Event 18 (Day 5)
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 32: Blinds 100,000/200,000/200,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 11.3 million
Link to PokerGo Live Stream: https://www.pokergo.com/video/wpt-borgata-winter-poker-open-final-table
Players have resumed play following the break. Here’s how the stacks looked at the break:
| Seat | Player | Chips | Bbs |
| 1 | |||
| 2 | David Farah | 16,800,000 | 84 |
| 3 | Joseph di Rosa Rojas | 4,800,000 | 24 |
| 4 | Brandon Hall | 17,150,000 | 86 |
| 5 | Vinicius Lima | 9,900,000 | 50 |
| 6 | Dan Buzgon | 7,850,000 | 39 |
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
End of Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 11.3 million
Link to PokerGo Live Stream: https://www.pokergo.com/video/wpt-borgata-winter-poker-open-final-table
Brandon Hall (photo courtesy of World Poker Tour)
Brandon Hall opened to 350,000 from the button and got a call from Dan Buzgon in the big blind. On the flop of 
, Dan checked, Brandon bet 300,000, and Dan called.
Turn was the 
and this time both players checked. The 
completed the board and Dan checked again. Brandon bet 750,000 and Dan released his hand.
With that pot, Brandon was up to ~17.1 million and pulled into the chip lead. Dan was left with ~7.8 million.
Hole cards from the Live Stream: Brandon had 
. Dan’s 
was the better hand.
End of level and time for a break.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 11.3 million
Link to PokerGo Live Stream: https://www.pokergo.com/video/wpt-borgata-winter-poker-open-final-table
Vinicius ‘Viny’ Lima (photo courtesy of World Poker Tour)
Vinicius ‘Viny’ Lima opened for 475,000 from the cutoff and David Farah 3-bet to 1.2 million from the small blind. Viny gave it some thought, then jammed for 4.4 million straight.
David thought a bit himself, then called, tabling 
. Viny was flipping with 
.
The board ran out 
and Viny paired his Ten to take the pot. He doubled to 9.1 million while David was left with ~17.2 million.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 11.3 million
Link to PokerGo Live Stream: https://www.pokergo.com/video/wpt-borgata-winter-poker-open-final-table
Ian O’Hara (photo courtesy of World Poker Tour)
Brandon Hall opened for 350,000 from the cutoff, then the short-stacked Ian O’Hara (big blind) jammed for 1.5 million. Brandon called, leaving himself only 5.8 million behind, showing 
. Ian’s 
needed help for him to survive.
That didn’t happen as the board ran out 
and it was too little, too late, for Ian. He exited the event in 6th place, earning $154,734.
Brandon chipped up to 16.3 million.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 9.4 million
Link to PokerGo Live Stream: https://www.pokergo.com/video/wpt-borgata-winter-poker-open-final-table
Brandon Hall opened to 300,000 and got called by David Farah in the big blind. On the flop of 
, David led out for 450,000. Brandon called.
The 
turn was unimpressive and David fired again, this time 775,000. Brandon surrendered what turned out to be the best hand and David chipped up to more than 20 million. Brandon was left with just over 11 million.
David: 
Brandon: 
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 9.4 million
Link to PokerGo Live Stream: https://www.pokergo.com/video/wpt-borgata-winter-poker-open-final-table
Dan Buzgon (photo courtesy of World Poker Tour)
On the second hand of play, Dan Buzgon opened for 350,000, getting action from only Brandon Hall in the big blind. The flop came following which Brandon checked. Dan fired another bet of 350,000, which Brandon called.
When the hit the turn, Brandon again check/called Dan’s bet of 850,000, to see the 
complete the board. Brandon checked, Dan fired 1.4 million, and Brandon folded. With that pot, Dan added nearly 1.8 million chips to his stack.
Thanks to the Live Stream, we know that Dan was ahead the whole way with 
. Brandon’s 
was way behind.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 9.4 million
Link to PokerGo Live Stream: https://www.pokergo.com/video/wpt-borgata-winter-poker-open-final-table
Action at the final table of the 2019 World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open final table is underway and we are on a 30-minute delay. They’re playing in the HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor in Las Vegas.
You can watch the action on PokerGo using the link above, on a mobile device using the PokerGo app, or follow us here with periodic updates in the Borgata Winter Poker Open blog.
At the start of play, Ian O’Hara (seat 1) had the button. Here’s a reminder of the seat assignments and chip counts at the start of play:
| Seat | Player | Chips | Bbs |
| 1 | Ian O’Hara | 5,100,000 | 34 |
| 2 | David Farah | 18,850,000 | 126 |
| 3 | Joseph di Rosa Rojas | 5,800,000 | 39 |
| 4 | Brandon Hall | 14,100,000 | 94 |
| 5 | Vinicius Lima | 3,550,000 | 24 |
| 6 | Dan Buzgon | 9,100,000 | 61 |
and a reminder what they’re playing for:
1st: $728,430*
2nd: $485,611
3rd: $359,555
4th: $268,810
5th: $202,942
6th: $154,734
*Included in the 1st place prize money is a $15,000 seat in the season-ending Baccarat Crystal Tournament of Champions. The eventual winner will also take home a WPT Champions Cup trophy and Hublot Big Bang Steel Watch.
The WPT Action Clock is in play, so players will have 30 seconds to act. At the start of play, they got eight Time Extension chips, each of which will get them an extra 30 seconds to act.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 9.4 million
Dan Buzgon
The most well-known player at this final table, at least to the Borgata and the World Poker Tour, is another Jersey Guy, Dan Buzgon. The poker pro and Borgata tournament regular was named as a BorgataPoker.com Ambassador shortly before the start of the 2019 Winter Poker Open and he did a great job representing the online poker site, cashing in two events before making his deep run in this Championship.
Among the final six, he’s got the most experience with World Poker Tour Final Tables, with two previous appearances. In 2011, he finished 3rd in the WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship, collecting $335,433. That remains his best live cash and he’ll have to finish third or better in this event to beat that. His second appearance at a WPT finale was the April 2012 bestbet Main Event. His 4th place finish in that one was good for more than $94,000. This 34-year-old poker pro has already locked up his fourth six-figure score here, but will work hard to add another title to his two Borgata wins and three WSOP Circuit rings.
Dan’s 9.1 million chips puts him right around the chip average with 61 big blinds. He’s in Seat 6.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 9.4 million
Vinicius Lima (photo courtesy of World Poker Tour)
Bringing up the rear in the chip counts is Vinicius Lima with 3.55 million. At only 24 years old, he’s the youngest player at this final table, but says he’s been playing poker professionally for several years. His best live cash and only six-figure score came in the February 2018 DeepStack Extravaganza $1,600 Super Stack NLH event, where he finished 3rd for more than $102,000. The Las Vegas resident has accumulated more than $280,000 in tournament earnings and has nine wins on record.
He’s already locked up a new best live cash regardless of where he finishes in this event and this will be his second-ever six-figure cash. Moving up the pay scale at this final table is going to be tough and he’s got his work cut out for him.
Lima is in Seat 5 and starts play with only 24 big blinds.
$3,300+$200 WPT Borgata WPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 75,000/150,000/150,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,415
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 9.4 million
Brandon Hall
Brandon Hall comes to the final table second in chips with just over 14 million. At the start of Day 4 he was third in chips with 29 players remaining, then worked his way into the chip lead by the time they reached the 9-handed final table. The Pennsylvanian is no stranger to playing for these stakes. He collected more than $753,000 for his win in the 2009 Aruba Poker Classic Championship Event and has more than $1.5 million in total live earnings.
It’s been nearly ten years since that huge score, but about five years ago he had another six-figure score at the 2014 WSOP. He got heads-up for a bracelet in a $1,500 NLH event, but had to settle for 2nd place and $381,885. Now another five years later, the 36-year-old poker pro has already locked up his third six-figure cash.
Brandon is in Seat 4, starting with 94 big blinds.