potashner.
Failla to the light three bettor Smith: “I know you have KQ every time… I know it.” But Will doesn’t just give the chips away on range flips.
Ketan 700,000
Failla 1,600,000
Smith 440,000
Seth 1,300,000
Potashner 1,500,000
Level 23: Blinds 10,000/20,000/3,000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 1,116,000
Ketan Pandya shoved his last 390,000 into the two tens of the chip leader Potashner, but finally Dean took a significant hit. Pandya found a king on the river.
Ketan’s King on the River face.
Seth muttered, “this is going to take a while.” Indeed, the stacks are much closer than they were last level.
Ketan 770,000
Failla 900,000
Zarco 550,000
Smith 545,000
Seth 1,400,000
Postashner 1,470,000
Ketan’s Getting Shoved on Sucks face.
Then, Will the Thrill (of always having it) knocked out the skilled Zarco, with the two somehow getting in 30 bigs preflop. Will naturally had the better hand in a 
against 
encounter, and left Javier Zarco with 6th place for $14,208.
Zarco out.
Level 22: Blinds 6000/12000/2000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 930,000
Will skips the river value bet but wounds Ketan nonetheless with TPTK.
Jayaram Koover-Chathoth gets it in near dead with aces against the flopped nut straight of Akash Seth.
Then, a little too ambitious and caught. Seth three bets Smith light from the blinds, only to get shoved on by the short stack. No call. “Oops,” pointed out Failla.
Jayaram is quickly out, getting his remaining 75,000 in against Seth, against . 7th is good for $10,825.
Final Table
Ketan 520,000
Failla 1,250,000
Zarco 400,000
Smith 520,000
Seth 1,300,000
Postashner 1,600,000
Level 21: Blinds 6000/12000/2000 ante
Total Entries: 279
Players Remaining: 7
Average Stack: 797,000
With Vincent Ciarrocchi (8th, $7,442) doubling back into contention then getting the cold deck from Will Failla, aces versus ace-king, our final table is being formed.
The final tables, with Vincent standing out in white.
Potashner doubles Smith.
Happy times: the double…
…then out. Failla: “I always have it.”
Final Table Draw, seat one to seven:
Ketan 680,000
Failla 920,000
Zarco 400,000
Jayaram 850,000
Smith 250,000
Seth 500,000
Postashner 1,850,000