Event 5
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
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 23: Blinds 15000/30000/30000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 3
Average: 908,000
With the 4th place player out of the way, an agreement was reached.
But first, late stage leader Bill W. had to bow out. Feeling the pressure from repeated beats and the decline of his once big stack, he must have been relieved to see 
on the flop after opening 
with a little less than 15 bbs. Time to get back in the game, which Joe Dandrea was beginning to run away with.
Bill must have been even more excited to see a check raise from Joe Dandrea, Bill’s antagonist in several pots. Being so short, it was easy to get the money in with the nuts, and Bill had Joe, holding 
, near dead.
Not so fast. With the cards face up, the dealer ran out the 
turn and then the killer 
river, for a brutal 4th place elimination. Bill didn’t take it well, and had some choice words about this one, clearly not happy. “You literally cannot run as bad I as I did,” he complained. Nevertheless, he takes home $3,166 and some Sklansky Dollars.
When the dust from the dust-up had cleared, the three remaining players quickly came to an agreement. With more than 50% of the tournament chips in his stack, first place was easy to assign, and we end our Seniors NLH just before midnight.
Anthony Averso, St. James, NY, 3rd $5500.
Lindsee Granfield, NY, NY, 2nd, $5500.
Joseph Dandrea, Cherry Hill, NJ, 1st, $11,159
Congrats to Joseph on a fast finish and exciting win!
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
(Paused) Level 22: Blinds 15000/25000/25000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 4
Average: 688,000
Kenneth aka Lee Mount is out next, victim of one of the worst spots you can find yourself in, holding 
all in vs , held by Joe Dandrea.
Mount is done, but takes $1,979 for his troubles.
No hope, no draws on the flop, only the end of a tournament life with everyone’s favorite hand, .
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 21: Blinds 10000/20000/20000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 6
Average: 453,000
Joe Druetto, now short after doubling Lindsee, gets it in good against Bill W., but throws up his arms in disappointment when his dominating is downed by 
, which pairs on flop and trips on the river.
Druetto takes home $1,583.
Then, just when it seems Bill is going to pull away, the old cooler hits, vs – and he is on the wrong side. Big win for Lindsay, and she pulls even with him.
No one far ahead now.
By seat, estimated chips
- Anthony Averso 500,000
- Todd Rodenborn 350,000
- Bill W. 675,000
- Lindsee Granfield 620,000
- Lee Mount 160,000
- Joe Dandrea 400,000
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 20: Blinds 8000/15000/15000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 7
Average: 388,000
Thomas Morgenstern was the 9th place player, he takes $890.
John Clifford is next, falling to Todd Rodenborn in a standard flip preflop,
versus 
, with the inevitable ace falling only on the river. John jumps to $1187 for 8th.
Clifford reaches his destination. Nice run without too much drama.
Todd reaches to shake hands with Clifford as he heads for his payout.
Another bust is possible when Lindsay gets in 
against Druetto’s live 
, but no improvement to either means she survives and moves to 260,000.
Meanwhile, Bill has slipped to 750,000 but remains in the lead.
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 19: Blinds 6000/12000/12000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 8
Average: 340,000
In heavy action before the break at 5/10, Bill W. opened to 30,000 and was raised small by Vinny Lorio to 60,000. After Bill called, the flop came 
, giving Bill the nut flush as he held 
.
In position, Vinny went for the muscle, firing a diamond ace into Bill on the flop 60,000, the turn, 100,000, and 194,000 river shove. Interestingly, the board ran out deceptive for Vinny, as the 
and 
may have led him to believe he could value bet the river.
In any case, the pot has crippled Vinny’s stack while leaving Bill with a strong chip lead moving into the later levels.
Bill counts the spoils.
Vinny, left with 10 bigs, is soon done in 10th for 792, while Bill counts out 830,000.
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
End of Level 18: Blinds 5000/10000/10000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 10
Average: 272,000
Our last ten.
Vernon Bludson played a good tournament…
…but was cooled off by Vinny in his last hand, getting it in with a worse naked flush draw versus a pair and a better flush draw. Dead to runner runner.
Vernon took 12th for $792, while Sparacio Vito finished 11th after surviving on fumes for whole levels.
Another short break has arrived.
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
End of Level 17: Blinds 4000/8000/8000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 13
Average: 209,000
Courteous until they hit the cash, the seniors dump each other out rapidly in levels 16 and 17. Josh Wilson and big stack G.A. go out in the same moment on the two different tables.
On table 2, Averso first collects G.A.’s tournament life and is well over 250,000. Then, he strikes gold, smashing Cool Bob Brady with and moving to over 460,000.
G.A is dead, all hail G.A.: Averso, foreground, ends the big stack’s run.
Vinny has held on to his 300,000, but gets caught by a drowning stack who goes it for a few more blinds. 
won’t save Lorio, but stems the tide of bustouts briefly.
On table 1, Joe Druetto is still solid with 300,000, while Joe Dandrea is up to 340,000, still riding the benefits of that huge early pot. John Clifford has 340,000 as well.
Survivors: John Clifford, Bill W., Dretto, Dandrea, and Granfield on table 1.
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
Level 16: Blinds 3000/6000/6000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 18
Average: 143,000
We are down to the eighteen paid contestants of today’s Senior joust.
First player at risk: Lee Mount and Anthony are agape for this all in. Mount survives and doubles.
Eric Siegel, who had been sneaking through the tournament, is the first payout, taken down by Lindsee Granfield in back to back encounters, against 
and versus .
Lindsee goes from very short to right about average.
$300+$40 Seniors NLH
$25,000 Guaranteed
Structure Sheet
End of Level 15: Blinds 2500/5000/5000 BB Ante
Entries: 136
Remaining: 19
Average: 143,000
Joe Druetto: Chip leader, bubble burster, all around hero.
The bubble lasted for about half a level, during which Schuman survived a shove, and Vinny took down a big pot from G.A., call calling a bet and turn shove when the spade hit the turn. G.A. had turned second pair into a big bluff, and is now average stacked.
We return at 7:35 PM.