Event 21
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
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 29: 50,000/100,000/10,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 8
Michael Dobbs
The clock struck 5 A.M. and the players began to discuss a deal. The stacks were counted down and it didn’t take long before an agreement was made.
Michael Dobbs who held the chip lead at the time of the deal will take home his first Borgata Poker Open title along with $28,000. This score brings Dobbs’ live career earnings to over $600,000 and marks his 7th major title.
He started the final table third in chips but it didn’t take him long to move into the lead and never look back.
Below is a look at the final eight chip counts at the time of the adjusted payout agreement and what each player will be earning.
Mike Dobbs- 5,600,000 ($28,000)
Chris Nomikos- 3,200,000 ($20,996)
Jacobo Fernandes- 2,980,000 ($19,792)
Sean Sha- 2,690,000 ($18,613)
Vanna Nuon- 2,350,000 ($17,443)
Elan Chabi- 1,700,000 ($14,929)
Mike Policastro- 1,315,000 ($13,212)
Diane LePera- 1,075,000 ($12,023)
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: 40,000/80,000/10,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 8
9th Place- Dale Bruch ($4,073)
10th Place- Casie Donaldson ($2,680)
There were two back to back final eliminations right away. Casie Donaldson was the first to fall in 10th place earning $2,680.
Dale Bruch was right behind and will take home $4,073 for his efforts. We are down to the final eight players and they are now all guaranteed at least $5,788.
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: 40,000/80,000/10,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 10
Vanna Nuon
The Event 21 final table is now set and it’s Vanna Nuon leading the way with 4,300,000. They will battle it out here in the early morning hours until our next BWPO champion is crowned.
Below is a list of the final table chip counts and seating assignments as well as what’s at stake.
Seat 1. Casie Donaldson- 1,900,000
Seat 2. Chris Nomikos- 3,200,000
Seat 3. Sean Shah- 3,100,000
Seat 4. Dale Bruch- 435,000
Seat 5. Elan Chabi- 1,000,000
Seat 6. Mike Dobbs- 2,500,000
Seat 7. Mike Policastro- 2,300,000
Seat 8. Diane LePera- 1,900,000
Seat 9. Vanna Nuon- 4,300,000
Seat 10. Jacobo Fernandes- 900,000
1. $49,295+BWPO Trophy
2. $28,726
3. $17,578
4. $14,470
5. $11,790
6. $9,647
7. $7,717
8. $5,788
9. $4,073
10-12. $2,680
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: 40,000/80,000/10,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 11
Vanna Nuon (left) Joe Johnson (right)
No sooner did we get done writing the last blog did Joe Johnson get his stack of 1,200,000 all in preflop once again. This time Vanna Nuon was the one holding 
and Johnson would need some help with 
.
The 
runout improved Nuon to a set of aces and Johnson’s newly acquired chips were shipped to Nuon.
Johnson is our 12th place Event 21 finisher taking home $2,680 and Nuon extends his lead to nearly 4,000,000.
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: 40,000/80,000/10,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 13
Joe Johnson
It’s been a roller coaster ride for Joe Johnson who found himself down to just four big blinds earlier in the night. He managed to stick around and just doubled his stack of 272,000 holding against the 
of Larry Riggs.
Johnson was still stacking his chips when he once again all in this time for over half a million. Again he was holding and they held up.
Johnson is now up to over a million with just 13 players left in the hunt.
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 27: 30,000/60,000/5,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 14
Sean Shah
We are just four eliminations away from the Event 21 final table and the players are now all guaranteed at least $1,929.
Sean Shah was in the middle of the pack for much of the night but that is no longer the case. He is now one of the biggest stacks in the room and has chipped up to about 2,500,000.
Vanna Nuon looks to be the chip leader with 3,300,000 but Shah is quickly gaining ground here in the early morning hours.
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 26: 25,000/50,000/5,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 22
Vanna Nuon
A player limps in from early position and the player next to act raises to 170,000. Vanna Nuon calls and it folds back to the limper who calls.
They go three handed to the 
flop and it checks to Nuon who moves all in for 525,000. The early position player raises to 1,100,000 and the other player quickly folds.
“Over pair is good” the player says to Nuon turning over his 
and Nuon is indeed holding an over pair with 
.
The turn is the and the 
river improves Nuon to a full house. He lets out a fist pump as he drags in the massive pot and chips up to over a million for the first time tonight.
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 25: 20,000/40,000/4,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 27
Larry Abrams
Larry Abrams moves all in for 325,000 from late position. It folds to Stevan Prager in the small blind and he re-shoves all in for 375,000. The big blind folds and they turn over the hands.
Stevan Prager
Abrams:
Prager:
The dealer fans the 
flop and Abrams spikes his ace in the window to take the lead. The turn 
and river 
are no help to Prager and Abrams doubles up.
Larry Abrams- 726,000
Stevan Prager- 50,000
$260 + $40 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 24: 15,000/30,000/4,000
Total Entries: 850
Players Remaining: 31
Larry Riggs
Mike Dobbs raises to 75,000 and a player in late position moves all in for about 400,000. With the action on Larry Riggs in the small blind he calls for his last 272,000.
Dobbs gets out of the way and the hands are shown.
Riggs: 
Opponent: 
The dealer fans the 
flop and Riggs pairs his ace to take control of the hand. The turn and river 
seal the deal for Riggs and he earns the double up.
Larry Riggs- 660,000