Event 15
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
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 26: 25,000/50,000/50,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 5
Event 12 (L to R) Bob Santilli, Carlos Matos, Arial Pena, (Seated) Tom McMillan, Istvan Szabo
With the elimination of Mike Pupello in 6th place the final five players began to discuss an adjusted payout deal. The stacks were counted down and it didn’t take long for them to come to an agreement.
Tom McMillan who held the chip lead at the time of the deal will take first for $17,433 and his first Borgata Fall Poker Open trophy.
Below is a look at the chip stacks at the time of the deal along with the adjusted Event 15 payouts.
1. Tom McMillan- 2,458,000 ($17,433+BFPO Trophy)
2. Istvan Szabo- 1,668,000 ($14,768)
3. Carlos Matos- 1,580,000 ($14,432)
4. Arial Pena- 1,3660,000 ($13,556)
5. Bob Santilli- 1,278,000 ($13,207)
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 26: 25,000/50,000/50,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 5
Mike Pupello
Mike Pupello was the next player to fall from our Saturday Series final table. Pupello will take home $5,500 for his 6th place Event 15 finish.
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 26: 25,000/50,000/50,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 6
Mohamed Radwan
Mohamed Radwan moved all in for about 750,000 from middle position and Tom McMillan called. “You weren’t supposed to do that” joked Radwan turning over 
and he was dominated by the 
of McMillan.
The board ran out 
and Radwan was eliminated in 7th place earning $4,422 for his efforts.
Tom McMillan- 2,100,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 25: 20,000/40,000/40,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 7
8th Place- David Semless ($3,345)
9th Place- John Casey ($2,268)
Carlos Matos raised to 110,000 from early position and John Casey moved all in for 241,000 from the cutoff. Bob Santilli called from the button and David Semless moved all in for 351,000 from the big blind.
With the action back on Matos he re-shoved all in for 811,000 and Santilli folded.
Carlos Matos: 
David Semless: 
John Casey: 
The board ran out 
and Matos’ aces held up to send both players to the rail.
Carlos Matos- 1,760,000
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 25: 20,000/40,000/40,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 9
Carlos Matos
Carlos Matos has been building plenty of big stacks throughout this Borgata Fall Poker Open. Matos is fresh of a $19,337 score in last weeks $300 BFPO Deepest Stack NLH after a 5 handed deal.
Once again Matos is at another final table and he is sitting behind a healthy stack of over 750,000 with just nine players remaining here in Event 15.
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 24: 15,000/30,000/30,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 9
Arial Pena
We are down to the final nine players here in the Saturday Series NLH and there’s been plenty of negotiations over an adjusted payout deal. The players were unable to strike a deal and play will continue.
Arial Pena is leading the way with 1,800,000 and the players will battle it out for the $30,613 and the Borgata Fall Poker Open trophy.
| Place | Payout |
| 1 | $30,613 |
| 2 | $17,009 |
| 3 | $10,580 |
| 4 | $8,504 |
| 5 | $6,690 |
| 6 | $5,500 |
| 7 | $4,422 |
| 8 | $3,345 |
| 9 | $2,268 |
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
End of Level 19: Blinds 5000/10,000/10,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 26
Average Stack: 321,154
Santilli continued to roll over his table, as high as 940,000, then was moved to 2, and has taken a small hit.
Interesting spot. Ryan McCarroll, left, winces in distress – he does not want to fold the winner. Romy, right has turned his strong hand into a bluff.
…but he does, to his chagrin, leaping up from the able.
With the shortstack in the center, busted and with a wide range. McCarroll bet into the sidepot for 125,000 on 
against the UTG player, Maurice Romy.
Romy took advantage of the lead by jamming for 130,000 more, forcing out Ryan’s 
with 
. Romy picks up the bet and the pot, getting up to 200,000 before losing a bit back.
However, the worst is yet to come for Ryan, who gets it in good, 
over on an ace high flop, bet raise shove call, versus Mohamed Radwan. It’s a big pot, 30 bbs each going in, and will change the fortunes of one or the other.
Radwan on table 3.
Nine on the river. An expletive echos through the room.
Ryan is out, and Radwan on table 3 is the chip leader with more than 1,000,0000.
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 18: Blinds 4000/8,000/8,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 34
Average Stack: 245,588
Joe DiGiorgio is prepared for anything and fades the bubble easily.
The bubble – despite some confusion. Chip leader Robert Santilli, in the three, reraises with four reds, and gets it in crushing the shortstack on the left, AK over A10.
Hand for hand is rescinded, as the number of players is confirmed.
We pause, redraw and are off again here in level 18.
Santilli leads with about 870,000 on table 1.
LLL, in the 1 on table 3, was determined hang on with his four bbs, and did it. Congrats – but now he’s gone with a min-cash.
$350+$50 Saturday Series Deep Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000/5,000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 334
Players Remaining: 54
Average Stack: 154,500
Total Buy-In: $116,900
Total Prize Pool: $113,393
As the Saturday Series continues to shrink let’s take a look at what they’re playing for. The final 36 players will earn a share of the $113,393 prize pool.
| Place | Payout |
| 1 | $30,613 |
| 2 | $17,009 |
| 3 | $10,580 |
| 4 | $8,504 |
| 5 | $6,690 |
| 6 | $5,500 |
| 7 | $4,422 |
| 8 | $3,345 |
| 9 | $2,268 |
| 10 – 12 | $1,474 |
| 13 – 15 | $1,219 |
| 16 – 18 | $970 |
| 19 – 27 | $794 |
| 28 – 36 | $703 |