Event 9
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.
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000/200,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri – 1st Place
It’s been a long week, but it’s finally over. The 2018 Summer Poker Open Almighty Stack drew 2,108 entrants over three days and five starting flights with the final 200 getting a piece of the more than $715,000 prize pool.
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri started Day 3 near the bottom of the chip counts, but the Civil Engineering professor bided his time, waiting for the right time to strike. He doubled up through then chip leader Nick Platis with pocket Kings against QJ, then got the rest of Nick’s chips with pocket Queens against Nick’s pocket 9s.
A short while later he got a lucky double through the new chip leader, Joe Gay, with AT against Joe’s AK (ten on the flop). That propelled him to the top of the chip counts.
When they reached the final three players, Carlos Alvarado had taken a slight chip lead, but a three-way adjusted payout agreement resulted in Mohammad getting 1st place and $84,000, plus the BSPO trophy. This is the first tournament win for the amateur. “I love this game…it’s math,” he said. His civil engineering job is all really just math as well, so poker is right in his wheelhouse.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout |
| 1 | Mohammad Saadeghvaziri | $84,000* |
| 2 | Carlos Alvarado | $100,000* |
| 3 | Joe Gay | $74,377* |
| 4 | Adam Zeltser | $45,087 |
| 5 | Semyon Savransky | $37,572 |
| 6 | Eli Kalimi | $30,416 |
| 7 | Sumeet Wayachal | $23,617 |
| 8 | Po Ying | $17,176 |
| 9 | Nick Platis | $12,524 |
| 10 | George Parublev | $8,230 |
*Indicates Adjusted Payout
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000/200,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 70 million
Carlos Alvarado
When he eliminated Adam Zeltser, Carlos Alvarado took the chip lead for the first time today.
Chip counts for final three:
Carlos Alvarado – 81,500,000
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri – 79,700,000
Joe Gay – 49,500,000
After a few hands, the final three decided to take a look at an adjusted payout agreement. Here’s what they decided.
1st Place -Mohammad Saadeghvaziri – $84,000 + BSPO trophy
2nd Place – Carlos Alvarado – $100,000
3rd Place – Joe Gay – $74,377
-
- Mohammad Saadeghvaziri
-
- Joe Gay
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000/200,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 70 million
Adam Zeltser
Adam Zeltser moved in for 7.8 million from the cutoff, getting called by Carlos Alvarado on the button and Joe Gay in the big blind. They checked down the board of 
. Adam showed QJ, Joe also had QJ, but Carlos had KJ to take the pot.
Adam finished 4th for $45,087.
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000/200,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 52.7 million
Semyon Savransky
Semyon Savransky got his short-stack in holding pocket 3s against the chip leader, Joe Gay, who had A7. Joe flopped an Ace and by the river had made a flush. He’s up to about 67 million.
Semyon finished in 5th place, earning $37,572.
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 36: Blinds 500,000/1,000,000/200,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 42.1 million
Almighty players are back from a break. Here are the chip counts:
| SEAT | NAME | CHIP COUNT | Bbs |
| 1 | |||
| 2 | Joe Gay | 64,800,000 | 65 |
| 3 | Adam Zeltser | 18,300,000 | 18 |
| 4 | Carlos Alvarado | 57,800,000 | 58 |
| 5 | Semyon Savransky | 6,300,000 | 6 |
| 6 | |||
| 7 | Mohammad Saadeghvaziri | 63,500,000 | 64 |
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 400,000/800,000/100,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 42.1 million
Eli Kalimi
On the turn with a board of A Q 5 A, Eli Kalimi got all-in against Carlos Alvarado. Eli’s QJ (two pair) was beat by Carlos’ AT (trip Aces) and Eli was drawing dead. He’ll get $30,416 for his 6th place finish.
Carlos chipped up to about 58 million, joining the chip leaders.
Joe Gay’s back in front with ~63 million.
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri’s got about 57.7 million.
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 400,000/800,000/100,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 35.1 million
Sumeet Wayachal
Sumeet Wayachal was eliminated in 7th place in unknown action. He will collect $23,617 for his efforts.
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 400,000/800,000/100,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 7
Average Stack: 30.1 million
Po Ying
Po Ying got his last 5.3 million in with 
against Eli Kalimi 
. Eli was ahead from the jump, but he picked up a pair with a Ten on the flop. He chipped up to about 30 million.
Po Ying finished in 8th place, earning $17,176.
$350+$50 Almighty Stack NLH
$500,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet | Payouts
Level 35: Blinds 400,000/800,000/100,000 ante
Total Entries: 2,108
Players Remaining: 8
Average Stack: 26.3 million
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri got all-in for 24.7 million holding AT against chip leader Joe Gay, who had AK. The board came T x x A A giving Mohammad the full house and double-up to about 58 million. Looks like Joe was left with ~56 million, so the chip lead may have changed hands.