Event 16
The 2019 Borgata Spring Poker Open came to a close in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 20th and it was a terrific series all around. Between Main and Secondary events, millions in prize money was won and 19 Borgata Open trophies awarded. A complete list of Main Event winners is below.
David Jackson – 1st Place – 2019 BSPO Championship
David Jackson took home his second Borgata trophy while booking his largest career score when he won the BSPO Championship event, coming out on top of a field of 505 runners after four days of play. The $304,929 he earned for the win pushed his career earnings past $1.8 million. His wife Gloria was able to watch the final table play out live at Borgata, but many others watched via live stream on Twitch and Facebook Live.
Alex Rocha – Two-Time Open Series Kick-Off Winner, 2011 and 2019
The series started off with a bang a couple of weeks earlier as Alex Rocha became the first player to ever win two Open Series Kick-Off events! His first was way back in 2011 when he won the Winter Poker Open Kick-Off event, earning $150,850 for 1st place in a field of 1,472 entrants. Now he’s got his second Borgata trophy for the Spring Poker Open Kick-Off, besting a field of 2,199 runners to earn $180,591*.
As if that wasn ‘t enough, Alex went on to make the final table of the Almighty Stack $500,000 GTD event about a week later, coming very close to taking another title. His run ended in 5th place ($34,438). Then to cap off the series, he cashed in the Championship event as well. If there was a Player of the Series award, I think it would go to Alex for his stellar performance during this Spring Poker Open.
Lorinda Lisitza – 1st Place – PLO
Lorinda Lisitza was the only woman to win an open event during this series, taking the Pot Limit Omaha title and $4,795*. Alida Veliu went back-to-back in Borgata Open Ladies events, winning the Ladies event in this series ($2,953) after winning the same event during January’s Winter Poker Open ($3,325*). This was her third Ladies event win at Borgata — her first was back in 2009.
Alida Veliu – 1st Place – 2019 BSPO Ladies event
That wraps up the 2019 Spring Poker Open! Mark your calendars now and make plans to join us for the Summer Poker Open, to be held July 9-26. Follow @BorgataPoker on Twitter for updates on the tournament schedule when it is released.
* Indicates Adjusted Payout
(L to R) Tim Dalessandro ($3,280) Ron Halerin ($2,988) Ezra Angrist ($4,523) Leonardo Palermo ($4,705)
Event 16 of the Borgata Spring Poker Open was the $340 Omaha Hi/Lo event. There were 71 total entries and when the final four was reached the players struck a deal.
Ron Halperin will take home the Event 16 Borgata Spring Poker Trophy along with $2,988 after the adjusted payout agreement.
Ron Halperin
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 19: Limits 12000/24000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 5
Average: 177,000
As an acrimonious deal discussion floats in between O8 hands, the chip leader Ezra is trapped by Halperin who slowplays 
pre and nabs several big bets. It’s a timely pot and possibly will change the agreement proposals that will resurface next level.
Halperin gains again. He is loud and keeping the table on edge, but they haven’t stopped him with the cards or the conversation.
“Let me be me!” Ron hollers.
Next it is Braker’s turn to go. He gets it in against both Halperin and Ezra, but it’s a battle of kickers and Ezra has the best starting hand and the best ending hand. Hit for Halperin and a great run by Braker ends in 6th for $1240
Braker’s run is done.
Estimated chips by seat
- Ezra Angrist – 320,000
- Tim Dalessandro – 100,000
- Lenny Palermo – 270,000
- Ron Halperin – 320,000
- Danny Vitiello – 60,000
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 19: Limits 12000/24000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 6
Average: 177,000
First, Halperin gets a bluff/marginal value hand through the field and shows, moving him back to 190.000.
Then, Scott Byron is eliminated in 7th in a three way pot. Palermo opens a non-ace drawing hand and gets action from Braker and Byron. His 
is of course a dominated hand but Palermo gets the right board and action from both his opponents. Palermo scoops with both a middling straight and a low when the rivered ace likely counterfeits his opponents’ low draws. A sweet pot for Palermo, who has managed a short stack all tournament and now has over 200,000.
Scott Byron, 7th for $1033.
Estimated chips by seat
- Ezra Angrist – 400,000
- Tim Dalessandro – 90,000
- Lenny Palermo – 210,000
- Ron Halperin – 190,000
- Jim Braker – 30,000
- Danny Vitiello – 150,000
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 18: Limits 10000/20000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 7
Average: 152,000
Anthony leads out, wagering on this board from the small – but will not like the result.
Anthony DeGennaro, who appeared to have somehow survived on one big bet for several levels, is finally out when he goes with a flush draw on a paired board. Palermo on the button had flopped trips, which hold. Anthony takes 8th for $826.
Braker is now getting the shortest, and is wounded by Dalessandro, who ends up scooping about 40,000 Jim badly needed, with low and two pair versus naked kings.
Estimated chips by seat
- Ezra Angrist – 300,000
- Tim Dalessandro – 90,000
- Lenny Palermo – 110,000
- Ron Halperin – 150,000
- Jim Braker – 50,000
- Scott Byron – 120,000
- Danny Vitiello – 220,000
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 17: Limits 8000/16000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 8
Average: 133,000
The final eight in O8.
Estimated chips by seat
- Ezra Angrist – 170,000
- Tim Dalessandro – 70,000
- Lenny Palermo – 60,000
- Anthony D. – 20,000
- Ron Halperin – 350,000
- Jim Braker – 120,000
- Scott Byron – 100,000
- Danny V – 210,000
Unfortunately it’s fan favorite Alan Goldsmith, always a mixed game contestant, who is out first. Danny and Ron chop him up when Alan shows up with a naked worse low. 9th place for Alan $620.
Eight left. Anthony D. is on total fumes with one big bet, having laddered through the Halperin disasters.
Next, Palermo is at risk but makes a suited middle rundown somehow work for both high and low through Byron.
Anthony is of course all in, flops the second nuts with a low but still only chops. That’s O8.
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 16: Limits 6000/12000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 9
Average: 118,500
Ezra remains on top with about 200,000, but not for long…
Jim Braker snaps his fingers when his top and bottom is counterfeit and Palermo escapes with a badly needed double.
Goldsmith and Dalessandro discuss their hand. Tim on a slight uptick and Alan has moved down to 75,000.
…as after a few orbits of stasis, the active Halperin busts both Warren Sharp and Maurice Narcis.
(Displeased with Halperin’s style, he was urged to have “a nice ride home in your piece of s— Jaguar.”)
Temper.
Halperin, loud or likeable, shoots to the top, and final table action begins.
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 15: Limits 5000/10000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 11
Average: 96,000
Now on 1, Ron Halperin seems to be in every pot. He’s back from just a few bets to finally above average.
Halperin quarters big stack Warren and felts Ben G.
In this hand Ben gets his last chips in on the flop and side pot develops between Warren Sharpe, close or above Ezra now, and Ron. The board runs out flushing with a low available. Halperin is able to get a river check raise paid with the nut low and a low flush for high. Three quarters and Ben is gone.
Braker takes out Pamela, pushing us near the bubble. Lenny, right, continues to survive with just a few bets.
We take a another short break.
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 14: Limits 4000/8000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 16
Average: 66,000
Ezra continues with the chip lead.
Ron, in seat 9, can’t wait to fast roll his turned full house – just the double he needed.
Alan Goldsmith is over 100,000. Lenny Palermo is on his right, but this table has broken.
Big pot on 1: With Ezra threatening to run up an even bigger lead, Danny V. turns the second nut flush and fades a low for a 45,000 pot.
Two tables, 9 pay.
$300+$40 Omaha High/Low
Structure Sheet
Level 13: Limits 3000/6000
Entries: 71
Remaining: 20
Average: 53,000
The chip leader, Ezra Angrist, is now at 135,000.
- $7232
- 3926
- 2419
- 1859
- 1446
- 1240
- 1033
- 826
- 620
Warren Sharpe, left, is one of the big stacks, now over 100,000. Glenn E. is on his left.
Pamela Jamison and Ron Halperin are hanging in with short stacks.