Event 12
It was about 4am on Thanksgiving morning when the final trophy event of the 2018 Borgata Fall Poker Open came to an end and with it, the exciting November series was a wrap.
Wenhao Ying – 1st Place – 2018 BFPO Championship
Earlier on Wednesday, a relatively unknown 24-year-old grad student named Wenhao Ying went wire-to-wire on the live streamed final table to claim 1st place in the $1 Million Guaranteed Championship event, along with $200,000* and his first Borgata title. In fact, this is his first title on record, more than doubling his lifetime earnings, which have all come in the previous 27 months.
Ying faced down a final table that included three very experienced pros: Paul Volpe, Brian Altman, and Matt Wantman. Altman ran into a cooler early that sent him out in 6th place, but the other two were there at the end with Ying. They agreed on adjusted payouts based on their chip standings which brought the four-day Championship to a close.
Frank Lagodich – 1st Place – 2018 Fall Poker Open Kick-Off
The sixteen-day-long series was kicked off with the $500,000 Guaranteed Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em event. The prize pool came close to $800,000 and another young player claimed that title as well. First place and $128,359* went to 22-year-old Ohioan Frank Lagodich on his first-ever trip to Borgata. After getting heads-up with Borgata regular and poker pro Joe Cappuccio, Lagodich took the chip lead and the final two negotiated an adjusted payout with an even split of the remaining prize pool.
It was a good series for some of the “old school” Borgata tournament grinders as well. After several near misses, Bob Camano finally claimed his first Borgata title in Omaha/Stud High/Low Mix event. Andrew Klein booked his sixth Borgata win in the Old School NLH event, moving him into fifth place on the Most Wins at Borgata list. Howard Wolper waited until the final night of the series to make the money in Event 20, notching his 117th lifetime cash at Borgata, extending a record that’s going to be hard to beat.
The Ladies were once again in the spotlight, with two regulars claiming titles and setting records. BorgataPoker.com sponsored pro Katie Stone made the final six of the Deepest Stack NLH event and negotiated an adjusted payout giving her 1st place and $19,337*. This was her third Borgata title, putting her in a tie for first on the ‘Most Wins at Borgata by a Woman’ list. Until this series, Patricia Barsanti-Chou held this record. Just four days later, Anna Antimony won the Almighty Stack, coming out on top of a field of 1,073 runners to take the top prize of $91,586. This was also her third Borgata title, putting her in a three-way tie with Stone and Barsanti-Chou.
If there was a ‘Grind Until You Get There’ award, it would go to Carlos Matos for this BFPO series. He finished 5th in Event 9, the Deepest Stack, for $19,337*, then followed that up with a 3rd place finish in Event 15, the Saturday Series Deep Stack, for $14,432*. He finally got there and capped the series with a win in Event 19, the Deeper Stack, for $14,000* and his first Borgata Open trophy.
In total, more than $3.4 million was paid out in prize money in these 20 main events alone, not including satellites and secondary events, and 18 Borgata Fall Poker Open trophies found new homes. A complete list of main event winners is below.
*Indicates Adjusted Payout
The daily tournament schedule has resumed in the Poker Room, with brief interruptions for Holiday Tournaments on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. There is also a DeepStacks Challenge Series running December 26th – December 30th.
It’s never too early to make plans for the 2019 Winter Poker Open, which runs January 15th – February 1st, and returns to Borgata’s spacious Event Center venue. The series will be capped by the World Poker Tour Winter Poker Open Championship, January 27-31.
On behalf of Borgata Poker Staff and bloggers Tim Kelliher, Chris Murray, and myself, thank you to all the players who participated and make Borgata tournament poker great. And thank you to the staff for the best-run events on the East Coast.
Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the coming Holiday season!
@Kaelaine
The $450 Borgata Fall Poker Open Almighty Stack NLH drew a massive field of 1,073 entries and when the dust settled Anna Antimony was the last woman standing.
Antimony vaulted to the top of the chip counts late on Day 2 and brought the chip lead into Day 3 where she stayed near the top for much of the day.
Antimony came into the final table in fourth chip position and caught fire eliminating six of the final eight players to get heads-up with Dylan Smith.
It was an epic heads-up battle that lasted nearly three hours and ended with Antimony’s 
outflopping the 
of Smith.
Antimony takes home $91,586 for her Almighty Stack victory and adds her third Borgata Poker title to her poker resume that now boasts over $650,000 in live career tournament earnings.
Below is a full look at the Event 12 Almighty Stack NLH final table results.
1. Anna Antimony- $91,586+Borgata Fall Poker Open trophy.
2. Dylan Smith- $55,033
3. Asher Conniff- $33,303
4. Michael Cologna- $27,894
5. Nhan Cao- $22,898
6. Joe Yam- $18,526
7. Henry Pagliuca- $14,786
8. Anthony Garofalo- $11,241
9. Todd Butts- $7,702
10. Alexander Bernard- $4,996
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 39: 800,000/1,600,000/1,600,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 1
Dylan Smith
Dylan Smith moved all in for 22,000,000 and Anna Antimony called putting Smith at risk. Smith turned over and was flipping with the of Antimony.
The dealer fanned the 
flop and Antimony added a gutshot straight draw to her over cards.
The 
hit the turn and Antimony paired her eight to take control of the hand. The river 
was no help to Smith and after nearly three hours of heads-up play Smith is eliminated.
Smith is our Almighty Stack runner-up and will take home $55,033 for his second place finish
Anna Antimony
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 39: 800,000/1,600,000/1,600,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 2
Dylan Smith
Dylan Smith has kept his cool as the Almighty Stack heads-up battle continues. Smith has battled back and the stacks are beginning to even out.
Smith is now playing just over 45,000,000 to the 57,000,000 of Anna Antimony as we approach the break.
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 38: 600,000/1,200,000/1,200,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 2
Anna Antimony
Anna Antimony raised to 3,000,000 and Dylan Smith called. They saw a flop of 
and Smith checked to Antimony who bet 3,500,000.
Smith called and both players checked the 
turn card. The 
completed the board and Smith checked for a third time. Antimony bet 6,000,000 and Smith quickly folded.
Anna Antimony- 79,000,000
Dylan Smith- 23,600,000
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 38: 600,000/1,200,000/1,200,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 2
Dylan Smith
Dylan Smith moved all in for his last 16,400,000 and Anna Antimony called putting Smith at risk. Smith turned over 
and Antimony was ahead holding 
.
The dealer fanned the 
flop and Antimony maintained the lead. The turn brought the 
and the hit the river.
Smith spiked his four on the river to double up and heads up play continues. 
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 38: 600,000/1,200,000/1,200,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 2
The players have just returned from a 15 minute break and the pace of play has slowed. Anna Antimony continues to chip away at Dylan Smith. She is now playing 77,000,000 to the 25,600,000 of Smith.
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 37: 500,000/1,000,000/1,000,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 2
Anna Antimony
The players saw a flop of 
and Anna Antimony checked to Dylan Smith who bet 2,000,000. Antimony called and the dealer burn and turned the 
.
Antimony checked again and Smith slid out a big bet of 9,000,000. With the action back on Antimony she moved all in covering Smith who had 27,000,000 behind.
“I’m going to give you credit” Smith said as he threw his hand into the muck and Antimony took the first sizeable pot of heads-up play to extend her chip lead.
Anna Antimony- 74,600,000
Dylan Smith- 27,000,000
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 37: 500,000/1,000,000/1,000,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 2
With the elimination of Asher Conniff in third heads-up play is now underway here in the Almighty Stack. Anna Antimony who started DAy 3 with the chip lead is back on top with 61,000,000 to the 41,600,000 of Dylan Smith.
They will battle it out here in the tournament and one of these players will take home $91,586 and the BFPO Almighty Stack trophy.
$400+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$300,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 37: 500,000/1,000,000/1,000,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 1,073
Players Remaining: 2
Asher Conniff
Asher Conniff got his last 14,000,000 all in pre-flop holding 
against the 
of Anna Antimony. The board ran out 
and Antimony improved to eights full of kings to earn the knockout.
Conniff is our third place Almighty Stack finisher and will take home $33,303 for his efforts.
Anna Antimony- 61,000,000