Event 1
The 2018 Summer Poker Open wrapped up in the early hours of Saturday morning when Carlos Alvarado won the final event at about 6:30am, taking home more than $21,000. That’s after earning an even $100,000* for his runner-up finish in the $500,000 Guaranteed Almighty Stack. Alvarado was not the only player having a good summer.
2018 Summer Poker Open Championship winner Greg Nerenberg
Greg Nerenberg won the record-setting $1 Million Guaranteed Summer Poker Open Championship event and $365,062. The 627 entries in the Championship topped the numbers from last July and the final 63 players earned a piece of the $1,520,475 prize pool. The tournament drew some top poker pros including Brian Altman, Andy Frankenberg, David Paredes, Joe McKeehen, and four-time WPT champ Darren Elias.
Nerenberg was facing more than a two-to-one chip disadvantage at the start of heads-up play against Kane Kalas, who had been on a heater since the start of the final table. One double-up, however, reversed their positions and the match was over soon after. Kalas earned $205,264 for his second place finish. In an impressive performance, 2017 Borgata Poker Open Championship winner Guo Liang Chen made a repeat appearance at the Championship final table, finishing 6th for $69,182.
Gary Tavella – 1st Place – 2018 Borgata Summer Poker Open $1M GTD Kick-Off
The $1 Million Guaranteed Kick-Off event saw 2,201 runners build a prize pool in excess of $1.1 million and the final three players made a deal that resulted in chip leader Gary Tavella taking 1st place and $143,730*. This was the first Borgata title for the high-stakes cash game player.
The first Saturday Series event was also the Cabot Creamery “Put a Bad Beat On Hunger” charity tournament. They drew 349 total entries and raised $3,490 for the New Jersey Food Bank – Southern Branch. Larry Connor got 1st place, $18,468* and the Borgata Open trophy. Cabot Creamery provided two $3,500 2018 BPO Championship seats for the 1st and 2nd place finishers, so Connor and runner-up Carlos Figueroa will both be free-rolling the Championship in September.
1st Place, 15th Birthday Tournament of Championship – Chalie Hook
To celebrate their 15th Birthday, Borgata hosted a Tournament of Champions which was an invitation-only event open to winners of all 15 years of Championship events. The winner-take-all $25,000 championship was won by 2013 Summer Poker Open Champion Chalie Hook, who agreed to split the prize with the final three players. The final six also got seats in the Summer Open Championship event.
Two other accomplishments of note occurred during this series. Barry Leventhal won the Seniors event for the third time and claimed his seventh Borgata title. Michael Kemeter took 1st in the SixMax for the third time in four years. He’s made the final table of this event five of the last seven years.
All guarantees were covered and millions in prize money was paid out to hundreds of participants! A complete list of Main Event winners and their winnings is below.
* Indicates Adjusted Payout
This concludes our coverage of the 2018 Borgata Summer Poker Open! On behalf of the Borgata Poker family and our blog team, @Kaelaine, @AlCantHang, and @TKBluffs, Thank You! Make plans now to join us for the WPT/Borgata Poker Open, September 4th – 21st.
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 250,000/500,000/50,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Gary Tavella – 1st Place – 2018 Borgata Summer Poker Open $1M GTD Kick-Off
The final three players agreed on adjusted payouts and decided to call it quits about an hour after the dinner break. Gary Tavella held the chip lead and claimed 1st place along with $143,730 and the BSPO trophy. This is his first title and largest cash. In fact, before today he’s only had one reported tournament score. He’s usually found in the $40/$80 Hold’em cash games, but likes to play some tournaments when he has time.
Gary is a local home builder and is married with “a couple of kids, and three granddaughters”. They’ll all be very proud of his shiny new Borgata Hotel replica trophy. He said we may see him again in some other tournaments during this series.
Borgata tournament regular Michael Rossitto took 2nd place and $143,730. This will be his best live cash and will boost his lifetime earnings past $382,000.
Event 1 Top Two: Michael Rossitto and Gary Tavella
Our 3rd place finisher wished to remain A. Nonymous, but he will take home $128,729.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout |
| 1 | Gary Tavella | $143,730* |
| 2 | Michael Rossitto | $143,730* |
| 3 | A. Nonymous | $128,729* |
| 4 | Tom Gottlieb | $72,632 |
| 5 | Steve Niyazov | $60,526 |
| 6 | Luigi Santoro | $48,998 |
| 7 | Sean Barringer | $38,045 |
| 8 | Carlos Matos | $27,669 |
| 9 | Matt Gross | $20,175 |
| 10 | Elena Stover | $13,258 |
*Indicates Adjusted Payout
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 250,000/500,000/50,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 18.3 million
The final three players agreed on an adjusted payout agreement. Here’s how the chips stood:
Gary Tavella – 21,705,00
A. Nonymous – 18,365,000
Michael Rossitto – 14,310,000
Adjusted Payout Agreement:
1st Place – Gary Tavella – $143,730 + BSPO Trophy
2nd Place – Michael Rossitto – $143,730
3rd Place – A. Nonymos – $128,729
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 250,000/500,000/50,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 18.3 million
Tom Gottlieb
Tom Gottlieb got all-in for 4,925,000 against Michael Rossitto and his 
was dominated by Michael’s 
. The board fell 
and Michael took the pot, chipping up to ~17.7 million.
Tom finished in 4th place, earning $72,632.
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 250,000/500,000/50,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 13.7 million
The final four continue to shuffle chips around the felt. Here are some rough counts, in millions:
A. Nonymous – 18.6
Gary Tavella – 16
Michael Rossitto – 14
Tom Gottlieb – 6.4
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 200,000/400,000/40,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 13.7 million
Michael Rossitto
After A. Nonymous (button) opened for 1.1 million, Michael Rossitto jammed for 6,410,000 total. He got the call and showed 
. A. Nonymous tabled 
.
The board came 
and Michael doubled up to 13,380,000, (33 big blinds) clawing his way back into contention.
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 200,000/400,000/40,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 13.7 million
Gary Tavella
Gary Tavella opened for 900,000, getting calls from both A. Nonymous (sb) and Michael Rossitto (bb). On the flop of 
, A. Nonymous led out for 1 million, Michael folded, and Gary called.
Turn was the 
and A. Nonymous led out for 2 million. Gary flatted.
River was the and A. Nonymous checked. Gary fired 2 million and his opponent folded. That pot took Gary’s stack up to ~17 million.
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 200,000/400,000/40,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 13.7 million
Michael Rossitto
Michael Rossitto and A. Nonymous (bb) got to the turn with the board showing 
and A. Nonymous shoved for 11,815,000. Michael gave it some thought before making the call, showing for top two pair.
A. Nonymous tabled for the nut flush. When the 
completed the board, A. Nonymous doubled up to ~24 million. Michael was left with only about 3 million.
A few hands later…
Michael then got all-in against A. Nonymous with 
dominating an 
. The board changed nothing and Michael doubled back to about 5 million.
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 200,000/400,000/40,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 13.7 million
The final four continue to shuttle chips around the felt.
In a recent hand, A. Nonymous (sb) bet 1 million on the turn with a board of 
and Michael Rossitto (bb) called. The river brought the and A. Nonymous fired 3 million. Michael thought about it for a minute, then folded. He’s still sitting behind ~14 million.
A. Nonymous chipped up to ~13.4 million.
$540+$60 Deep Stack Kick-Off NLH
$1 Million Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 200,000/400,000/40,000 Ante
Total Entries: 2,201
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 13.7 million
Play has resumed following an abbreviated dinner break. The stacks are so close, this is still anyone’s game.
Here’s how they stand with the new blinds:
| Seat | Player | Chips | BBs |
| 1 | Michael Rossitto | 14,870,000 | 37 |
| 2 | Gary Tavella | 14,500,000 | 36 |
| 3 | Tom Gottlieb | 13,565,000 | 34 |
| 4 | A. Nonymous | 12,065,000 | 30 |