Event 18 Championship
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
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 40: 500,000/1,000,000/100,000
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 1
Average Stack: 37,320,000
2018 Borgata Winter Poker Open Main Event Champion Eric Afriat
The Winter Poker Open Championship assembled a strong field with 1,244 entrants creating a prize pool of nearly $4 million. WPT Champions Club members littered the field and only one made the final table. Eric Afriat started the final table as the short stack and nine hours later, claims his second WPT title.
Afriat entered on Day 2 and spun his stack up into contention in no time.
The win moves Afriat over the $2.5 million mark in career earnings and placed him in elite company with his second World Poker Tour title. Afriat has a lot of history at Borgata dating back to 2014 when he made a deep run but came up shy of winning the WPT World Championship.
Afriat is a real estate professional from Quebec, Canada who claims poker as a recreational hobby. His play, however, continues to elude professionals and he used his aggressive style to get the better of Joseph McKeehen, Zach Gruneberg, and Justin Zaki during heads up play to win the title.
Those three players were all looking for their first BPO and WPT final table after a few previous close calls. McKeehen and Gruneberg final tabled a WPT final table at Borgata in 2016, finishing fourth and second respectively.
Local pro Michael Marder made his charge at the title but fell shy of victory in fifth place. 22-year-old Stephen Song stole the show on Day 4 and announced his presence to the poker world by taking sixth place.
Other notable pros to make Day 4 but come up shy of today’s final table include Kane Kalas, 2015 BPO Championship winner David Paredes, and WPT Champions Club member Kevin Saul.
Kalas jumped in the live stream booth to perform commentary for the final table with BorgataPoker.com pro Michael Gagliano.
Afriat wins $636,928 for first place along with the $15,000 seat into the WPT Tournament of Champions.
Congratulations to Eric Afriat for becoming the 2018 Winter Poker Open Champion.
Final Table Results:
1st: Eric Afriat – $651,928*
2nd: Justin Zaki – $434,614
3rd: Zach Gruneberg – $321,533
4th: Joe McKeehen – $240,251
5th: Michael Marder – $181,329
6th: Stephen Song – $138,254
*includes $15,000 seat to Tournament of Champions
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 40: 500,000/1,000,000/100,000
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 1
Average Stack: 37,320,000
Live Stream
Justin Zaki
The multi-hour heads up battle between Justin Zaki and Eric Afriat is at an end with the latter finishing off a come from behind victory.
Down to a few blinds after doubling up Afriat, Zaki got his chips in with 
against the 
of Afriat. The 
flop put Zaki ahead but the 
on the turn gave Afriat added outs going to the river.
Afriat found the 
to hit trips and claim his second WPT victory. Zaki takes $434,614 for second place for a strong five days of poker. A winner’s recap will be posted shortly.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 40: 500,000/1,000,000/100,000
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 18,660,000
Live Stream
Eric Afriat is on the verge of the Winter Poker Open Championship title after doubling up through Justin Zaki.
Afriat raised to 2,000,000 and Zaki moved all-in. Afriat called with 
and was in a dream scenario against the 
of Zaki. The 
board shipped the pot to Afriat.
He is now in control of over 90 percent of the chips in play. Zaki is down to three big blinds.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 39: 400,000/800,000/100,000
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 18,660,000
Live Stream
Eric Afriat was on the ropes in heads up play against Justin Zaki after losing a large pot but doubled up and is right back in action.
Zaki opened the button to 1,600,000 and Afriat called. The 
flop resulted in a check-call for 1,800,000 and the produced the same thing for 2,300,000. Afriat checked the river and Zaki moved all-in. Afriat kicked it in and left himself with about 6,500,000.
Two hands later, Afriat limped in and Zaki checked. Zaki checked the 
flop and Afriat bet 800,000. Zaki raised to 2,200,000 and called the 6,200,000 shove from Afriat with 
for two pair. Afriat had a flush draw turn. The 
river missed Zaki and Afriat doubled up.
Zaki is leading with 23,100,000 to the 14,200,000 of Afriat with more all-ins to come.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 39: 400,000/800,000/100,000
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 18,660,000
Live Stream
Justin Zaki
Justin Zaki doubled up at the start of Level 39 and is the chip leader once again in heads up play.
Zaki moved all-in for 11,000,000 total with 
and Eric Afriat called with 
. The 
board gave Zaki two pair and he doubled up. He now has 22,200,000 to the 15,100,000 of Afriat.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
End of Level 38: 300,000/600,000/75,000
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 18,660,000
Live Stream
Eric Afriat
This level has been all Eric Afriat and he is into the chip lead once again.
Afriat opened to 1,300,000 and Justin Zaki called. Zaki check-called for 800,000 on the 
flop, 1,500,000 on the turn, and for 1,500,000 on the 
river. Afriat rolled over and took the pot.
With the blinds going up, Afriat leads 27,100,000 to the 10,200,000 of Zaki with less than 50 big blinds left in play.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 38: 300,000/600,000/75,000
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 18,660,000
Live Stream
Level 37 is on to 38 and Eric Afriat picked up a few chips to close the gap between him and Justin Zaki.
Afriat raised to 1,000,000 and Zaki called. The flop checked through and Afriat bet 1,000,000 on the turn. Zaki called and Afriat bet 1,300,000 more on the 
river. Zaki called that as well and Afriat’s 
was enough to take the pot.
With the blinds up, Zaki leads with 21,100,000 to the 16,225,000 of Afriat.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 37: Blinds 250,000/500,000/75,000 ante
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 18,660,000
Eric Afriat completed the small blind and Justin Zaki checked. The flop came 
and Justin checked. Eric bet 500,000, which Justin called. Turn was the 8d and both checked. River was the and Justin fired 1.2 million. Eric folded and Justin took the pot.
On the next hand, Justin led with a min-raise to 1 million and Eric called. On the flop of 
Eric checked, Justin bet 800,000 and Eric called. The turn brought the and again Eric checked. Justin pushed out 1.8 million and Eric called.
River was the and Eric checked again. Justin announced “all-in” and having Eric well covered, there was no need for a count. Eric folded his hand. Justin offered his cards face down and allowed Eric to “pick one” to see. It was the which meant Justin had at least a pair of Queens (third pair on the board).
After that hand, Justin had about 30 million to Eric’s 7.5 million.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed
Level 37: Blinds 250,000/500,000/75,000 ante
Total Entries: 1,244
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 18,660,000
Eric Afriat opened for 1.1 million. Justin Zaki used one time extension before making his 3-bet to 3.5 million straight. Eric released this hand.
On the next deal, Justin opened for 1.25 million and Eric folded. After that pot, Justin was up to about 24 million to Eric’s 13 million.
A couple of hands later, Justin opened for 1 million (a min-raise) and Eric called. The flop came 
and Justin took his foot off the gas, checking to see the on the turn, which made flush possible. Eric led for 1.3 million and Justin let it go, saying “you got it”.