Event 3
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
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 21: 10,000/20,000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 2
Average Chips: 1,057,000
Almost immediately, the two heads up contestants play a huge pot, with bottom set taking almost all of Caldwell’s chips. He’s down to 300,000 while Medrano has him crushed with 1,800,000.
Next, Caldwell decided to go with 
, not the worst with 15 bbs. However, he was up against a hand that had him dominated, the 
. Caldwell would need hearts, another seven, or a middle straightening board that Medrano was blocking.
The board ran out completely clean, 
, pairing Medrano on the end and finishing off Caldwell in second.
Zachary Caldwell, 2nd place for $6770, thanks to a great performance.
George Medrano, 1st place, $12,105.
Medrano played extremely solid all tournament, had it when he needed it, and got paid in a few key spots. Well down George, and congratulations!
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 21: 10,000/20,000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 2
Average Chips: 1,057,000
Very quickly, Zhang is out. Caldwell, who has run well most of the night, filled up on the end against a flush with Mike all in.
We’ve reached heads-up for the title.
A great run for Mike Zhang, $4,103 for third.
Mike Zhang laddered well but the full house over full house against Medrano was the true dagger in his tournament run.
Medrano has about 942,000 and Caldwell 1,140,000.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 20: 8000/16000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 3
Average Chips: 705,000
On a landmine of a board, Medrano just bet/shoved the river with the second nut, go a call, and decimated second big stack Mike Zhang.
After heavy action, Medrano leads river, then stands up when he is minraised.
The board is 
.
After a bit of confusion over whether George had already said “all-in,” he really did clearly do it. Zhang half-heartedly tossed in a chip for a call, walking away from the table, apparently half=clued in on how nutted George had been all final table.
The disappointment for Zhang is transparent, who covered and is still in but now down with Ho on the end bottom.
George turned over 
for a marginal hand that simply smashed the turn.
Zhang had rivered the next set down, with 
.
Medrano now is over 900,000 and surpasses Caldwell.
A few hands later, he knocks out the very short William Ho in 4th for $3,282.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 20: 8000/16000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 4
Average Chips: 528,000
Caldwell – 620,000
Zhang – 600,000
Medrano – 410,000
Ho – 240,000
William Ho has a little Will Kassouf – “Do you want to play a big pot, a small pot, or a medium pot?
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 20: 8000/16000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 4
Average Chips: 528,000
In a limped pot the action checked to Caldwell in position, and he bet 2/3 on 
.
Medrano’s stand is observed by Zhang, who takes his time and folds, leaving the decision to play for stacks with the chip leader Caldwell.
Then George Medrano check raised pot from the small blind. This will be for stacks, as George is under average. Fortunately for Caldwell, he’s been shown nut hands against this action all evening by George, and folds top two face up. George obliges by showing bottom set.
If Caldwell had a better rundown, he indicates he would have gone with it, even against the value heavy Medrano.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 20: 8000/16000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 4
Average Chips: 528,000
From the button, Caldwell three bets Zhang, who has given up before facing pressure – and indeed a cbet on the flop works for Caldwell. His sizing was smaller this time.
Now Caldwell again brings pressure, this time against George Medrano, who limped the button. However, the 32,000 raise backfires, as George backraises past 80,000, and Caldwell surrenders, weary of the aces – which indeed Medrano turns over at the end of the hand.
Again, opening pressure from Caldwell, who seems to be the most experienced player at this point, taking the blinds.
Then, from the HJ William Ho raises, and once again, pressure from Caldwell, the three bet to 110,000.
Ho’s turn to face pressure from Caldwell, near left.
Ho is genuninely flustered, announcing “this is it” and calling.
Caldwell inquires about Ho’s big chips, but a reg like Ho knows he does not have respond and stays quiet.
Nevertheless, Zachargy puts out a huge continuation bet of 155,000, and the matter is closed.
Caldwell is beating them so far.
Caldwell now around 700,000 again.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 19: 6000/12000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 5
Average Chips: 423,000
Mike Zhang, who made the apparently conservative fold against Caldwell for all his chips earlier, has been rewarded for his caution.
He just felted a far more volatile player, Ting Xiao, who takes 5th for $2,462.
The active Xiao is out.
Just as importantly, he has risen to 740,000, surpassing Caldwell for the lead.
Zachary does still have 550,000, and George and William are little behind that.
Caldwell, meanwhile has slid seats, from the one to the 10, to open up space on the table.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 18: 5000/10000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 5
Average Chips: 423,000
Two big hands woke up toward the end of 18, with Jack Schroth holding double suited kings to risk his final nine bigs on.
A fair fight, but single suited aces for Mike Zhang not only faded any 
on the flop or turn, but his wheel dangler tripped up on the river.
Jack is out in 6th, and the table is becoming small. Caldwell and Zhang have the chips.
Schroth waited patently but was ultimately cooled off, taking 6th for $2,052.
We will next take a 15 minutes pause which the players have been clamoring for, and return at 2:17 PM.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Level 18: 5000/10000
Entries: 141
Players Remaining: 6
Average Chips: 352,000
From UTG, big stack Caldwell opened, the field folded, Ting Xiao called out the small, and then surprise – Barry Levanthal made a small reraise to 32,000 from the big. Caldwell more or less snap called, and now, with the pot bloated out of control, the swinging stack of the active Xiao had an interesting choice with about 130,000 left to play.
Xiao stuck it in, true PLO style. Time to Gamble. Next to act, Leaventhal was far more circumpsect, seeming very, very aware of his tournament life. He counted out the call, carefully noting how much he had left. He also had Caldwell to deal with, but it was unlikely he would flat then backraise.
A tricky spot. In any case, Barry called, leaving himself about 7 bbs in the worst case – enough to play.
A final table changing pot brews: Leaventhal thinking hard about the back shove by Xiao from the blind.
Leaventhal checked the flop but couldn’t get away getting a sick price.
With Xiao all in, Barry declined to bet, and Caldwell became chatty for the first time, saying that this flop “looked like you”: 
.
An interesting comment, because Caldwell stuck it in anyway.
Barry called with good queens, but Caldwell just always has it today with another weak aces hand. Barry needed a lot of help. However, it was Xiao who had in his spectulative hand, and a running flush tripled him up and left Leaventhal in 8th for $1231.
Mike Zhang gets a key all in through Xiao to stay alive next. A little too comfortable, perhaps!
William Ho devastates Karen Vermilya in two subsequent pots. She walks away with 7th for $1641.
Ho on poker: “Don’t hero, or you’ll be a zero.”