Californian Poker Pro Wins Big At WPT Borgata Open
Erkut Yilmaz scores $575,112 including a $15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions seat
The WPT Borgata Poker Open concluded in a memorable victory for Californian poker pro Erkut Yilmaz this week as he bested a field of 1,075 entries to claim the main prize of $575,112, which includes a $15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions seat.
It was a tough competition, with professional players like Darren Elias, Anthony Zinno, Jared Jaffee, Michael Gagliano and Maria Konnikova all doing well but failing to make the final six.
It was Yilmaz’s most profitable competition yet, bringing his career earnings above $1.5 million. Yilmaz held a strong lead over the remaining players as the competition entered its final day, and he pretty much dominated the action right into the final table of six
Oleg Shnaider’s departure at third for $283,341 set the scene for the heads up between Yilmaz and fellow US pro TK Miles, with Yilmaz holding an 8 million chip lead.
For the next forty or so hands the duo traded hands with skill and discipline. At one point Miles’ determination earned him the chip lead, only to see it return to Yilmax later in the day.
With his opponent again in charge, Miles staged a fightback but could not regain the advantage and was eventually eliminated after a long and respectable heads up fight, earning the runner up prize of $383,399.
Other final table cashes included:
Austin Wentling $211,562
Liam He $159,616
Anthony Maio $121,697
‘Boston’ Tony Wins World Poker Tour Champions Cup For The Second Time
Scores a $344,755 pay day at WPT Maryland
Tony “Boston” Ruberto has done it again; at the WPT Maryland this week he won his second World Poker Tour Champions Cup, along with prize money of $344,755 after besting a competitive field of 554.
His previous WPT Cup victory was in 2011 at WPT Jacksonville, where he cashed for $325,928.
It’s been a good year for the poker pro so far, with cashes of $781,018 in the PartyPoker Millions North America Main Event and for $166,605 at the WPT Choctaw.
Ruberto went up a gear when the action reached three-handed stage on the final table, and by the time third place finisher Jeremy Ausmus headed for the exit and a well-earned cash of $162,597, Boston Tony had amassed a lead of 18 million vs. the 4 million of his last opponent, Shankar Pillai.
Pillai’s seemingly hopeless deficit was dramatically turned around however as he scored two major double ups to draw even and then seize the lead, making for exciting poker over the remaining 50 hands before Ruberto was able to wrest back control and eliminate Pillai for $220,780.
