After 19 hours of play, we've crown a champion here at Event 17 at the Borgata Winter Poker Open: Joseph Galazzo, who topped a field of 730 entrants to grab a $57,486 first-place prize. Galazzo mowed down an incredibly speedy final table, finishing the heads-up match in style when he picked up aces and got it all in preflop for the win. The final four bustouts occurred in a span of just 28 minutes.
Seven of Galazzo's nine career tournament cashes (live total of $112,320 coming into tonight) have come at Borgata Poker Open events, including a first-place finish in a $560 Borgata 10th Anniversary Poker Tournament event last summer for $79,635.
Joseph Galazzo limped the button, and Stephen Press raised to 350,000. Galazzo shipped all in, and Press called.
Galazzo:
Press:
Galazzo had woken up with rockets heads up, and Press was massively behind. A flop of gave Press some hope, and the sweat became serious when a turned to give him a flush draw. A fell on the river though, giving Galazzo the tournament.
Stephen Press opened on the button, and Joseph Galazzo three-bet to 1.3 million in the big blind. Press made the call.
After a flop of , Galazzo pushed all in and was instantly called.
Galazzo:
Press:
Press had seen the flop he wanted, and Galazzo didn't improve on the . The wasn't enough either, and Galazzo shipped his opponent a hefty double that actually made Press the chip leader.
The next hand, Galazzo moved all in from the button and Press called.
Press:
Galazzo:
Galazzo flopped a queen, and Press never threatened to catch up, putting Galazzo back in a massive lead.
Don Rawlins shoved over a raise from Joseph Galazzo, and Galazzo made the call.
Rawlins:
Galazzo:
The first four cards were , and Rawlins was poised to double. The dealer burned and turned a , giving Galazzo a straight. Rawlins didn't notice the four-straight on board, and thought he was doubling up.
Chris Coward shoved over a raise from Stephen Press. Press made the call, and he had against the of Coward. An in the window followed by no further improvement for Coward spelled the end for him.
Steven Levy in the Final Table of Event #17 at the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open
Stephen Press opened for a raise, and Steve Levy three-bet him. Press reraised for almost all of Levy's chips, and he moved all in. Press held , while Levy was slightly ahead with . Unfortunately for Levy, Press flopped a pair of kings and rivered a full house for good measure.
Philippe Casciola in the Final Table of Event #17 at the 2014 Borgata Winter Poker Open
Philippe Casciola lost a flip with against the of Patrick Truong. Both players made boats, but Casciola was already drawing dead when he made his on the river.
gave Press some hope, and the sweat became serious when a 
turned to give him a flush draw. A 
fell on the river though, giving Galazzo the tournament.
, Galazzo pushed all in and was instantly called.
. The 
wasn't enough either, and Galazzo shipped his opponent a hefty double that actually made Press the chip leader.
, and Rawlins was poised to double. The dealer burned and turned a 
, giving Galazzo a straight. Rawlins didn't notice the four-straight on board, and thought he was doubling up.
flop, the two got it all in.
against the 
but was outran by the 
of Joseph Galazzo on an 
runout.
of Patrick Truong. Both players made boats, but Casciola was already drawing dead when he made his on the river.