Bahbak "Bobby" Oboodi Wins Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship for $300,633

April 19, 2013

Pamela Maldonado

The Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship Event wrapped up in the early hours of Friday morning at the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City with Bahbak "Bobby" Oboodi crowned first-place finisher. The $2,700 buy-in event attracted 502 entries generating a hefty prize pool of $1,255,000.

Final Table Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Bobby Oboodi	$300,633
2	Michael Gagliano	$169,029
3	Kenny Nguyen	$108,662
4	Andy Philachack	$86,326
5	Vinny Pahuja	$67,612
6	Orson Young	$55,538
7	Henry Lu	$44,068
8	Jordan Siegel	$34,409
9	Ray Shackelford	$24,147

Oboodi is no stranger to the huge scores at Borgata. He previously won the 2011 World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open $3,300 Main Event to collect $922,411. Oboodi had further experience going into the final table with over $1 million in live tournament earnings, a European Poker Tour final table finish and four World Series of Poker cashes, including two from the 2011 and 2012 Main Events.

Despite having a fair amount of experience, though, Oboodi had to face a tough final table consisting of WSOP Circuit winners Kenny “Super Tuan” Nguyen and Andy Philachack, WSOP bracelet winner Henry Lu and tournament veteran Vinny Pahuja.

With Ray Shackelford eliminated in ninth place, Oboodi held a comfortable chip stack tied with Orson Young and just behind Nguyen.

Action was running smoothly with the elimination of Jordan Siegel who busted in eighth place for $34,409, followed by Lu who took seventh place for $44,068. Lu took a big hit when he lost a majority of his stack to Young, then was out not too long after.

Oboodi picked up momentum after winning a big hand against Mike Gagliano after seeing just a flop following a three-bet raise preflop. He continued his run-good after he raised to 80,000 from the cutoff seat against Pahuja, who then three-bet to 220,000 from the big blind. Oboodi called, and the flop showed 10♥7♠3♠. Pahuja bet 205,000, and Oboodi called to see the Q♥ on the turn. Pahuja bet 360,000, and Oboodi called to see the 6♣ on the river. Both players checked their options, and Oboodi showed the K♥3♥ just bottom pair to take the pot.

Young was out soon after, eliminated in sixth place for $55,538. He ran his pocket kings into Gagliano’s pocket aces. Pahuja, who was left with a short stack after his confrontation with Oboodi, was eliminated in fifth place when he shoved pocket eights into Oboodi’s pocket aces. Oboodi’s aces held to send Pahuja to the payout desk to collect $67,612 for his efforts.

After Pahuja's elimination, Philachack was left crippled after folding to a five-bet preflop from Nguyen, leading to his elimination in fourth place. In the hand that sent him packing, the board showed 10♦5♣3♠9♥. Philachack had two pair with the 9♠5♠, but Gagliano had a better two pair with the 10♠9♦. Without a five on the river to save Philachack, he was eliminated in fourth place for $86,326.

Nguyen was sent to the rail in third place after a nearly 10-minute tank-call. Oboodi raised to 100,000 from the button, and Gagliano three-bet to 325,000 from the small blind. Nguyen four-bet to 1,025,000 from the big bind, and Gagliano five-bet shoved following Oboodi folding. Nguyen ultimately called and showed the A♣Q♣, but that wasn't good against Gagliano’s K♥K♠. The board ran K♦10♥10♦K♣8♠ givng Gagliano quad kings. Nguyen earned $108,662 for his third-place finish.

After some back-and-forth action heads up, Oboodi bested Gagliano to earn the championship title. In the final hand, Gagliano min-raised from the small blind, and Oboodi three-bet to 1,700,000. That resulted in an all-in shove from Gagliano, and Oboodi called. Oboodi held the A♠7♠ and was against Gagliano’s K♠Q♠. The board ran A♥8♦8♥K♦5♥ and Oboodi was crowned victorious. He earned the first-place title and $300,633, resulting in a second-place finish for Gagliano for $169,029.