2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Event #13: $400 Almighty Stack
Day: 1c
Event Info

2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Kareem Marshall
Winning Hand
86
Prize
$195,903
Event Info
Buy-in
$400
Prize Pool
$1,140,381
Entries
3,359
Level Info
Level
39
Blinds
800,000 / 1,600,000
Ante
1,600,000
Players Info - Day 1c
Entries
1,140
Players Left
283

Almighty Stack Flight C Begins at 10 AM in Borgata's Event Center!

Almighty Starting Stacks
Almighty Starting Stacks

At 10 a.m. local time, Day 1c of Event #13: Almighty Stack NLH will begin in the Event Center and as the third of four starting flights of one of the most anticipated events of the 2020 Borgata Winter Poker Open, this flight should pack the house. The $1 million guarantee on total buy-ins will bring the players out in droves for today's final two flights.

In 2019 this event featured a slightly bigger buy-in of $450 with the same guarantee. That guarantee was crushed as the 3,508 entries created a total prize pool of $1,403,200. Raj Desai took first place and $175,429 after agreeing to a three-way deal with Thomas Larson and Chris Tryba.

Players get an almighty 100,000 in chips to start and can register and re-enter until the start of Level 13 (about 4:45 p.m.). Re-Entries are unlimited and this is also a best stack forward event, so players who have already bagged can fire again if they want, without automatically forfeiting chips already bagged. All levels on Day 1 are 30 minutes long and they'll play 17 of those, then bag up for the night.

The final flight, 1d, takes off at 5 p.m. local time and will follow the same format. The PokerNews live reporting team will be there from the first shuffle up and deal until the final bag has been sealed, so stay tuned!

Tags: Chris TrybaRaj DesaiThomas Larson

2002 WSOP Main Event Champ in the House

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante
Robert Varkonyi
Robert Varkonyi

It's been more than 17 years since Robert Varkonyi won the World Series of Poker Main Event along with $2,000,000 — and got to shave Phil Hellmuth's head on TV.

He's back on the felt today, but it's been a minute since he's been spotted in a tournament at Borgata. He cashed in this event two years ago during the 2018 BWPO, finishing 166th for $1,048. He also cashed in the 2015 Fall Poker Open Almighty Stack, so this must be a favorite of his.

Player Chips Progress
Robert Varkonyi us
Robert Varkonyi
WSOP 1X Winner
100,000 100,000

Tags: Robert Varkonyi

Update Your Own Chip Count Using the PokerNews MyStack App!

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante
MyStack
MyStack

PokerNews has activated the MyStack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone. But it's more than just chip counts! You can includes notes about big hands, your photo, and even your Table and Seat assignments so your friends can find you.

Download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately.

Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.

Hitchcock Firing Again in Flight C

Level 2 : 100/200, 200 ante
Jane Hitchcock
Jane Hitchcock

Jane Hitchcock is back today, undeterred after taking some horrendous beats in Flight A yesterday.

The bestselling author, playwright, and screenwriter released her sixth novel last year, "Bluff", and it combines her passion for poker with her mind for mystery and her family's personal history with financial fraud.

“In this stunning social noir … an audacious murder in broad daylight sets off the biggest scandal to hit New York society in years. The unlikely shooter uses her knowledge of poker to play the game of her life with no cards to frame her nemesis and exact revenge.”

In the last six years since she started playing tournaments, she's run up more than $129,000 in reported earnings, so she's no slouch in the felt. Now if she can only get her monster hands to hold up on the river!

Player Chips Progress
Jane Hitchcock us
Jane Hitchcock
100,000

Tags: Jane Hitchcock

Patterson Makes BWPO Debut

Level 5 : 300/600, 600 ante
Tyler Patterson
Tyler Patterson

Tyler Patterson has arrived at Borgata and is making his debut in today's Flight C of the $400 Almighty Stack.

The traveling pro has accumulated more than $2.5 million in tournament earnings during his career, including one WSOP bracelet, (2014) a World Poker Tour title, (2015) and one Borgata title (2010).

Player Chips Progress
Tyler Patterson us
Tyler Patterson
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
110,000 110,000

Tags: Tyler Patterson

Ali Knocks Two Out for Chip Lead

Level 7 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Akib Ali
Akib Ali

The player in the middle position raised and Akib Ali three-bet to 25,000 in the hijack. The player in the cutoff called for the rest of the table to fold. The initial raiser shoved for almost a start stack and Ali decided to shove too with the bigger stack. The cutoff called with the shorter stack.

Initial Raiser: {a-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds}
Cutoff: {8-Spades}{8-Diamonds}
Akib Ali: {k-Spades}{k-Hearts}

The board ran out {9-Spades}{j-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{9-Clubs}{5-Hearts} for Ali to hold with the pair of kings for the higher two pair than on the board to eliminate both of his opponents and jump into the chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Akib Ali us
Akib Ali
423,000

Tags: Alib Ali

Don't Miss Borgata's $10,000 Quarterback Challenge

Level 7 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Borgata Quarterback Challenge
Borgata Quarterback Challenge

Test your accuracy in this skill-based throwing challenge for a chance to win real cash!

$10,000 Guaranteed
$20 Buy-In + $5 Fee (Cash only)

Enter for your chance to win the $5,000 grand prize! Participants will have 1 minute to throw 10 Wilson NFL mini footballs at four different targets from ten yards. The top 16 scores will advance to the final round.

One re-entry is permitted for Round 1. Participants must have a M life® Rewards Card

  • Date: Saturday, February 1, 2020
  • Location: Signature Room
  • Buy-in Location: Borgata Poker Room from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
  • Tournament Times: Round 1 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. / Final Round TBD

The top four from the final round will win a portion of the $10,000 GTD prize pool, which could grow based upon the number of entries.

Projected payouts are as follows:

PlacePercentage of Prize PoolMinimum Payout
150%$5,000
230%$3,000
310%$1,000
410%$1,000
5-16$100 Bonus Slot Dollars or $100 Match Play 

Click here for more information.

Reese Returns, Attempting to Repeat

Level 8 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Adam Reese won two events during 2019 Summer Open
Adam Reese won two events during 2019 Summer Open

During the 2019 Summer Poker Open last July, Adam Reese carved his name in Borgata's history books when he won two trophy events during the 18-day series. The poker dealer from Pennsylvania won both the $300 Deeper Stack NLH ($14,805) and the $450 Almighty Stack NLH ($68,806*).

He's in action here today in Flight C of the Almighty Stack and off to a good start.

*Indicates Adjusted Payout

Player Chips Progress
Adam Reese us
Adam Reese
175,000 175,000

Tags: Adam Reese

Almighty Veterans Saadeghvaziri and Alvarado Both in Flight C

Level 9 : 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
[Removed:321] Saadeghvaziri
[Removed:321] Saadeghvaziri

During the 2018 Borgata Summer Poker Open, [Removed:321] Saadeghvaziri, a.k.a. "the Badger" and Carlos Alvarado made it to the final table of the Almighty Stack, where they were part of a three-way deal with Joseph Gay.

Saadeghvaziri took first place and $84,000, plus the BSPO trophy and in an unusual deal, Alvarado negotiated his way to second place and $100,000.

Player Chips Progress
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri us
Mohammad Saadeghvaziri
175,000
Carlos Alvarado us
Carlos Alvarado
100,000

Tags: Carlos AlvaradoMohammad Saadeghvaziri

Press Takes Two Out

Level 10 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Jonathan Press
Jonathan Press

The flop read {10-Clubs}{k-Clubs}{5-Hearts} when Alex Rocha had bet 25,000 from the big blind. Jonathan Press raised to 55,000 from the late position for the player on the button to shove. Rocha was sitting in the tank and then made the call for the 61.000 or so he had behind. Press asked for a count of the player on the button and the dealer confirmed it was around 175,000. Press called so the cards could go on their backs.

Alex Rocha: {10-Spades}{5-Spades}
Button: {k-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}
Jonathan Press; {4-Clubs}{3-Clubs}

Rocha had hit two pair but the player in the button had the higher ones while Press was sitting on the flush draw.

The turn brought them the {9-Clubs} for Press to hit the flush.

The river completed the board with the {7-Diamonds} for things to not change and both Rocha and the player on the button were eliminated, for now, as the late registration and reentry period is still open.

Player Chips Progress
Jonathan Press us
Jonathan Press
488,000
Alex Rocha us
Alex Rocha
Busted

Tags: Alex RochaJonathan Press