New York Contractor Bulldozes Opponents to Win Borgata Half-A-Milly Almighty

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Nov 13, 2026 4 min read

Over a career that spans more than two decades, Vitaly Kovyazin couldn’t have picked two better times to wake up with aces.

Kovyazin entered heads-up of the Borgata Fall Poker Open $600 Half-A-Milly Almighty at a big chip disadvantage against Omar Taveras, a New York pro already with one trophy this week. Taveras had another title in his sights when he moved all in with two sevens. Kovyazin, though, was lying in wait and slammed down two aces.

Kovyazin doubled up into the chip lead, and he later finished off Taveras after getting dealt aces once again to take home the Borgata and BetMGM Poker trophies, as well as $88,315 top prize.

Borgata Fall Poker Open $600 Half-A-Milly Almighty Final Table Results

“This means a lot. The first big trophy. I’m very happy. Speechless, actually,” Kovyazin said after beating out the field of 1,006 entries. “I was happy to see them. I didn’t think a lot about it. I just played my cards.”

Kovyazin, a contractor from New York, has career cashes dating back to 2004. His score today was his largest since finishing runner-up in a LAPT event in Brazil in 2008. His experience dwarfed that of many of the other players at the final table. But if he had an advantage, Kovyazin wasn’t thinking about it coming into the day.

“I wasn’t focusing on that. I’m just playing for fun. Never tried to be a professional poker player. When I have time, I try to come and enjoy it,” he said.

Kovyazin Saves Himself on the River

He entered the final table in third chip position as six players took their seats at the main feature stage inside the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa poker room. Carlos Lam Wu, the table short stack, quickly found two double ups, including picking up kings against Matt Matros to leave Matros with crumbs.

Kovyazin was nearly the first casualty after rivering two pair in a pot against MG. Kovyazin bet 3,000,000 on the river, only for MG to move all in. Kovyazin had 5,600,000 remaining and tanked for a few minutes, but he eventually managed to lay down his hand as MG was sitting with a full house. Matros then picked up kings against Kovyazin, but Kovyazin spiked an ace on the flop to send the three-time WSOP bracelet winner to the rail in sixth place.

Kovyazin was all in for 9,900,000 and up against Wu, who flopped a straight draw to give him additional outs. Kovyazin, though, held on with ace-high to earn the double up. Eric Kotsines then got in his last chips with top pair, only for MG to hit a running straight to win the pot and bust Kotsines in fifth place.

Wu, left with just two big blinds after losing the pot to Kovyazin, soon followed to the rail in fourth as Taveras was the chip leader going into three-handed action. MG took the lead when he called Taveras’ river bluff with ace-high, but he then tried to bluff Kovyazin on the river only for Kovyazin to snap-call for his last 11,300,000 with two pair to double up.

Lucky Aces Give Kovyazin the Lead, Then the Title

MG then ran ace-nine into Taveras’ jacks to fall in third place as Taveras took a 62,800,000 to 36,800,000 lead over Kovyazin into heads-up. His advantage didn’t last long.

Kovyazin picked up aces on the button and limped in, then just called when Taveras raised. Taveras bet 3,500,000 on the ten-high flop and Kovyazin raised to 9,000,000. Taveras moved all in, and Kovyazin called for 29,600,000 and slammed down his two aces. Taveras could only show two sevens as he handed over the massive pot. "Well played with aces," Taveras told him.

Taveras was down to his last five big blinds when he shoved for 9,000,000 on the button. Kovyazin woke up with aces yet again, and Taveras’ quest for another trophy came up one spot short.

Kovyazin had waited decades for this moment, for the chance to hoist a trophy in the air. The wait was well worth it. The Main Event was in full swing across the room, but Kovyazin wasn’t in any hurry to head on over and test his luck. He admits he might not play at all.

“I don’t know. I have to ask my wife,” he said with a laugh.

• Tags Borgata Fall Poker Open Borgata BetMGM Carlos Lam Wu Chan Woo Kim Eric Kotsines Jonathan Rudnick Vitaly Kovyazin Luke Trucksess Matt Matros Omar Taveras