Wenhai Ying Wins 2018 Borgata Fall Poker Open for $200K; Paul Volpe Finishes Third
The day before Thanksgiving, the 2018 Borgata Fall Poker Open wrapped up with its $2,500+$200 Championship Event, a tournament that drew 437 entries. The field was comprised of a long list of notable East Coast grinders, but in the end, it was 24-year-old Wenhao Ying earning his first tournament win for $200,000.
To do so, he had to cut a three-way deal with poker heavyweights Matt Wantman and Paul Volpe, who finished in second and third place for $172,499 and $150,000 respectively. According to the updates from the event, Ying held the chip lead for most of Day 3 and followed it up by going wire to wire on Day 4.
Prior to the win, Ying’s best tournament cash was $60,577 for placing third in the 2018 Lucky Hearts Poker Open back in January. In April 2017, he finished 10th in the Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship Event for $21,122.
Championship Final Results
| Position | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wenhao Ying | $200,000* |
| 2 | Matt Wantman | $172,449* |
| 3 | Paul Volpe | $150,000* |
| 4 | Dat Vu | $76,830 |
| 5 | Mike Glick | $60,404 |
| 6 | Brian Altman | $50,337 |
| 7 | Dan DiZenzo | $40,270 |
| 8 | Andrew Ostapchenko | $30,732 |
| 9 | Chris Kennedy | $21,195 |
*Denotes three-way deal
At the six-handed final table, Brian Altman was the first to fall after getting his stack all in preflop holding pocket tens only to run them smack dab into the jacks of Ying. The board ran out clean and Altman was sent packing in sixth place for $50,337.
Not long after, Mike Glick shoved his short stack from the cutoff holding the Q♠6♠ and was called by Ying, who looked down at the A♦10♥ in the big blind. The board ran out 8♦5♣3♦K♣5♦ and Glick was ousted in fifth place for $60,404.
In the final elimination of the tournament before the deal was struck, the blinds were 30,000/60,000/60,000 when Dat Vu got his stack in on the turn holding the J♥10♥ on a J♠7♠3♣5♣ board against the [109s] of Wantman. The 5♠ river gave Wantman the flush and Dat Vu, who earned his first recorded tournament cash, had to settle for fourth place and $76,830 in prize money.
Others to cash the Championship Event were Lexy Gavin (14th - $10,597), Dan Buzgon (18th - $8,372), Asher Conniff (21st - $6,570), Anna Antimony (28th - $5,828), Ari Engel (40th - $5,299), and Andrew Fegan (45th - $5,299).
Here’s a look at all those who won titles during the 2018 Borgata Fall Poker Open, which awarded more than $3.4 million in prize money over 20 events.
| Event | Entries | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1: $540+60 DeepStack NLH | 1,474 | Frank Lagodich | $128,359 |
| #2: $300+40 Omaha/Stud High/Low FO | 54 | Bob Camano | $3,772 |
| #3: $350+50+100 Bounty Deepstack NLH | 416 | Sam Lopes | $31,912 |
| #4: $400+50 HORSE FO | 47 | Harry Armstrong | $8,206 |
| #5: $350+50 Sat Series Deepstack | 455 | John Wilson | $23,760 |
| #6: $500+60 Super Survivor | 118 | 11 players won | $5,000 each |
| #7: $300+40 Seniors NLH | 135 | Paul Dellauniversita | $7,422 |
| #8: $200+30+10 DAV Deeper Stack NLH | 117 | Sal Anastasio | $3,244 |
| #9: $260+40 Deepest Stack | 745 | Katie Stone | $19,337 |
| #10: $400+50 Old School NLH FO | 103 | Andrew Klein | $14,385 |
| #11: $300+40 PLO | 49 | Eddie [Removed:363] | $4,204 |
| #12: $400+50 Almighty Stack | 1,073 | Anna Antimony | $91,586 |
| #13: $1,000+90 Six Max NLH | 112 | Stephen Gerber | $28,000 |
| #14: $500+60 Super Survivor | 164 | 15 players won | $5,000 each |
| #15: $350+50 Sat Series DeepStack | 334 | Tom McMillan | $17,433 |
| #16: $2,500+200 BFPO Championship | 437 | Wenhao Ying | $200,000 |
| #17: $200+30 DeepStack NLH | 182 | John Kuzmech | $8,121 |
| #18: $1,000+60+200 Bounty Semi-Turbo | 71 | Brock Wilson | $24,105 |
| #19: $260+40 Deeper Stack NLH | 199 | Carlos Matos | $14,000 |
| #20: $200+30 Deepest Stack NLH | 274 | Andrew Zhu | $11,301 |
*Photos courtesy of Borgata
