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World Poker Tour - Borgata Poker Open - Main Event Final
by 2007 World Poker Tour Coverage   
Thursday, 20 September 2007


World Poker Tour - Final of the Borgata Poker Open Main Event

Final table results for this event:

PlacePayoutPlayer
1$1,549,780 + $25,500 seat in WPT ChampionshipRoy 'The Oracle' Winston
2$832,725 Heung "Scott" Yoon
3$434,560 Haralabos Voulgaris
4$380,240 Mark Weitzman
5$325,920 Eugene 'Mr Brooklyn' Todd
6$271,600 Mike 'the Mouth' Matusow


Friday, 21st of September 2007 12:07 AM


 
 
Dr. Roy Winston - Winner!

11:50pm Blinds are now 150k/300k with 30k antes. Play has resumed. Scott has 5.6 million and Roy has about 11.2 million.

12:01am Scott opened for 750k and Roy called. Flop was 4 Q 6 and Roy bet 1 million. After about a minute, Scott raised to 3 million. Roy quickly moved all in and Scott insta-called, showing AK off for two overcards. Roy rolled over pocket 4s for the set and he was way out in front. Scott could only win with two perfect runners, but it was not to be as the turn was a deuce and it is OVER!!

Roy 'The Oracle' Winston finished in 1st place, earning $1,549,780 and the $25,500 seat in the WPT Season 6 Championship.  Make that 'Dr. Roy Winston'.  Roy is an anesthesiologist.

Heung "Scott" Yoon finished in 2nd place, earning $832,725.  Not a bad return on a $200 investment in a satellite.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 11:37 PM

11:23pm Roy moved all in pre-flop. Scott took a few seconds, said to Roy "no matter who wins, good game" then called all in (for about 5.5 million) showing A K . He was ahead of Roy's A 7 . Board came J J T T 2 and they chopped the pot.

Short break while they deal with the cameras.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 11:07 PM

10:50pm Blinds are now up to 100k/200k with 20k antes. Heads-up play continues.

Scott opened for 550k from the button and Roy called. Flop was 3 A 7 . Roy checked, Scott fired half a millionn, and Roy called. River was the 9 and again Roy checked. Scott moved all in, commenting that he couldn't let Roy have a free card. After a bit of thought, probing at Scott to try to get a read, Roy surrendered the hand.

Scott is now over the 6 million chip mark.

11:07pm Roy opened for 500k from the button and Scott called. Flop was Q Q 2. Scott checked, Roy bet an even million and Scott went into the tank for a while, then called. Turn was the 6 and Scott announced he was all in. Roy started probing again, asking Scott if he had a Queen. After a couple of minutes, he folded. No cards were shown, but Roy claimed he was laying down pocket Kings because he believed Scott held a Queen. Linda says we'll have to wait to see that when it is on TV (which will not be until April of 2008 if the current schedule holds).

Scott is now over the 7 million chip mark. Roy has about 9.6 million.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 10:37 PM

About 50 hands into heads up play: Scott limped on the button and Roy kicked it up to 460k. Scott came over the top to the tune of 760k and Roy made the call and checked dark. Flop was A 4 2 and Scott checked behind. Turn was the 7 and Roy checked again, Scott fired 400k, and Roy called, then checked-dark again. River was the Q and Scott fired 500k. Roy made the call and Scott showed Q2 for two pair (Queens-up). With a stunned look on his face, Roy rotated his cards in the air so they were visible: AT. He slow-played his pair of Aces right out of that pot. Roy was left with about 11 million to Scott's 5.8 million.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 10:07 PM

Play has resumed. Roy has 12.805 million to Scott's 4.01 million.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 09:37 PM

9:14pm Scott raised to 300k on the button and Roy moved all in. Scott called, showing Q9 offsuit. Roy was ahead with his A4 offsuit and we had a showdown like the one that bounced Haralabos. This time, however, the flop was J 8 4, giving Roy a pair, but giving Scott more outs with a straight-draw. Then the Ten came on the turn completing the gutshot and Scott doubled up to just over 3 million (leaving Roy with ~ 13.8 million).

9:37pm Level 32: Blinds 80k/160k with 20k antes. They're about 35 hands into heads-up play. Scott has stacked up a little. A couple of hands ago, they limped to the flop of A J 6, where Scott bet 300k and Roy called. Turn was the 8 making a flush possible and both checked. River was a T and both checked. Roy had JT for two pair, but Scott held A6 for a better two pair. How's that for some passive play?

They're taking a short break now.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 09:07 PM


 
 
Heung "Scott" Yoon

8:51pm Level 31: Blinds 60k/120k with 10k antes. Play continues.

Both of these guys are just happy to be here. They're chatting amiably -- none of that stone-cold poker face stuff. Roy is a cash-game player and has only been playing tournaments for a couple of years. He finished 26th in the WSOP Main Event this year. This is Scott's first tournament and he got in via a $200 satellite, so he's thrilled to be playing for $1.5 million.

9:05pm About 15 hands into heads-up play, Scott has taken a couple of small pots, but Roy is using his big-stack muscle to grind away at Scott's stack. Roy is approaching 15 million, leaving Scott with about 2 million.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 08:37 PM


 
 
Haralabos Voulgaris - 3rd place

Haralabos raised to 250k from the button. Roy made it 750k smooth from the big blind. After about half a minute, Haralabos announced all-in (2.21 million) and Roy called quickly, showing A 4 . Haralabos held Q 9 and needed help. The board ran out 7 J 3 4 4 and Roy bounces another player.

Haralabos Voulgaris finished in 3rd place, earning $434.560. This is Haralabos' second WPT final table. He finished 2nd to Michael 'the Grinder' Mizrachi at the LA Poker Classic in 2005 and came close to the final table with an 8th place finish at the Bellagio Five Diamond in 2006.

Play has paused as they prepare for heads-up play and film the money presentation.

Chip counts for the final two:

PlayerChipsSeat
Roy 'The Oracle' Winston13,370,0002
Heung "Scott" Yoon3,445,0001
Players remaining2 
Total chips in play16,800,000 
Average stack8,400,000 

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 08:07 PM

Chip counts for the final three:

PlayerChipsSeat
Roy 'The Oracle' Winston9,960,0002
Heung "Scott" Yoon3,885,0001
Haralabos Voulgaris2,970,0003
Players remaining3 
Total chips in play16,800,000 
Average stack5,600,000 

Still in the 50k/100k level. Play is back underway.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 07:37 PM


 
 
Mark Weitzman - 4th place

The final four have been jousting, but no big confrontations lately. Here are some rough chip counts:

PlayerChipsSeat
Roy 'The Oracle' Winston8,300,0002
Heung "Scott" Yoon4,700,0001
Haralabos Voulgaris2,750,0003
Mark Weitzman1,800,0004
Players remaining4 
Total chips in play16,800,000 
Average stack4,200,000 

As soon as I typed that, Mark got all in for 1.89 million against Roy. Mark held A 8 and was trailing Roy's A Q . The flop came K 6 J giving Mark the flush draw, needing a or an 8 to take the lead. The turn was the 7 , which took away the 8 as one of Mark's outs. The river was no help, the 5 completed a flush for Roy and Mark was done.

Mark Weitzman finished in 4th place, earning $380,240.  Mark has several WSOP final tables, all in Draw Lowball.  He did cash in the WSOP Main Event this year, so he is no stranger to No-Limit Hold'em.

They're now taking a 20 minute break.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 07:07 PM


 
 
Mike Matusow - 6th place

On a flop of A Q 4 , Roy checked, Mike (button) bet 325k, Mike raised another 900k, Mike moved in and Roy insta-called. Mike held A Q for top two pair. Roy held A 7 for top pair with the flush draw. Mike was ahead, but was all in for his tournament life and Roy had a lot of outs. Any diamond would ship the pot to Roy. And it was the 2 that came on the turn. Mike still had some outs, as any remaining Ace or Queen (3 outs) would give him a full house. It was not to be, however, as the river was the K

Mike 'the Mouth' Matusow finished in 6th place, earning $271,600.


 
 
Eugene Todd - 5th place

Eugene got his short-stack in with pocket 3s against Scott who held AK offsuit. It was off to the races. Eugene was sweating the board from the rail. The flop was J 9 7 and he was in the clear so far. Then a 2 came on the turn, putting him one step closer to another double up, but the river was the killer, a King, giving Scott the bigger pair and the pot.

Eugene 'Mr Brooklyn' Todd finished in 5th place, earning $325,920.

Level 30: Blinds 50k/100k with 10k antes. Play continues.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 06:37 PM

Eugene moved his stack in and made the common mistake of forgetting the single 5k chip that was protecting his cards. Mike obliged by raising him all in (for 235k total). Eugene's A 8 was about a 3-to-2 favorite over Mike's Q 9 . The cards came 6 A 3 6 K and Eugene doubled up again.

After everyone folded to him, Haralabos moved all in from the small blind, having Mark covered. Mark called all in from the big blind for 990k, showing A 3 . Haralabos' J 9 was trailing. The board came T 7 T 6 4 and Mark doubled up to about 2 million, leaving Haralabos with about 2 million.

Players and audience are now returning from a 10 minute break.

Here are the approximate chip counts:

PlayerChipsSeat
Roy 'The Oracle' Winston5,115,0002
Heung "Scott" Yoon4,795,0001
Haralabos Voulgaris2,560,0003
Mike 'the Mouth' Matusow2,320,0005
Mark Weitzman1,550,0004
Eugene 'Mr Brooklyn' Todd475,0006
Players remaining6 
Total chips in play16,800,000 
Average stack2,800,000 

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 06:07 PM

The first big all-in confrontation came at about 5:55pm. Haralabos got all-in for 1.185 million and called by Eugene (who had 25k left after making the call). Haralabos' A A had Eugene's A K in bad shape. The board came 7 4 T 3 9 and Haralabos doubled up, leaving Eugene in critical condition.

On the next hand. Eugene put 5k in for the ante, then his other 20k went in for the big blind, so he was all in. Haralabos, Mark, and Mike (sb) all called the 80k big blind, so they're hoping to take Eugene out. There was 180k in the side pot. Flop was 8 J 3 and it was checked to Mark, who bet 200k. The others folded and Mark got the side pot, showing 6 5 for the flush draw. Eugene rolled over two red 8s for the flopped set of 8s and the lead. The turn was the 3  and Eugene filled up to survive and take the main pot (110K).

Eugene had posted the 40k small blind and tossed the rest of his chips in when it was folded to him. Scott made the call from the big blind, showing Q 5 . Again Eugene was ahead with K J . The board came T A J 7 5 and Eugene stays allive and doubles up to about 240k.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 05:37 PM

Roy raised to 230k and Mark called from the big blind. On the J T 7 flop, Mark lead with 400k. Roy took about a minute before deciding to come over the top for a cool million. Mark took much less time to decide to fold.

I've just been notified by WPT staff that I'm only allowed to post every 30 minutes, so that's when you should expect updates.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 05:28 PM

Another change the WPT made this season is to follow the set tournament structure at the final table rather than jacking the blinds up every 30 minutes in order to accellerate play, so they will continue playing 75 minute levels.

Due to the extended amount of time it took to eliminate the 7th place player, (they almost finished level 30 with 50k/100k blinds) an executive decision was made to roll the blinds back and start over at level 29, so...

Level 29: Blinds 40k/80k with 5k antes. Cards are in the air.

Thursday, 20th of September 2007 04:57 PM


 
 

Play should be underway shortly. Audience members are still being seated and Linda Johnson is warming up the crowd.

Here are the final table players with their seat assignments and chip counts:

PlayerChipsSeat
Roy 'The Oracle' Winston5,355,0002
Heung "Scott" Yoon3,090,0001
Mike 'the Mouth' Matusow2,965,0005
Eugene 'Mr Brooklyn' Todd2,190,0006
Mark Weitzman1,750,0004
Haralabos Voulgaris1,465,0003
Players remaining6 
Total chips in play16,800,000 
Average stack2,800,000 

Several things have changed with the WPT this season (season 6) that you may or may not be aware of. The most significant to the TV audience is that the WPT has moved from the Travel Channel to the Game Show Network (GSN). Reruns of seasons 1-5 will still appear on the Travel Channel, but season 6 and new episodes will only be shown on GSN. That means that this final table, which will not air until some time in 2008, will show on GSN.

The second big change is that WPT has signed an 'exclusive media' deal with CardPlayer media, which means that I am no longer able to cover this final table from the actual set -- I am relegated to the 'overflow' area, where I can only watch on monitors.  I'll still bring you all the action, just will not have photos of the players from today.


 

Kaelaine Minton Reporting

Kaelaine is one of the hardest working reporters on the tournament cicruit, and she can play poker, too!  She won the 2007 World Poker Open Media Tournament at the Goldstrike in Tunica, besting a field of 50 to win the event and the WPO gold bracelet!   Her motto is "will do anything poker-related for money".



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