Event 4
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
Event 4 of the Borgata Winter was the $350+$50 Saturday Series NLH event with a $100,000 guarantee. The field was massive creating a prize pool of over $275,000.
The pace came to a crawl in the early morning hours when there were just 8 players remaining. They began to discuss an adjusted payout deal and the stacks were counted down.
They quickly came to an agreement and ran one hand out for the trophy. Pablo Delgado paired his jack and takes home his first Borgata Poker Open trophy.
Below is a list of the chip stacks at the time of the deal and what each player will be earning.
Ross Gottlieb- 3,750,000 ($28,433)
Aaron Galavotti- 3,785,000 ($28,240)
Mike Pupello- 2,780,000 ($24,679)
Yao Weo- 2,260,000 ($22,181)
Charles Jones- 2,120,000 ($21,613)
Tim Polcari- 2,000,000 ($21,004)
Pablo Delgado- 1,935,000 ($20,667)
Adam Lippert- 1,635,000 ($19,035)
$350+$50 Saturday Series NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 30: 60,000/120,000/20,000
Entries: 812
Players Remaining: 9
Seat 1: Pablo Delgado – 3,700,000
Seat 2: Ross Gottlieb – 4,000,000
Seat 3: Tim Polcari – 925,000
Seat 4: Yao Weo – 1,200,000
Seat 5: Charles Jones – 2,000,000
Seat 6: David Scherrer – 1,200,000
Seat 7: Aaron Galavotti – 1,800,000
Seat 8: Michael Pupello – 2,400,000
Seat 9: Adam Lippert – 1,800,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 28: 40,000/80,000/10,000
Entries: 812
Players Remaining: 10
Event 4 has reached a final table with Ross Gottlieb leading the pack with 5,100,000. Here’s a look at whats at stake:
1st: $63,406
2nd: $36,940
3rd: $22,605
4th: $18,608
5th: $15,162
6th: $12,405
7th: $9,924
8th: $7,443
9th: $5,238
10th: $3,446
$350+$50 Saturday Series NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 27: 30,000/60,000/5,000
Entries: 812
Players Remaining: 18
Ross Gottlieb
The Event 2 players are now on a 15 minute break so we checked in on the Saturday Series NLH event. There are now just 18 players left in the hunt and it’s Ross Gottlieb leading the way with 2,400,000.
David Scherrer
David Scherrer is the only other player over the two million chip mark with 2,175,000.
They are now all guaranteed at least $1,627 and one lucky winner will take home $63,406 along with the Borgata Winter Poker Open trophy.
$350+$50 Saturday Series NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 22: 10,000/20,000/3,000
Entries: 812
Players Remaining: 48
Ying Wang
While we have focused mainly on Event 1 and the Black Chip Bounty the Saturday Series is moving along at the front of the Event Center.
Soukha Kachittavong
There are now just 48 players remaining and they’re now all guaranteed at least $937. Leading the way is Ying Wang with 1,200,000 and Soukha Kachittavong is right on her heels with just over 1,000,000.
Kevin Grabel is also still in the hunt with a very healthy stack of about 750,000. They will battle it out into the early morning hours and one lucky winner will be take home the $63,406 first prize and the BWPO trophy.
We are down to just four players in the opening event and will pick up all of the Saturday Series action when Event 1 wraps.
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 15: 2,000/4,000 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 150
Players are currently on a one hour and ten minute dinner break until 8:30 PM EST.
Action will resume with increased blinds of 2,500/5,000 with a 500 ante. Among the chip leaders is David Jackson with a stack of 381,500.
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 15: 2,000/4,000 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 160
Kevin Grabel
A player in early position opens to 9,500, Kevin Grabel raises to 28,000 and his opponent calls.
The flop comes 
, early position checks, and Grabel quickly puts out 20,000. His opponent contemplates calling but elects to fold. He says he folded pocket tens.
Kevin Grabel – 350,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 15: 2,000/4,000 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 180
Louis Pelletteri
On a flop reading 
, Louis Pelletteri checks from the small blind, and a player in late position bets 7,500.
Pelletteri raises to 17,5000. Late position thinks shortly before deciding to fold, he says he laid down pocket eights.
Pelletteri goes “You got two eights? You shoulda called.” as he turns over 
.
Louis Pelletteri – 150,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Level 14: 1,500/3,000 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 230
Hal Hyatt (left center)
Hal Hyatt limps from early position and a player in middle position opens to 8,500. Andrew Cooper moves all in for 4,400 creating a side pot.
Both players check down the 
board. Cooper turns up 
to win the main pot and Hyatt’s 
take the side pot.
Cooper, who was recently down to his last 700 chips, is making a come back, now sitting with 20,000.
Andrew Cooper