Event 7
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.
With the elimination of Spriros Panacodolous in third place the final two Event 7 players instantly made a deal. The stacks were shallow and both players agreed to split the remaining prize pool evenly. Diane LePera who held the chip lead at the time of the deal will take home $10,964 and her first Borgata Poker Open trophy.
James Nilsen is our Event 7 runner up and will also be taking home $10,964 for his second place finish.
2nd Place-James Nilsen ($10,964)
1st. Diane LePera ($10,964+BSPO Trophy)
2nd. James Nilsen ($10,964)
3rd. Spiros Panacodolous ($4,767)
4th. Ricardo Figueroa ($3,817)
5th. Stephen DelliBovi ($2,860)
6th. Igor Vitakou ($2,383)
7th. Stephen Wallenstein ($1,907)
8th. Mark Osborne ($1,430)
9th. Stephen Fair ($1,072)
10th. Neal Patel ($953)
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 32: Blinds 120,000/240,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 2
Spiros Panacopoulos
Diane LePera moved all in for 1,625,000 and Spiros Panacopoulos called from the big blind. LePera showed 
but was dominated by the 
of Panacopoulos. The board ran out 
and LePera improved to a flush holding the four of clubs.
Panacopoulos was left with less than two big blinds and eliminated in 3rd place the very next hand earning $4,767.
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 31: Blinds 100,000/200,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 3
The clock has just struck 4 A.M. here in Event 7 as the three handed battle continues. The players continue to swap chips and it’s anybody’s game with the average chip stack at less than 20 big blinds.
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 30: Blinds 80,000/160,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 3
Ricardo Figueroa
Spiros Panacopoulos moved all in from the button for about 1,600,000 and Ricardo Figueroa called from the big blind for his last 550,000. Panacopoulos turned over 
and Figueroa showed 
.
The dealer fanned the 
flop and there was an ace in the window for Panacopoulos to take the lead. The turn 
and river 
were no help to Figueroa and he was eliminated in 4th place earning $3,813 for his efforts.
Sprios Panacopoulos- 2,400,000
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 29: Blinds 60,000/120,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 4
James Nilsen
The players have just returned from an unscheduled 15-minute break. The pace of play has come to a crawl as four handed play continues here in Event 7. James Nilsen has moved into the chip lead with 3,400,000 and he is inching closer to his first Borgata Poker Open title.
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 28: Blinds 50,000/100,000/10,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 4
Stephen DelliBovi
Stephen DelliBovi got his last 280,000 all in pre-flop holding 
against the 
of James Nilsen. The board ran out 
and Nilsen paired his king to earn the knockout.
DelliBovi is our 5th place Event 7 finisher earning $2,860 for his efforts and four handed play continues.
James Nilsen- 2,300,000
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 27: Blinds 40,000/80,000/10,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 5
Igor Viatkou
Ricardo Figueroa moved all in for 570,000 and Igor Vitakou put his last 420,000 in the pot from the small blind.
The board ran out 
and Figueroa improved to a straight to score the knockout. Vitakou is our 6th place Event 7 finisher and will collect $2,383.
Ricardo Figueroa- 1,150,000
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 28: Blinds 40,000/80,000/10,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 6
Stephen Wallenstein
Stephen Wallenstein got his last 435,000 all in pre-flop holding 
but ran into the of Diane LePera. The board ran out 
and LePera’s pocket kings held up to earn her the pot and the knockout. Wallenstein is our 7th place Event 7 finisher and will take home $1,907.
Diane LePera- 2,400,000
$260+$40 Deeper Stack No Limit Hold’em
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 26: Blinds 30,000/60,000/5,000 ante
Total Entries: 189
Players Remaining: 7
Mark Osborne
Mark Osborne moved all in for 300,000 and it folded to Spiros Panacopoulos in the big blind who called. Osborne turned over 
but would need to improve against the 
of Panacopoulos.
The board ran out 
and Panacopoulos improved to a full house to earn the knockout. Osborne is our 8th place Event 7 finisher taking home $1,430 for his efforts.
Spiros Panacopoulos– 1,300,000