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$580 Monster Mirror Mystery Bounty
Day 2 Completed
2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open
$580 Monster Mirror Mystery Bounty
Day: 2
Event Info
2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$580
Prize Pool
$310,000
Total Entries
620
Level
31
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Entries
76
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 620
Filter
Level 31
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
The final trophy event of the 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open saw 620 hopefuls try their luck in the $580 Monster Mirror Mystery Bounty. In this unique format, the bounty amounts are the same as the payouts, with half the $310,000 prize pool going to each side.
76 players would return for Day 2, all of whom were in the money and the bounty hunting soon to begin.
Once the dust settled after 12 hours of play, it was Vance Martin III hoisting the beautiful Borgata trophy, along with the first-place prize of $25,650.
However, the cherry on top was Martin's bounty pulling ability. While chipleading at the final table, Martin pulled with top bounty prize, and totaled over $37,000 bounties in the end.
The Lebanon, Pennsylvania native defeated George Grabe in a long heads-up battle after a turbulent final table.
Martin has accumulated $24,000 in live tournament earnings, almost entirely coming within this year. Despite coming into Day 2 with just 12 big blinds, Martin spun up his short stack before his strong performance final table performance led to him doubling his prior tournament winnings.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vance Martin III | United States | $25,650 |
| 2 | George Grabe | United States | $21,150 |
| 3 | Anthony LaRocca | United States | $13,275 |
| 4 | Robert Bernstein | United States | $8,785 |
| 5 | Shane Brown | United States | $6,125 |
| 6 | Erick Ortiz | United States | $4,855 |
| 7 | John Port | United States | $3,900 |
| 8 | David Lu | United States | $3,165 |
| 9 | Alan Johnson | United States | $2,565 |
Day 2 Action
As is the case for most mystery bounty events, the eliminations were fast and furious to begin the day. However, none of the largest bounties would be pulled in the first few hours of play as the remaining field continued to gamble for their shot at the $27,650 top bounty.
Some of the notables to fall short of the final few tables include Alex Rocha (76th - $660), Aaron Mermelstein (70th - $680), Corbin Avery (56th), Lucas Vergara (47th - $780), Lawrence Abrams (37th - $945), and Adam Agaev (29th - $1,125).
The pace of play began to slow down at the final three tables with Kaifan Wang (16th - $1,375) and Todd Lewis (15th - $1,665) bowing out short of the final table. In incredible fashion, Simon Lau laddered up all the way to 11th place after leaving the tournament at the first break. It would take three hours for his stack to be blinded out, and he has a $2,015 payday awaiting him.
Final Table Action
The final table was a tale of the Haves and Have Nots with five players bunched together at the top with four lagging quite behind, but it was Shane Brown to hold the official lead once play commenced, with the largest bounty still unaccounted for.
The first major pot was a double elimination which saw Martin eliminate both Alan Johnson and David Lu. Martin held ace-king against queen-jack and ace-nine, and he paired his king to score the double knockout. Better yet, he went over to pull his bounties and received the two largest remaining ones for $27,650 and $6,125.
John Port (7th - $3,900) and Erick Ortiz (6th - $4,855) would soon follow to the payout desk as Martin began to pull away from the field.
Shane Brown was the next casualty in fifth place for $6,125. A massive preflop confrontation saw Brown’s king-jack, Robert Bernstein’s jacks, and Vance Martin III’s ace-queen all found their way into the middle. Bernstein’s jacks remained best, and he briefly took the chip lead while Brown took his leave.
Four-handed play would continue for nearly an hour before the deadlock was broken. Robert Bernstein ran his pocket sevens into Grabe’s jacks, and Anthony LaRocca followed soon after getting short-stacked, and another player fell victim to the jacks of Grabe. The pair received $8,785 and $13,275 respectively for their efforts.
Grabe held the small advantage to begin heads-up play, with many small pots being traded as Grabe maintained the slight lead.
The pair agreed to flatten the payouts, but play remained cagey. Eventually, there were less than 40 big blinds on the table as the two took turns winning small pots.
On the final hand, Martin raised under the button before Grabe jammed his final 18 big blinds with ace-deuce suited, which was snapped off by the ace-queen of Martin. Neither player found a pair, leaving Martin’s hand best as he celebrated the title after 12 hours of battle.
This concludes PokerNews’s coverage of the $580 Monster Mirror Mystery Bounty. The 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open has now concluded, but stay tuned as we provide updates from tournaments around the world and deliver the hottest news from the poker world.
Level 31
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Vance Martin III is the champion of the $580 Monster Mirror Mystery Bounty, taking down a field of 620 players to claim the first-place prize of $25,650.
He also takes home over $37,000 in bounty prizes.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vance Martin III | United States | $25,650 |
| 2 | George Grabe | United States | $21,150 |
| 3 | Anthony LaRocca | United States | $13,275 |
| 4 | Robert Bernstein | United States | $8,785 |
| 5 | Shane Brown | United States | $6,125 |
| 6 | Erick Ortiz | United States | $4,855 |
| 7 | John Port | United States | $3,900 |
| 8 | David Lu | United States | $3,165 |
| 9 | Alan Johnson | United States | $2,565 |
Stay tuned for winner's photos and a recap of the day.
Level 31
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Vance Martin III raised to 1,800,000 on the button, George Grabe jammed for 14,300,000 from the big blind, and Martin snap-called with the slightly covering stack.
George Grabe: A♥2♥ 
Vance Martin III: A♦Q♦
Martin held the dominating ace as Grabe pleaded for a deuce on the J♦6♣3♣ flop.
The 10♥ turn offered no additional outs for Grabe, and the 7♦ bricked off on the river, giving Martin the winner.
The stacks were counted down, and it was confirmed that Martin held the slightly larger stack, giving him the title.
Level 31
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Vance Martin III disappeared for another bathroom break while George Grabe waited for him with the clock running. There was one flop in a limped pot in which Martin III check-folded the Q♥6♦5♦ flop to a bet of 1,000,000.
He then limped in and Grabe checked. They checked to the K♠Q♦3♣8♣ turn on which Grabe bet 1,300,000 to pick up a call.
On the 6♠ river, both checked and Grabe showed eight-deuce, Martin III won the pot with the Q♣5♠.
Level: 31
Blinds: 400,000/800,000
Ante: 800,000
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Vance Martin III limped the button and George Grabe checked to the Q♠7♠4♣ flop, Grabe bet 2,000,000 and forced a fold.
One hand later was another limped pot in which Martin III checked. Grabe bet 1,000,000 and then folded to a check-raise to 2,000,000.
Martin III flashed his 8♥6♣ for two pair.
"If I knew you had eight six, I would have peeled to hit the diamond. I had the jack of diamonds," Grabe told him.
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
George Grabe and Vance Martin III have spent the majority of the last ten minutes taking down pots preflop with all in raises, but no calls have been made.
Grabe still holds the slight advantage as the blinds will soon move up once again.
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Vance Martin III defended against the button raise of George Grabe for 1,400,000 and they checked to the A♣9♠8♦J♦ turn. Martin III check-called for 1,000,000 and then folded the K♣ river without facing a bet.
"How did you know?" Grabe asked and flashed the A♠.
Martin III then lost another few small pots before he jammed for 5,500,000 on the button to get called.
Vance Martin III: K♠2♦
George Grabe: 2♠2♣
The board ran out A♣A♦Q♠K♥8♦ and Martin III doubled back into contention.
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
George Grabe limped the button and Vance Martin III checked his option in the big blind.
The A♣6♦3♥ flop checked through to the 5♦ turn which saw Martin check again to Grabe who overbet for 2,000,000. Martin then check-raised to 6,000,000 before Grabe instantly announced all in as the covering stack, and Martin called off his 11,000,000 stack.
Vance Martin III: 4♣2♠
George Grabe: 4♦2♥
Both players turned the second nut straight, and the pot was chopped after the meaningless Q♣ river.
