2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open

$3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship
Day: 4
Event Info

2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Event Info
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$4,129,290
Entries
1,290
Players Left
6
Average Chip Stack
8,600,000
Total Chips
51,600,000
Next Payout
Place 6
$143,264
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
120,000
Players Info - Day 4
Entries
28
Players Left
6

$3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

Day 4 Completed

Veerab Zakarian Leads Final Six of WPT BWPO Championship w/ $674,840 Up Top

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
WPT BWPO Final Table Chipleader Veerab Zakarian
WPT BWPO Final Table Chipleader Veerab Zakarian

The 2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open $3,500 World Poker Tour BWPO Championship established its official final table of six after four long days of poker at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa. That final table will not go on hiatus for two months before reconvening on April 1st at HyperX Esports Arena at Luxor Las Vegas to play down to a winner.

A total of 1,129 entry slips were sold for the tournament and now just six remain, all of which have booked their ticket to the live-streamed final table where someone will walk away with $674,840.

Leading the final table is Canada's Veerab Zakarian with an 11,990,000 stack for the final day. Zakarian started the day in second on the leaderboard and hovered around the same stack throughout the early parts of the day with a few small hiccups. During the 26th level is when he started to heat up, taking two pots from the start-of-day chip leader Patrick Serda which put Zakarian atop the field, a place he hung about for the rest of the night. The Toronto, Ontario, native is now guaranteed the biggest cash of his career and is a prime position to add a WPT title to his resume.

Closest behind Zakarian on the leaderboard is James Anderson with 10,040,000. Anderson started the final day second-last in chips but ran it up and now is guaranteed at least a six-figure cash headed into the final day.

The biggest story of the table has to be two-time WPT Champion Brian Altman finding another WPT final table in back-to-back events, winning the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open just last week. Altman had a rollercoaster of a day but managed to accumulate a healthy-sized 9,865,000 stack headed into the final table. Altman already has a commanding lead in the WPT Player of the Year race and is sure to extend that with another remarkable run in Atlantic City.

WPT BWPO Final Table Lineup

PlacePlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Nathan RusslerUnited States3,990,00033
2James AndersonUnited States10,040,00084
3Andrew HannaUnited States6,730,00056
4Bin WengUnited States8,890,00074
5Veerab ZakarianCanada11,990,000100
6Brian AltmanUnited States9,865,00082

The final three remaining players that make up the final table are Bin Weng (8,890,000), Andrew Hanna (6,730,000), and Natha Russler (3,990,000). The trio will all be adding new career cashes to their names, pulling in at least $143,264 for a sixth-place finish but all players will have a different amount on their minds, the $674,840 that awaits the winner. Along with their name sketched into the history books by taking down a WPT title.

$3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Final Table
$3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Final Table

Remaining Payouts

PlacePayout
1$674,840
2$449,904
3$333,012
4$248,913
5$187,900
6$143,264

Final Day Action

The Day 4 action started off just how the third day ended, with chips flying in every direction and after just two levels, the field dropped from the initial 24 that returned, down to just 18. The next level of play saw Robert Mclaughlin (18th - $28,264) and Jesus Martinez (17th - $28,624) both hit the rail, bringing the tournament down to the final two tables with Zakarian leading.

A total of three more levels took place before an unofficial final table was formed and it was Serda who ended up being dubbed as the final table bubble boy. The Canadian had a back-and-forth day that seemed to be back on the upswing after landing a duck to double through Altman but other plans were in store for him as Altman shoved a queen-high board that had two nines showing. Serda hit the tank but in the end, he called with his king-queen, only to see the ace-nine of Altman for three nines, sending the start-of-the-day chip leader out in tenth place.

WPT BWPO Unofficial Final Table of Nine
WPT BWPO Unofficial Final Table of Nine

The unofficial final table saw Alex Queen bust first when he shoved his pair of ladies into the middle, finding a call from Zakarian who held kings. The board ran out clean and Zakarian pulled in the pot, sending Queen out in ninth place. Jorge Confesor came into the final nine on the shorter side of things and saw his stack dwindle down to just a couple of blinds before he moved all in with ten-eight. Russler woke up with a pair of queens and ended the hand with a set to send Confeso out in eighth.

Peter Vitantonio was the last player to be eliminated in what was one of the worst beats of the day, at the worst possible time. Russler opened, Altman three-bet from the small and Vitantonio four-bet. Russler folded, Altman moved it all into the middle and Vitantonio obliged. Altman tabled king-queen and was dominated by the ace-queen of Vitantonio, even more so after the ace-three-two flop. But a jack on the turn brought a Broadway draw for Altman and the ten river completed it as he went runner-runner straight to send Vitantonio out the door in seventh.

That wraps it up for all of the PokerNews live updates for this event but tune in for the live-streamed final table that is held at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas at The Luxor on April 1, 2020.

Tags: Alex QueenAndrew HannaBin WengBrian AltmanJames AndersonJesus MartinezJorge ConfesorPatrick SerdaPeter VitantonioRobert McLaughlinVeerab Zakarian

Play Has Halted

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
2020 WPT BWPO Championship Final Six
2020 WPT BWPO Championship Final Six

The tournament has now come to an end as the six-player final table goal was reached during the 30th level of the tournament with 10:32 remaining on the clock. All players will be bagging up and returning to play it out in the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas at The Luxor on April 1, 2020.

A recap of the day will be posted shortly, along with full chip counts.

Peter Vitantonio Eliminated in 7th Place ($110,338)

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Peter Vitantonio
Peter Vitantonio

Nathan Russler opened to 250,000 from under the gun, Brian Altman three-bet to 800,000 in the small blind and Peter Vitantonio hit the tank in the big blind, using his last time chip.

Ultimately he raised to 1,055,000, leaving himself 50,000 behind and action folded to Altman who moved all in, Vitantonio called and was at risk.

Peter Vitantonio: {a-Clubs}{q-Hearts}
Brian Altman: {k-Spades}{q-Clubs}

The dealer fanned out {a-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}{3-Hearts} on the flop and Vitantonio was in a prime position to double with his pair of aces. A {j-Clubs} peeled off on the turn, giving Altman a draw to broadway if a dime hit the felt.

An unlikely {10-Hearts} completed the board, giving Altman a rivered straight and Vitantonio was left speechless. Altman pulled in the pot with his straight and Vitantonio was eliminated in seventh for a respectable $110,338.

Player Chips Progress
Brian Altman us
Brian Altman
9,865,000 3,195,000
WPT 3X Winner
Peter Vitantonio us
Peter Vitantonio
Busted

Tags: Brian AltmanNathan RusslerPeter Vitantonio

Jorge Confesor Eliminated in 8th Place ($85,849)

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Jorge Confesor
Jorge Confesor

Jorge Confesor moved all in from the button for his last 300,000 and Nathan Russler raised to 800,000 from the small blind. James Anderson folded his big blind, leaving just two as they flipped their cards.

Jorge Confesor: {10-Spades}{8-Clubs}
Nathan Russler: {q-Spades}{q-Hearts}

The flop came down {9-Hearts}{5-Hearts}{3-Diamonds} and Confesor was in need of some help to keep his tournament live alive. A {q-Diamonds} peeled off on the turn, Confesor needed a johnnie to fall but instead a {6-Spades} ended up completing the board, failing to improve his hand and he was eliminated in eighth place by the queens of Russler.

Player Chips Progress
Nathan Russler us
Nathan Russler
4,850,000 675,000
Jorge Confesor us
Jorge Confesor
Busted

Tags: James AndersonJorge ConfesorNathan Russler

Russler Continues His Climb

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Veerab Zakarian opened to 250,000 from middle position, Nathan Russler called on the button and Andrew Hanna completed from the small blind.

The dealer spread out {q-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{2-Hearts} on the flop, action checked to Zakarian who bet 180,000 and Russler moved all in, totaling 1,540,000. Hanna called, Zakarian folded and the two tabled their cards.

Nathan Russler: {q-Clubs}{j-Clubs}
Andrew Hanna: {6-Hearts}{5-Hearts}

The {a-Clubs} fell on the turn and a {5-Clubs} on the river, failing to hit Hanna's hand and Russler secured another double with his flush.

Player Chips Progress
Andrew Hanna us
Andrew Hanna
6,250,000 30,000
Nathan Russler us
Nathan Russler
4,175,000 1,955,000

Tags: Andrew HannaNathan RusslerVeerab Zakarian

Russler Spikes an Ace vs. Anderson

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Nathan Russler moved all in for 960,000 from middle position and James Anderson was the lone caller, putting Russler at risk.

Nathan Russler: {a-Clubs}{8-Clubs}
James Anderson: {9-Spades}{9-Diamonds}

Russler was behind until the {a-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}{10-Hearts} flop hit the table, giving him a pair of bullets. The {5-Hearts}{7-Clubs} runout was of no concern to him as he pulled in a complete double through Anderson.

Player Chips Progress
James Anderson us
James Anderson
10,800,000 -1,420,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Nathan Russler us
Nathan Russler
2,220,000 -305,000

Tags: James AndersonNathan Russler

Anderson Snaps an Altman Shove

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
James Anderson
James Anderson

James Anderson opened to 250,000 from middle position, Brian Altman announced that he was all-in and Anderson snap-called, putting in his 5,980,000 stack.

James Anderson: {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}
Brian Altman: {a-Spades}{k-Diamonds}

The board came down {10-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{q-Clubs} and Anderson's cowboys took down the pot, doubling through Altman.

Player Chips Progress
James Anderson us
James Anderson
12,220,000 5,495,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Brian Altman us
Brian Altman
6,670,000 -4,880,000
WPT 3X Winner

Tags: Brian AltmanJames Anderson

Alex Queen Eliminated in 9th Place ($67,486)

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Alex Queen
Alex Queen

Veerab Zakarian opened to 250,000 from middle position and Alex Queen three-bet shoved for 2,250,000. Zakarian called and the two tabled their hands with Queen at risk.

Alex Queen: {q-Spades}{q-Clubs}
Veerab Zakarian: {k-Hearts}{k-Clubs}

The flop came down {10-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{5-Hearts} and Zakarian still held the lead with his cowboys. A {10-Diamonds} peeled off on the turn, leaving Queen in need of a lady but the {4-Spades} river was not what he was looking for and he was eliminated first from the unofficial final table.

Player Chips Progress
Veerab Zakarian ca
Veerab Zakarian
12,125,000 2,625,000
WPT 1X Winner
Alexander Queen us
Alexander Queen
Busted

Tags: Alex QueenVeerab Zakarian