Dental Technician Turns Single Tournament Entry into Six-Figure Score

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Jul 27, 2026 4 min read

Tournaments with massive fields require both skill and luck to navigate, and they also provide an opportunity for less-experienced players to start a new chapter with a life-changing score. Such was the case over the past few days for cash game player Baruch Fishman.

Originally hailing from Israel, but living the majority of his life in the United States, Fishman calls Philadelphia home where he works as a dental technician. He has been a regular cash game player for the better part of 15 years, but has only accumulated $6,172 in live tournament earnings across five recorded cashes, according to The Hendon Mob.

A few days ago, Fishman tried his luck, with only one bullet in the $500 Borgata Almighty Stack at the 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open powered by BetMGM Poker. With no expectations, the champ had no idea that an incredible run awaited him.

There were 2,209 entries tallied for the event to generate a prize pool of $927,780. From that figure, 279 players made the money, but everyone was chasing the $144,250 first-place prize.

Just under 24 hours of poker was played from the first shuffle, with the tournament eventually seeing a three-way ICM chop between Fishman, Yuriy Kudrynskyy, and William Shaw. Shaw had the largest guaranteed payout, but the final three still had to play it out for the trophy and an additional $15,480.

However, once the dust settled it was Fishman who took home the title, earning $108,840 for his efforts in a life-changing score.

$500 Borgata Almighty Stack Final Table Results

*denotes ICM deal

Winner's Reaction

Flooded with emotion after the victory, it was clear how much it meant to Fishman.

"It feels unreal to be honest," Fishman explained. "I just started playing tournaments, and this is obviously the deepest I've ever ran. It just feels amazing to hit one, and I am just so blessed."

As a cash game player for 15 years, the Philadelphia resident was keenly aware of the role that short-term luck has in poker, and he explained how that is magnified in tournaments as he recounted some fortunate moments.

"Day 2 I ran so pure, I held in every all-in," he continued. "Never again will I ever get this lucky."

With two tables remaining in the tournament, Fishman was all-in preflop for less than ten big blinds on three separate occasions. On the Day 3 bubble with seven remaining, he was down to the final card to survive, rivering a straight to stay in contention. He came into the finale fifth in chips of six remaining players with 16 big blinds, and found the right hands at the right times.

"It hasn't really hit me yet," Fishman described. "I think I played good, but you just have to be so fortunate to win this kind of tournament."

A substantial score might lead to Fishman getting further involved in the tournament scene, but he is leaving his options open.

"I’ve really enjoyed playing tournaments. I think it is the most exciting form of poker, much more than cash games," he claimed, "It's just so much fun. But it's also brutal at times; these three days have been very hard."

Fishman explained that he actually has to return to his normal job this evening, and he has no immediate plans for tournament poker in the near future.

Day 3 Action

The final six players returned to the streamed feature table at the Borgata Poker Room with John Malczan and Yuriy Kudrynskyy atop the counts.

In the opening orbit of the day, Raymond Ferretti became the first casualty. He jammed his last 11 big blinds with pocket eights over an open, and ran straight into the Fishman's pocket kings of Fishman.

Malczan began his downfall after losing with top-pair-top-kicker against Kudrynskyy's flopped two pair, who took a commanding lead following the hand.

John Wilson was next to fall after losing a series a series of small pots. He jammed his final ten big blinds under the gun with ace-jack, but Fishman again woke up with kings, and notched another knockout.

Four-handed play was a swingy and cagey affair as the short stacks continued to find doubles. No player was able to pull away as the stacks got shallower.

Over two hours removed from the prior elimination, Malczan's run ended in fourth place. He became very short-stacked and got his chips into the middle with jack-seven. He fell short against the Fishman's queen-ten.

Nearly an hour and a half of chip trading occured when three remained, including a miracle double-up for Fishman after jamming nine-eight suited into William Shaw’s kings. Fishman was drawing to a gutshot and turned a straight to stay alive.

After the players went on a break, ICM deal discussions began, which was agreed upon shortly thereafter. Shaw was the only player guaranteed over six figures with the chip lead. A sum of $15,480 was set aside for the eventual champion.

Fishman quickly found a double with aces against Shaw, who bowed out in third.

The blinds increased again, leaving just 36 big blinds on the entire table for heads-up. After a few hands, Kudrynskyy called off his final eight blinds with king-six, and was up against the ace-nine. Ace-high remained the best hand after the board was dealt, and Fishman completed a magical run as he celebrated his victory.

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