Event 8
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.
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 200,000/400,000/40,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 6
Just as the Event 8 players were returning from break they agreed to count the chip stacks down and discuss a deal. It didn’t take long for them to strike an agreement and a deal was made.
Bin Lin who held the chip lead will take first place for $25,661 and his first Borgata Summer Poker Open trophy. Below is a full list of the chip counts at the time of the deal and what each player will be earning.
1. Bin Lin- 9,340,000 ($25,661+BSPO Trophy)
2. John Letos- 8,900,000 ($25,159)
3. Vineet Chanhok-4,8250,000 ($19,528)
4. Eric Hayes- 2,570,000 ($15,249)
5. Michael Combs- 2,245,000 ($14,509)
6. Nicholas Bevilacqua- 1,680,000 ($13,108)
(L to R) Nicholas Bevilacqua, Vineet Chanhok, John Letos, Eric Hayes, Michael Combs, Bin Lin (Seated)
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 34: Blinds 150,000/300,000/40,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 6
John Letos
Vineet Chanhok raised to 700,000 from the cutoff and John Letos moved all in for 2,690,000 from the button. It folded back to Chanhok who called turning over 
and Chanhok showed 
.
The board ran out 
and Letos improved to a flush holding the king of clubs to double up.
John Letos- 6,070,000
Vineet Chanhok- 5,000,000
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 33: Blinds 120,000/240,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 6
Jason Ebersole
Jason Ebersole open-shoved for 2,145,000 from early position and Vineet Chanhok reshoved from the cutoff for 2,040. The buttons and blinds released and the hands were tabled.
Ebersole: 
Chanhok:
Ebersole was in a lot of trouble and he found no help on the 
board to send a double to Chanhok. He was down to only 105,000, less than one big blind, and put those in the middle on the next hand from under the gun. He had a chance at the quintuple up but his 
fell short to send him out in seventh place.
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 33: Blinds 120,000/240,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 7
Grant Simmons
Bin Lin raised to 600,000 and Grant Simmons called. They went heads up to the 
flop and Lin checked. Simmmons moved all in for close to 3,000,000 and Lin quickly called. Simmons turned over 
for just high and he was in bad shape against the 
of Lin.
The turn and river 
sealed the deal for Lin and Simmons was eliminated in 8th place earning $5,042. Lin vaults to the top of the chip counts with just seven players left in the hunt.
Bin Lin- 8,500,000
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 32: Blinds 100,000/200,000/30,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 8
Paul Lambrakis
Grant Simmons raised to 600,000 from late position. Eric Hayes moved all in for 980,000 from the cutoff and Paul Lambrakis re-shoved all in for 2,300,000 from the button. It folded back to Simmons who snap called and the hands were shown.
Eric Hayes: 
Grant Simmons:
Paul Lambrakis: 
The board ran out 
and Hayes spiked his five on the river to crack the aces of Simmons to stay alive. Simmons scooped the sidepot and Lambrakis was eliminated in 9th place earning $3,484.
Grant Simmons- 3,800,000
Eric Hayes- 3,200,000
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 80,000/160,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 9
David Arpino
David Arpino moved all in for 1,700,000 holding 
but he ran right into the 
of Nicholas Bevilacqua. The board ran out 
and Arpino’s king kicker played to earn him the knockout.
Arpino is our 10th place Event 8 finisher and will take home $2,292 for his efforts.
Nicholas Bevilacqua- 4,100,000
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 80,000/160,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 10
Michael Combs
With the elimination of Michael Moskowitz in 11th the Event 8 final table is set. It’s neck and neck at the top of the chip counts and it’s Michael Combs is leading the way with 4,500,000.
The players will battle it out in the back of the Poker Room for the $42,534 first prize and the BSPO trophy.
Below is a look at the updated chip counts and final table seating assignments as well as what’s at stake.
Seat 1. Nicholas Bevilacqua- 1,600,000
Seat 2. Vineet Chanhok- 2,600,000
Seat 3. John Letos- 3,950,000
Seat 4. Bin Lin- 1,460,000
Seat 5. Grant Simmons- 1,565,000
Seat 6. Eric Hayes- 3,600,000
Seat 7. David Arpino- 2,100,000
Seat 8. Paul Lambrakis- 4,350,000
Seat 9. Michael Combs- 4,500,000
Seat 10. Jason Ebersole- 4,300,000
Payouts
1. $42,534+BSPO Trophy
2. $24,752
3. $15,126
4. $12,468
5. $10,084
6. $8,251
7. $6,601
8. $5,042
9. $3,484
10. $2,292
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 31: Blinds 80,000/160,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 10
John Letos raised to 325,000 from under the gun and Eric Hayes moved all in for 1,330,000 from the small blind. Michael Moskowitz put his stack of 740,000 all in from the big blind and Letos called putting both players at risk.
Eric Hayes: 
Michael Moskowitz: 
John Letos: 
The dealer fanned the 
flop and Hayes paired his eight in the window to take the lead. The turn was the and Moskowitz yelled for a diamond on the river. He did not get his wish when the completed the board and he was sent to the rail in 11th place earning $2,292.
The Event 8 final table is now set and a full list of updated chip counts and seating assignments will be posted shortly.
$260+$40 Deepest Stack NLH
$150,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
End of Level 30: Blinds 60,000/120,000/20,000 ante
Total Entries: 727
Players Remaining: 11
Ryan Meyers
The action folded to Michael Combs in the small blind and he moved all in. Ryan Meyers called from the big blind for 1,100,000 turning over but would need to improve against the 
of Combs. The boar ran out 
and Combs pair his ace to earn the pot and the knockout.
Michael Combs- 3,600,000
Ryan Meyers- Eliminated in 14th Place ($1,650)
Chuck Beatie
A short stacked Chuck Beatie was the next to fall when got his stack of 605,000 all in pre-flop holding 
against the of John Letos. The board ran out 
and Letos’ pair of tens was enough to send Beatie to the rail. Beatie our 13th place Event 8 finisher taking home $1,650 for his efforts.
John Letos- 4,300,000
Chuck Beatie- Eliminated in 13th Place ($1,650)
Frederick Ferrell
Frederick Ferrell was eliminated just as the players headed out on the dinner break. Ferrel is our 12th place Event 8 finisher earning $2,292.
The Event 8 players are now on dinner break and we are just one elimination away from the final table. We will pick right back up on all of the live tournament action when play resumes at 8:45 P.M. local time.