Event 3
Update: The final table of the World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship was held as scheduled March 13th at the Luxor HyperX Esports Arena.
1st Place – Vinicius ‘Viny’ Lima
Vinicius ‘Viny’ Lima had the biggest climb of the final six players, starting play at the bottom of the chip counts. At the end, it was the youngest player, Viny, at only 24 years old, against the oldest, David Farah, who was twice his age at 48 years young.
Viny emerged victorious, winning $728,430, which includes $15,000 for a seat in the WPT season-ending Baccarat Crystal Tournament of Champions, along with a Hublot Big Bang Steel Watch, and the WPT Champions Cup trophy.
The $2 Million Guaranteed Kick-Off Deep Stack drew a massive 5,130 entrants, which is the second-largest WPO Kick-Off field on record, behind 2017’s 5,512 entrants. The total buy-ins of more than $2.77 million did set a new record, due to the increased buy-in of $540.
Pascal Zaklama – 1st Place – 2019 BWPO Kick-Off
The final 500 players shared in the massive prize pool and thanks to a three-way adjusted payout agreement at the final table, the final two earned better than second-place prize money. Pascal Zaklama was the chip leader and claimed 1st place and the BWPO trophy, along with $328,695.
Vladimir Alexandrov
Also notable was the 3rd place finisher, Vladimir Alexandrov. He won his entry through a BorgataPoker.com online satellite. Alexandrov managed to parlay his $45 satellite entry into his largest career tournament score, earning a $216,000 payday.
Barry Leventhal wins 4th Seniors Event
Barry Leventhal won his record fourth Borgata Seniors Event, which was also his eighth Borgata title, putting him in a tie for second-most wins at this venue, trailing only Abraham Korotki with nine Borgata titles.
Raj Desai – 1st Place – Almighty Million
The $1 Million Guaranteed Almighty Stack generated total buy-ins in excess of $1.4 million with a BWPO Almighty record of 3,508 entrants. Raj Desai held the chip lead wire-to-wire on Day 3, from 37 players down to the final three, who agreed on adjusted payouts based on chip counts. As the leader, Raj took the lion’s share of $175,429 and his first-ever Borgata trophy!
The first-ever “Ladies Brunch and Learn” was hosted by the Borgata and the World Poker Tour, with guest lecturers WSOP Ladies Champion Jessica Dawley and Loni Harwood, a professional poker player with nearly $3 million in tournament earnings. The sold out seminar was held the morning of the Ladies event, to give the Ladies some beginner instruction on tournament basics and tips to improve their play. In addition to brunch and mimosas, there were gifts and prizes for the attendees. (Due to the event’s popularity, it may appear again on a future tournament schedule!)
Kujdes Galiardi takes down the CSOP event and poses with her sister Alida Veliu, who won the Ladies Event.
The Ladies NLH tournament followed the seminar and drew a field of 154 entries. The eventual winner was Alida Veliu, who took home her second Borgata Ladies Event trophy and claimed her fifth lifetime Ladies Event win. Just a couple of hours earlier on the other end of the Event Center, Alida’s sister, Kujdes Gagliardi, won the CSOP NLH event, accomplishing something we believe has never happened before in the history of poker — two sisters winning trophy events on the same day!
Phil Hellmuth claims BWPO Heads-Up title
For the first time in probably a decade, Phil Hellmuth made an appearance at Borgata, arriving in time to play the Heads-Up Championship. The WSOP bracelet record-holder (15) and new World Poker Tour Raw Deal host blazed a path through the 64-player bracket to take the title and $37,245. He followed that up with a cash in the WPT BWPO Championship for another $7,176.
Speaking of the WPT BWPO Championship, it was another record-breaking turnout. The final tally of entrants was 1,415, beating both the 2017 WPT BWPO Championship record (1,312 entries) and the largest of all WPT Borgata Open Championships, which was in 2011 (1,313 entrants). The prize pool of nearly $4.7 million crushed the $3 million guarantee.
BorgataPoker.com Ambassador Dan Buzgon
The field played down to the final six, who bagged up their chips and paused the clock until March 13th, when they will reconvene at the new HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor in Las Vegas to play it out under the lights and cameras of the World Poker Tour. BorgataPoker.com Ambassador and tournament grinder Dan Buzgon will make his third WPT final table appearance. He will start in the middle of the pack with an average stack when play resumes.
With more than $728,000 waiting for the eventual winner, the “HyperX Six” finalists must be chomping at the bit to get started, but they still have four weeks to wait. Make sure to check back here in the Winter Poker Open Blog for updates on that final table which begins the evening of Wednesday March 13th.
A list of main event winners is below, along with their earnings.
* 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, and myself, thank you for reading! Mark your calendars now for the Borgata Spring Poker Open, which takes place April 2nd-19th. Hope to see you then!
@Kaelaine
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 21: Blinds 10,000/20,000
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 2
Average Chips: 1,180,000
Armed with a two to one lead, it took little time for Tommy Tran to find a spot to play for it all with his opponent Dennis Zollo.
On 
, Zollo went for this tournament life with 
, for nut wrap and a blocker to the flush. He must have liked that card, as Tran got it in with 
for the second nut flush draw and an underpair. Dennis was behind.
No breaks for Zollo, as he bricks out with 
for an odd but unnecessary two pair for Tran.
Great run for Dennis. The two players shook hands, and the tournament is suddenly over, in John Lytle fireworks fashion.
Dennis Zollo, Middleton, NY, 2nd $5,666.
Tommy Tran takes 1st the BWPO PLO. He played very measured PLO, ensuring he could survive John Lytle’s big pot blasting. The successful two barrel on the paired board into John was a key pot for Tran, and he ran well in the end to knock out both his opponents shorthanded.
Tommy Tran, Lawrenceville, GA 1st $10,128.
Congratulations to Tommy for his first Borgata and biggest career win!
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 21: Blinds 10,000/20,000
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 2
Average Chips: 1,180,000
Soon after three handed begins, Zollo wounds Lytle significantly, reversing their chip stacks when Lytle is trapped on a 
board, where Zollo flops a straight and then improves to a weak flush on a pairing river.
Then, it’s Tran’s turn to take from Lytle, who is counting his stack and looking for something to get in.
Tran raises full pot pre, folds out Zollo, and Lytle calls. The flop is 
, possibly favorable to Lytle in the big. Tran fires 75,000 into into 150,000 after Lytle checks.
John calls once but gives up on the 
. He’s now under 500,000.
Lytle – 400,000
Tran – 1,000,000
Zollo – 900,000
Then, Lytle is all in, shoving the turn on 
for his last 211,000.
Zollo looks frustrated but clearly can’t like the turn without a straight or major redraw. He lets it go.
Then, another pot. Lytle dark shoves into Tran on a brutal flop, but it’s a pure cooler. Lytle flops the nuts and gets called by a worse flush. Rigged!
Suddenly, Lytle has 700,000 again and it’s game on. However, it’s not to be.
First, Tran smashes top set against John, who goes with a medium wrap. Tran calls for the board to pair, which it immediately does, leaving John dead and short. Tran doubles past a million.
Now with less than ten blinds, John raises dark from the button and Tran pots it. The two get it all in but his time Lytle is in a lot of trouble with 
. Tran is without a pair but with dominating equity. Lytle jokes that he is ahead, but falls to top two pair, as Tran had gone with 
, when the board runs out face cards and no fours.
Exciting run for John, who brings big action to every hand. He takes $3,434.
Tran bids farewell to Lytle for this one. He’ll be back.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 20: Blinds 8,000/16,000
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 3
Average Chips: 786,000
The aggressive Lytle opens again, but this time Adam Fox pots his short stack light, playing back at John.
Unfortunately, it’s just bad timing, as Dennis Zollo wakes up with aces and immediately announces repot. Lytle snap folds.
Adam, left, gets no help while everyone examines the runout. 4th for $2,747.
Adam has a good three betting hand, 
, but it doesn’t want to show down, especially dominated. Zollo knocks him out and we are three handed.
The players pause for a break – and a discussion – then play on, three left.
Est. chips:
Lytle – 1,040,000
Tran – 660,000
Zollo – 700,000
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 20: Blinds 8,000/16,000
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 4
Average Chips: 590,000
Approximate chips by seat:
S1 John Lytle – 1,200,000
S4 Tommy Tran – 600,000
S5 Adam Fox – 150,000
S7 Chuck Staubs – bust
S9 Dennis Zollo – 390,000
S10 Nikhil Kumar – bust
John has just taken out Nikhil, who finishes 6th for $1,717, AAxx over QQxx.
Nikhil Kumar.
John first threatens to enter the Senior’s Event, at the ripe age of thirty-six. Barry L. on the rail doesn’t think it will end well for John, though.
Then John comes up with something better, potting it blind from UTG and challenging anyone “who is a player” to repot. It folds to Zollo in the big, who has the problem of a little too much tournament equity to take a shot, given the short stacks.
Dennis settles on a call, but check folds – wisely, it turns out, as lucky Lytle has smashed the flop with his blind raise.
Lytle hits two pair and a flush draw blind: luckbox.
However, Lytle isn’t done wounding Dennis. In a pot/repot pre, Lytle again wakes up with it, smashing through the flop with aces and a draw. Zollo surrenders kings.
Then, Zollo gets a little back, felting the very short stacked Charles Staubs for 5th and $2,060.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 19: Blinds 6,000/12,000
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 6
Average Chips: 393,000
PLO is down to the final six players. John Lytle remains well ahead, now at about 650,000.
The last six, headed by Lytle in seat one.
Mike Zhang, Joseph Frezza, Arnold Dinio, and William Cascioli have all busted since ten handed began.
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 18: Blinds 5,000/10,000
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 10
Average Chips: 236,000
The Pot Limit Omaha event is down to the final table of 10.
Here are the players who have already cashed out:
| Place | Player | Payout |
| 11 | David Carvara | $687 |
| 12 | Patrick Lacey | $687 |
| 13 | Yue Zhu | $601 |
| 14 | Joseph Segal | $601 |
| 15 | Michael Neilio | $601 |
| 16 | Dominick Giovanniello | $515 |
| 17 | David Merrifield | $515 |
| 18 | Mike Arzoumanidis | $515 |
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 14: Blinds 2,000/4,000 (30 minutes remaining)
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 18
Average Chips: 131,000
Pot Limit Omaha players are all in the money as play resumes of Day 2. Now the battle is on for the top prize and the trophy. Levels will remain 40 for the duration of the tournament.
Here’s what they’re playing for as they put cards in the air:
| Place | Payout |
| 1 | $10,128 |
| 2 | $5,666 |
| 3 | $3,434 |
| 4 | $2,747 |
| 5 | $2,060 |
| 6 | $1,717 |
| 7 | $1,374 |
| 8 | $1,030 |
| 9 | $773 |
| 10 – 12 | $687 |
| 13 – 15 | $601 |
| 16 – 18 | $515 |
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 14: Blinds 2,000/4,000
Total Entries: 118
Players Remaining: 18
Average Chips: 131,000
The Pot Limit Omaha event drew 118 entrants yesterday and after about 9 hours of play, they reached the final 18 and the money. These players will return for the finale at 12 noon. Their seat assignments and chips counts are shown below.
| TABLE | SEAT | NAME | FROM | CHIP COUNT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | DENNIS ZOLLO | PINEBUSH, NY | 75,000 |
| 1 | 2 | DAVID MERRIFIELD | MIDDLETOWN, NJ | 93,000 |
| 1 | 3 | JOHN LYTLE | LONG BRANCH, NJ | 488,000 |
| 1 | 4 | JOSEPH FREZZA | TEQUESTA, FL | 149,500 |
| 1 | 5 | JOSEPH SEGAL | NEW YORK, NY | 33,500 |
| 1 | 6 | MIKE ZHANG | CHESAPEAKE, VA | 174,000 |
| 1 | 7 | ADAM FOX | SOUTH ORANGE, NJ | 208,500 |
| 1 | 8 | NIKHIL KUMAR | CENTREVILLE, VA | 48,000 |
| 1 | 9 | WILLIAM CASCIOLI | HOLLYWOOD, FL | 221,500 |
| 2 | 1 | DAVID CARVARA | SEEKONK, MA | 59,000 |
| 2 | 2 | TOMMY TRAN | LAWRENCEVILLE, GA | 180,000 |
| 2 | 3 | MICHAEL NEILIO | SEWELL, NJ | 114,500 |
| 2 | 4 | PATRICK LACEY | LAS VEGAS, NV | 235,500 |
| 2 | 5 | CHARLES STAUBS | DANVILLE, OH | 77,000 |
| 2 | 6 | MIKE ARZOUMANIDIS | WEST BABYLON, NY | 50,500 |
| 2 | 7 | DOMINICK GIOVANNIELLO | HOWARD BEACH, NY | 55,500 |
| 2 | 8 | YUE ZHU | FLUSHING, NY | 23,500 |
| 2 | 9 | ARNOLD DINIO | BOWIE, MD | 124,000 |
$300+$40 Pot Limit Omaha (High)
Structure Sheet
Level 14: Blinds 2000/4000
Entries: 118
Remaining: 18
Average Chips: 131,000
John Lytle, by far.
Day 1 of PLO has been all John Lytle, who bags 488,000, more than double any other stack.
Patrick Lacey and William C. take more than 200,000, while Mike Zhang is disappointed with 174,000. He lost a big one during hand-for-hand to William.
Official counts and seating will be posted when available.
Day 2 play starts at noon on Saturday the 19th.
Payouts
- $10,128
- 5,666
- 3,434
- 2,747
- 2,060
- 1,717
- 1,374
- 1,030
- 773
- – 12. 687 13. – 15. 601 16. – 18. 515