2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Event 14: $15,400 $5 Million Guaranteed WPT World Championship
Day: 3
Event Info

2014 Borgata Spring Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a8
Prize
$1,350,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$15,000
Prize Pool
$4,852,400
Entries
328
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
25

Hawkins Doubles

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Maurice Hawkins
Maurice Hawkins

The ever boisterous and camera-friendly Maurice Hawkins came in for a raise from the hijack seat. Ryan D'Angelo put in a three-bet from the big blind, Hawkins four-bet shoved for 309,000, and D'Angelo called.

Hawkins: {a-Spades}{a-Diamonds}
D'Angelo: {10-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}

There was yet another all-in pot featuring pocket aces, and they again held up on a board of {5-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}{9-Clubs}{4-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}. Hawkins doubled to 630,000 chips, while D'Angelo fell to 360,000.

Player Chips Progress
Maurice Hawkins us
Maurice Hawkins
630,000
290,000
290,000
Ryan D'Angelo us
Ryan D'Angelo
360,000
-310,000
-310,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Maurice HawkinsRyan D'Angelo

Loni Harwood Eliminated in 29th Place ($30,085)

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Loni Harwood - 29th Place
Loni Harwood - 29th Place

Keven Stammen opened for a raise to 26,000 in the hijack seat, Loni Harwood moved all in for around 200,000 from the big blind, and Stammen snap-called.

Stammen: {a-Spades}{a-Hearts}
Harwood: {a-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}

Like Blake Bohn, Harwood was up against a wired pair of aces, and failed to improve as the flop, turn, and river produced {3-Spades}{2-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{7-Spades}{6-Hearts}.

The WPT Ones to Watch member and WSOP gold bracelet winner did one last interview before exiting the tournament area and picking up her $30,085.

Player Chips Progress
Keven Stammen us
Keven Stammen
530,000
318,000
318,000
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Loni Harwood us
Loni Harwood
Busted
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Keven StammenLoni Harwood

Matt Stout Eliminated in 30th Place ($30,085)

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Matt Stout - 30th Place
Matt Stout - 30th Place

After getting a shove through, Matt Stout moved all in again, this time for 212,000 from under the gun. Curt Kohlberg just called in middle position, and there were no other takers.

Stout: {k-Spades}{q-Hearts}
Kohlberg: {j-Hearts}{j-Spades}

The two players were off to the races, and the {8-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds} flop changed very little. Neither did the {2-Hearts} on the turn, or the repeat deuce - the {2-Diamonds} - on the river. Stout will receive $30,085 for his efforts here in the WPT World Championship.

Player Chips Progress
Curt Kohlberg us
Curt Kohlberg
1,050,000
262,000
262,000
Matt Stout us
Matt Stout
Busted

Tags: Curt KohlbergMatt Stout

Blake Bohn Eliminated in 31st Place ($30,085)

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Blake Bohn - 31st Place
Blake Bohn - 31st Place

Tom Dobrilovic raised to 25,000 in early position, Eric Afriat called in the hijack, and Blake Bohn re-raised to 104,000 on the button. Dobrilovic got out of the way, Afriat clicked it back, four-betting to around 200,000, and Bohn moved all in for what looked like 640,000. Afriat snap-called.

Afriat: {a-Hearts}{a-Clubs}
Bohn: {a-Spades}{k-Clubs}

Bohn was in rough shape against Afriat's aces, and the pocket rockets held up on a board of {2-Clubs}{6-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}. The MSPT regular hit the rail, while the latest WPT Champions Club member pulled in a massive pot to push his stack to 1.75 million.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Afriat ca
Eric Afriat
1,750,000
1,030,000
1,030,000
WPT 3X Winner
Blake Bohn us
Blake Bohn
Busted

Tags: Blake BohnEric AfriatTom Dobrilovic

Slick Meets the Gunslinger

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Jesse Sylvia
Jesse Sylvia

Jesse Sylvia opened to 28,000 from under the gun and Maurice Hawkins three-bet to 69,000, with the action folding around to Sylvia after the pressure play.

Sylvia decided to take a flop and he flatted the reraise, bringing the {6-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{7-Hearts} to the table. He checked to Hawkins and watched as four of the red T25000 chips were tossed into the middle. Not long after that Sylvia went for the kill, moving all in for 330,000 more and putting Hawkins to the test.

Hawkins asked for a count and then stood up to perch on his knee, talking himself through the hand.

"Why didn't you shove preflop?" he asked rhetorically, before directing his own answer at Sylvia. "Because you knew I'd snap you off."

Hawkins then uncapped his cards and showed his snapping hand - {a-Spades}{k-Spades} - before beginning every poker player's most common complaint, wondering why he had to have big slick so many times when baby card boards hit the felt.

Player Chips Progress
Jesse Sylvia us
Jesse Sylvia
745,000
250,000
250,000
WPT 1X Winner
Maurice Hawkins us
Maurice Hawkins
340,000
-370,000
-370,000

Tags: Jesse SylviaMaurice Hawkins

Jason Koon Eliminated in 32nd Place ($30,085)

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Jason Koon - 32nd Place
Jason Koon - 32nd Place

Ray Qartomy raised to 25,000 from the cutoff, Jason Koon announced "two-hundred -and-four thousand" on the button, going all in, and Tony Dunst re-shoved in the big blind. Qartomy folded, revealing the {a-Spades}.

Koon: {9-Spades}{9-Clubs}
Dunst: {a-Diamonds}{k-Hearts}

One of Dunst's aces was dead, but there were plenty of kings still left in the deck, and two of them appeared on the {k-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{k-Clubs} flop. Koon was suddenly drawing to the two remaining nines in the deck, and neither appeared on the turn ({3-Clubs}) or the river ({7-Clubs}).

Koon exited in 32nd place, while Dunst is up to 505,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Ray Qartomy us
Ray Qartomy
604,000
-77,000
-77,000
Tony Dunst us
Tony Dunst
505,000
270,000
270,000
WSOP 3X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Jason Koon us
Jason Koon
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
Run It Once

Tags: Jason KoonRay QartomyTony Dunst

Let's Not Forget About Afriat and Cristos

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Eric Afriat
Eric Afriat

With Mukul Pahuja recently locking up the World Poker Tour Season XII Player of the Year title, none of the remaining competitors have a shot at that added glory. Now, while Pahuja's overall performance on Season XII was amazing �� five cashes, three final tables, and $1,447,742 in earnings �� he failed to win an event, and that's something two players remaining in the field have a chance to do for a second time this season.

That's right, both Eric Afriat and Jordan Cristos previously won events in Season XII. Afriat's win was in the largest WPT field in history when he took down the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown to the tune of $1,081,184, beating out a field of 1,795 entries. Cristos won the WPT Legends of Poker for $613,355 when he defeated a field of 716.

As it stands, both Afriat and Cristos have zero chance at winning the Season XII POY title because Pahuja already has that victory in the bag, but there's certainly something to be said about any player who wins not one, but two WPT titles in the same season. In the case for Cristos, he also has two other cashes this season, including one that resulted in a final table appearance when he took fifth in the WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open for $47,802.

Not taking anything away from Pahuja and his truly amazing performance this season, a strong argument could be made that Afriat or Cristos should've won the POY title if either goes on to win a second title this season. Both are still alive and well in this event, so debaters get ready.

(H/T Jess Welman)

Tags: Eric AfriatJordan CristosMukul PahujaSpring Poker OpenWPT

Corey Hochman Doubles Up Against Tony Dunst

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Dunst (L) and Hochman (R)
Dunst (L) and Hochman (R)

Jason Koon raised to 26,000 in early position. Tony Dunst re-raised to 55,000. Corey Hochman was one to his left and moved all in for 223,000 total. It was folded back to Koon who let his hand go. Dunst thought about his decision for a moment and decided to make the call with {A-Clubs}{J-Hearts}. Hochman had to like what he saw as he had {A-Hearts}{Q-Hearts}.

The flop came {10-Spades}{6-Clubs}{4-Diamonds} to keep Hochman in the lead. The turn was the {2-Diamonds} and Dunst would need to hit a Jack to send Hochman home.

The river was the {8-Spades} and Hochman scores a much needed double up to 505,000 in chips while Dunst slips to 235,000.

Player Chips Progress
Corey Hochman (Cory Hochman)
Corey Hochman (Cory Hochman)
505,000
108,000
108,000
Tony Dunst us
Tony Dunst
235,000
-305,000
-305,000
WSOP 3X Winner
WPT 1X Winner

Brian Yoon Eliminated in 33rd Place ($30,085)

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Brian Yoon - 33rd Place
Brian Yoon - 33rd Place

Brock Parker raised to 25,000 in late position, Brian Yoon re-raised all in for 215,000 on his direct left, and the action folded back to Parker. The two-time WSOP bracelet winner called.

Parker: {a-Spades}{j-Clubs}
Yoon: {3-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}

Parker took the lead on a flop of {5-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{j-Spades} with a pair of jacks, but Yoon could still double through with one of the two remaining threes in the deck. The {6-Clubs} on the turn added four more outs - a {4-} would give him a straight to the six - but unfortunately for him the {q-Clubs} bricked off on the river.

Yoon exited in 33rd place, earning $30,085, and Parker is right under a million chips.

Player Chips Progress
Brock Parker us
Brock Parker
995,000
445,000
445,000
Brian Yoon us
Brian Yoon
Busted
WSOP 5X Winner

Tags: Brian YoonBrock Parker

Loni and the Lady

Level 19 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Loni Harwood
Loni Harwood

Loni Harwood was short-stacked and looking to steal, so she shoved all in for her last 113,000 before the flop, holding {q-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} and hoping to fold the table - or find some magic on the flop if somebody looked her up.

Brian Yoon did just that, calling and tabling {j-Spades}{j-Clubs} to fins himself well out in front.

Flop: {5-Spades}{q-Spades}{6-Hearts}

The dealer delivered a queen on the flop and Harwood suddenly had a huge advantage, with Yoon left to call for the deck's two remaining jacks to arrive. Paint showed up on the turn and river, but the {k-Hearts} and {k-Diamonds} were not the royalty Yoon had in mind.

Player Chips Progress
Loni Harwood us
Loni Harwood
262,000
-12,000
-12,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Brian Yoon us
Brian Yoon
247,000
41,000
41,000
WSOP 5X Winner

Tags: Brian YoonLoni Harwood