Chen the Champion bests a field of 1,132 to claim main prize of $789,058
The World Poker Tour Borgata Open has concluded with a $789,058 triumph for pro player Guo Liang Chen – by far the biggest cash of his entire career.
The $3,500 buy-in NLHE event attracted a field of 1,132, including respected players like Cliff Josephy and Matthew Perry.
On the final day of the competition Chen was among the lowest stacks around the final table, but he skilfully survived to build an every-growing chip stack that took him into the heads up against 27-year-old New Jersey firefighter Gregory Weber, who had been holding the chip lead since four-handed action began, and had twice as many chips as Chen.
A calm and unfazed Chen played a steady game and was rewarded with a double up that enabled him to wrest the lead from Weber and then grind the firefighter into defeat, sending him to the exit and a runner up prize of $471,059.
Other final table cashes included:
Jia Liu $288,071
Matt Parry $240,965
Cliff Josephy $199,294
Thomas Paul $161,247