2011 World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open Day 5: Bobby Oboodi Wins

September 24, 2011

Donnie Peters

The 2011 World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open concluded on Friday night in Atlantic City. Six players entered the day with a chance at over $920,000 and the title in the largest-ever WPT event. At night's end, Bobby Oboodi had earned the victory after 138 hands of play.

When the final table began, Oboodi was edging out Fred Goldberg for the chip lead, but only barely — leading by just 60,000 in chips. Darren Elias was in third place, Dan Buzgon in fourth, Ricky Hale in fifth and then Jin Hwang rounded out the final table with the short stack in sixth. On the 11th hand of the final table, the first elimination came.

As reported by the WPT Live Update Team, the blinds were 80,000/160,000 with a 20,000 ante when Oboodi began the hand with an under-the-gun raise to 340,000. When action moved to Hale in the cutoff seat, he moved all-in for 2.08 million. Everyone folded back to Oboodi who called holding A♥K♥. Hale was dominated with A♣10♠ and the flop provided him a suck-out when the 10♦9♠2♦ flop fell, but the K♠ on the turn gave the lead right back to Oboodi. The river J♦ ended the hand and also Hale's tournament, sending him home in sixth place for $186,585.

Oboodi stayed on the gas for the most of the beginning part of the final table but gave up the chip lead to Goldberg on the 23rd hand. With the blinds at 100,000/200,000 with a 20,000 ante, Goldberg raised to 475,000 from the button. Oboodi called from the small blind and the flop came down A♠A♥4♥. Oboodi check-called a bet of 600,000 from Goldberg before the A♦ landed on the turn. Both players checked and the river completed the board with the 4♣. With a full house now on board, Oboodi fired 1.3 million from his chip-leading stack. Goldberg put in a hefty raise to 4 million quickly and Oboodi gave it up, allowing Goldberg to move into the chip lead. On the 48th hand, Oboodi took the chip lead back after winning a pot worth 5.62 million from Goldberg.

There wasn't another elimination until the 67th hand of the final table when Elias fell to Oboodi. With the blinds up to 120,000/240,000 with a 30,000 ante, Elias raised on the button to 500,000. Oboodi reraised from the big blind to 1.1 million and Elias moved all-in. Oboodi called and tabled K♦K♠, crushing the J♦J♥ that Elias held. A board of 10♦5♥4♦6♥3♥ followed and Elias was finished. He earned $230,610 for his fifth-place finish.

On hand 102, Goldberg was sent to the rail in fourth place for $280,925. Oboodi min-raised under the gun to 600,000 and Goldberg called from the big blind to see the flop come down 9♦7♠6♥. Goldberg had checked in the dark and the action began on Oboodi. He bet 600,000 and Goldberg immediately moved all-in. Oboodi quickly called with A♥9♥ for top pair, top kicker. Goldberg held an out-kicked 10♦9♣. The turn 7♣ and river J♣ missed Goldberg and he was eliminated.

Buzgon was next to go in third place. His run ended on the 120th hand with Hwang earning the elimination. Oboodi min-raised to 800,000 from the button and Buzgon reraised all-in from the small blind for a little under six million. Hwang called from the big blind and Oboodi folded. Hwang held the A♥K♥ and Buzgon the 7♣7♠. The flop and turn gave Hwang a Broadway straight as the board ran out Q♣10♥9♣J♣7♥. Buzgon hit the rail and took home $335,433 for his finish.

When heads-up play began, Oboodi held 23.19 million in chips (57 big blinds) to Hwang's 17.125 million (42 big blinds). Remember, Oboodi came into the final table as the chip leader while Hwang began the day with the shortest stack left.

On the final hand of the tournament, hand 138, Oboodi began with 24.575 million and Hwang with 15.75 million with the blinds at 250,000/500,000 with a 50,000 ante. Oboodi limped on the button and Hwang raised to 1.25 million from the big blind. Oboodi called to see the flop come down 7♠6♠6♣. Both players checked and the turn added the J♠. Hwang checked and Oboodi bet 1.6 million. Hwang check-raised all-in and Oboodi called. Hwang held K♣J♥ for two pair, but was behind the Q♠2♠ that Oboodi held for a flush. The river 3♠ completed the board and the tournament, eliminating Hwang in second place for $554,303 and giving Oboodi the victory.