Event 11
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.
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Michael Kemeter – 1st Place
The SixMax came to an abrupt halt as the final four players easily reached an adjusted payout agreement, splitting the remaining prize money equally.
Michael Kemeter claimed 1st place and his third Borgata Summer Poker Open SixMax trophy! This is they third time in four years that he has won this event, and the fifth time in seven years that he’s made the final table. To say that the SixMax format is his specialty would be an understatement.
His wife breeds Arabian show horses and they just found out one is pregnant, so they’ve decided to name the foal “Borgata” in honor of Michael’s win and use “Max” as the foal’s nickname, in reference to the SixMax format that Michael plays so well.
“I really had to earn it,” Michael said of the win. “These guys were tough.” As always, the SixMax brings out the big guns. Aaron Mermelstein, Ricky Guan, Michael Marder, and Josias Santos were just some of the tournament grinders that played this event but did not make the money.
Final Results
| Place | Player | Payout |
| 1 | Michael Rowland Kemeter | $22,856* |
| 2 | Mark Alvin Bayag | $22,855* |
| 3 | Eric Frank | $22,855* |
| 4 | Brett Apter | $22,855* |
| 5 | Artur Zaikansky | $9,773 |
| 6 | Reece Humphrey | $6,936 |
| 7 | Alfred Gillette | $5,359 |
| 8 | Brian Sherrier | $4,098 |
| 9 | Pradeep Adumala | $2,837 |
| 10 | Carlos Matos | $1,892 |
| 11 | Mike Linster | $1,892 |
| 12 | Nick Salimbene | $1,892 |
*Indicates Adjusted Payout
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 650,000
Michael Kemeter
The final four players remaining in the SixMax agreed to an even division of the remaining prize pool and as the chip leader, Michael Kemeter will get 1st place and the BSPO SixMax trophy.
Here’s how they divvied up the cash:
1st – Michael Kemeter $22,856
2nd – Mark Alvin Bayag $22,855
3rd – Eric Frank $22,855
4th – Brett Apter $22,855
-
- Mark Alvin Bayag
-
- Eric Frank
-
- Brett Apter
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 650,000
Artur Zaikansky
Artur Zaikansky was eliminated in 5th place, earning $9,773.
With his departure, the final four were all fairly close in the chip counts.
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 520,000
Reece Humphrey
Reece Humphrey was eliminated in 6th place, earning $6,936.
The remaining five continue to grind.
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000/2,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 433,000
Sixers are back from their break. Here’s how they stack up.
| SEAT | NAME | CHIP COUNT | BBs |
| 1 | Reece Humphrey | 319,000 | 27 |
| 2 | Michael Rowland Kemeter | 350,000 | 29 |
| 3 | Mark Alvin Bayag | 485,000 | 40 |
| 4 | Eric Frank | 537,000 | 45 |
| 5 | Brett Apter | 503,000 | 42 |
| 6 | Artur Zaikansky | 402,000 | 34 |
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
End of Level 20: Blinds 5,000/10,000/1,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 433,000
Alfred Gillette
Alfred Gillette jammed for 225,000 and got looked up by Eric Frank in the small blind. Alfred’s pocket Tens had run into Eric’s pocket Jacks. The board of A 8 3 A 7 changed nothing. Eric took the pot and Alfred took the walk to the payout desk. He’ll take home $5,359 fo his 7th place finish.
End of level and the final 6 are taking a break.
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 19: Blinds 4,000/8,000/1,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 7
Average Stack: 371,000
Brian Sherrier
Brian Sherrier got all-in holding 
against the pocket 8s of Artur Zaikansky The board came J 5 3 7 K and was no help to Brian, who finished 8th for $4,098.
The final 7 are drawing seats and moving to the final table.
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 19: Blinds 4,000/8,000/1,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 8
Average Stack: 325,000
Pradeep Adumala
Eric Frank got all-in holding 
against Pradeep Adumala (bb) who had 
. On the 
flop, Pradeep went from three outs to four, needing a Jack for Broadway.
The last two bricked out 
and Eric doubled up to 445,000. Pradeep was left with about 117,000.
He got those chips in holding 
against Mark Bayag, who had 
. The board came 5 4 2 K A and the pot went to Mark, who’s up to about 190,000.
Pradeep Adumala finished in 9th place earning $2,837.
$1,000+$90 Six-Max NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 19: Blinds 4,000/8,000/1,000 ante
Total Entries: 130
Players Remaining: 9
Average Stack: 289,000
Play has resumed following the break. Here are the approximate chip counts:
| TABLE | SEAT | NAME | CHIP COUNT | BBs |
| 1 | 1 | |||
| 1 | 2 | Brian Sherrier | 245,000 | 31 |
| 1 | 3 | Reece Humphrey | 350,000 | 44 |
| 1 | 4 | Artur Zaikansky | 315,000 | 39 |
| 1 | 5 | Michael Rowland Kemeter | 352,000 | 44 |
| 1 | 6 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Brett Apter | 225,000 | 28 |
| 2 | 2 | |||
| 2 | 3 | Pradeep Adumala | 575,000 | 72 |
| 2 | 4 | Alfred Gillette | 123,000 | 15 |
| 2 | 5 | Eric Frank | 141,000 | 18 |
| 2 | 6 | Mark Alvin Bayag | 337,000 | 42 |