Event 6
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 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 26: Blinds 25000/50000/50000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 2
Average Chips: 1450,000
Heads up.
Borgata trophy number 8 is in the books for Barry Leventhal. Heads-up, Barry had played small-ball with Eric, and worked him down to just 9 bigs, when Eric could wait no longer.
Siegel jammed 
into Barry, who snap called with 
, basically “it” heads up. Barry was ahead, but the runout told the story of the evening, with each making a straight. Of course, Barry’s was the nut straight. Match over.
Eric Siegel, Dix Hills, NY, 2nd $6,962
Siegel and Leventhal, just before being serenaded with a midnight rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.
Barry Leventhal, Brooklyn, NY 1st $12,447
Congrats to Barry for another great run!
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 25: Blinds 20000/40000/40000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 2
Average Chips: 1450,000
From 4 handed to 2 in a snap, as Joseph Umdenstock traps Eric Siegel, only to have the deck bail out the aggressive Siegel.
Joseph limped the SB with 
, and Eric overreacted, shoving 350,000 with pure trash, 
. Umdenstock snapped him off, but the board ran out absurdly, 
on the flop, but a hit the turn or river, crippling Umdenstock.
Cheerful all tournament, this beat affected Joseph U., who looked more grim and determined. However, he would not escape more trouble.
Instead, variance favored Barry again. Much as he had been cornered by Lisa Pickell, Barry cornered Umdenstock when he shoved second pair into Barry’s top pair. Would the poker gods flatten Barry out in return?
No. Joseph U. did not improve, and takes 3rd for $4,220.
Saying goodnight.
Heads up begins after some preliminary discussion leads to no where but a restroom break. Barry begins with 22,000,000, Eric with 700,000.
No all in over the first twenty minutes. A ten high pot is split. Barry overall is still in charge and has pushed Eric down to 600,000.
No action for Barry with the nuts on 
beyond the flop – the tournament could have ended there.
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 25: Blinds 20000/40000/40000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 3
Average Chips: 483,000
Lisa in the middle of 24 was able to get a flop shove through Alyce on 
, with looming. That kept her near 8 bigs, enough to matter.
Then, Barry got a shove through, BB vs Button. Siegel lays a weak ace down.
Barry goes disguised for the shove, while Siegel contemplates.
Folded around to Barry Leventhal in the small blind, he chose to complete, while Lisa Pickell checked her option.
The flop came 
. With 90,00 in the middle, Barry jammed for 170,000 effective and Lisa snapped.
Barry had been caught in the middle of his range, and Lisa looked scheduled for a double, her 
dominating his 
.
However, the poker godddess dumped a 
and then a 
on her, giving Barry one of his ways to win – a backdoor straight.
Lisa takes 6th for $2110.
Then, defining action. Alyce and Steve Blixt, who has been quiet, get into a pot which leaves Alyce nearly dead.
She had made a big call with a weak pair and flush draw, and couldn’t improve. Left with 10,000, there was not much to do, as that is not even a quarter of a blind. Meanwhile, the pot shoots Blixt up to 650,00, the first time he has been above the average for many levels.
Alyce then won her next two hands, and suddenly has 4 blinds.
Amazingly, she then wakes up with , and puts it in. Blixt now shoves his stack from the SB, only to be snapped by Barry, who has in the perfect scenario.
An ace on the flop all but seals it. Alyce takes 5th for $2,532, while Blixt 4th for $3,376.
Three handed, a discussion fails.
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
End of Level 23: Blinds 12000/24000/24000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 6
Average Chips: 483,000
Peter Carroll opened from late to 75,000, picking up Pickell, Umdenstock and Kaplan. On a 
, Carroll jammed for about a pot sized bet with 
, and only Kaplan made the call.
Alyce turned over 
for a gutter and an over. Turn blank, but the river 
end’s Peter’s night in 7th for $1,688.
Estimated, by seat:
- Eric Siegel – 550,000
- Steve Blixt – 100,000
- Barry Leventhal – 450,000
- Peter Carroll – bust
- Lisa Pickell – 200,000
- Joseph Umdenstock – 900,000
- Alyse Kaplan – 550,000
Lisa tries to make another SB completion work, but Joseph U. bombs it from the BB to 7x. Lisa pitches it over the chips.
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 22: Blinds 10000/20000/20000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 7
Average Chips: 414,000
The atmosphere of the final table is a little more serious than past years, at least at first. Action is slow; Umdenstock won’t even defend his blind with a pair.
Then, Siegel busts Buddy (Joseph) Frezza for 9th ($949), then Barry takes out Laves for 8th ($1,266).
Barry had chipped up significantly over each level but now takes a hit, doubling Lisa Pickell holding against Barry’s ace rag, then getting cooled off by Alyce for another 300,000.
Lisa Pickell celebrates hold and double through Barry Leventhal. Peter Carroll, center, looks on.
Estimated, by seat:
- Eric Siegel – 370,000
- Buddy F. – bust
- Steve Blixt – 165,000
- Barry Leventhal – 370,000
- Peter Carroll – 475,000
- Benjamin Laves – bust
- Lisa Pickell – 195,000
- Joseph Umdenstock – 620,000
- Alyse Kaplan – 600,000
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 21: Blinds 8000/16000/16000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 9
Average Chips: 322,000
Pickell versus Umdenstock, the chip leader.
Estimated, by seat:
- Eric Siegel – 220,000
- Buddy F. – 260,000
- Steve Blixt – 210,000
- Barry Leventhal – 240,000
- Peter Carroll – 500,000
- Benjamin Laves – 170,000
- Lisa Pickell – 110,000
- Joseph Umdenstock – 900,000
- Alyse Kaplan – 210,000
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 19: Blinds 6000/12000/12000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 9
Average Chips: 322,000
After the long bubble, the seniors race through the 18 and are at ten for the unofficial final table.
Umdenstock, grown large on shortstack snacks, open limp the button, is called by Pickell, and squeezed by Barry.
Only Umdenstock calls, as Lisa mucks, irritated she got trapped into a completion. Somehow Barry gets a cbet through on a coordinated middling flop.
Siegel, continuing to climb in this third cash, knocks out a shortie with AK.
Then, aces send one to 11th place, and we have our final table. The floor directs the move.
Quickly assembled, shortstacked John Slaughter first doubles, but then is dumped by Barry.
Ten handed for a few minutes.
Final table by seat:
- John Slaughter – (bust)
- Eric Siegel
- Buddy F.
- Steve Blixt
- Barry Leventhal
- Peter Carroll
- Benjamin Laves
- Lisa Pickell
- Joseph Umdenstock
- Alyse Kaplan
A break is next, and chip counts.
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 19: Blinds 5000/10000/10000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 15
Average Chips: 193,000
Joseph Umdenstock takes one out to move to over 350,000, over , ace in the window.
Buddy F. knocks down Bielan, who turns 
into top pair and then into a sick bluff, after trapping her with .
Bielan gets it in.
Bielan then gets her last 12 bigs in with , but Alyse has the antidotal . This pot puts her past 410, and ahead of Umdenstock.
Eric Siegel and Barry Leventhal clash again, this time Barry getting a cbet through on a king high board. Eric dumps an unplayable low pair.
Table 2: Siegel, Goldstein, Diamond, and Umdenstock.
Then, it’s back to Buddy, who picks up everyone’s favorite bubble time hand, , and takes out a short stack’s tournament life.
Redraw to two tables.
Buddy Busts Bubble Boy.
Eric Siegel has made it, now cashing in all his entered tournaments this BWPO: Event 1, the Saturday Series, and now the Seniors.
However, it’s Steve Blixt who gets healthy in the first post-bubble clash, taking out a drowning stack when his holds off a middle ace. He’s got 24 bigs and breathing space again.
$300+$40 Seniors Deep Stack NLH
Structure Sheet
Level 16: Blinds 2500/5000/5000 BB Ante
Entries: 145
Remaining: 25
Average Chips: 116,000
We head to break with tables four just having broke. Joseph Umdenstock faced a shove on a 
flop from Natale, and had to guess with that uncomfortable holding here, the 
with no backdoor flush draw.
Joseph made the call and saw he’d been valued by . However, he called for a “queen or ace” and the dealer obliged with a queen. Kuey is out for a dinner break he didn’t want.
Umdenstock is now a big stack with over 240,000.
Kaplan heads to dinner with the lead and 325,000.
We return at 7:50 pm.