David Paredes Wins the World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open

David Paredes has won the World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open after defeating James Gilbert in heads-up action for the largest score in his professional career.

David Paredes likes playing poker in the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. Two seasons ago, the man from Massachusetts finished runner-up in the Season XII World Poker Tour (WPT) Borgata Winter Poker Open, but he has exorcised those demons with victory in the Season XIV event held at the same venue.

1,027 entrants were attracted to the $3m guarantee, during 20-25 September. The $3,500 buy-in meant $3,287,427 in prize money was collected. David Paredes took $723,227 of that – his biggest prize to date – meaning he has now taken over $1.2m away from the Borgata in the past three seasons. His current live tournament earnings now tops $2.2m.

It was a decent final table.

James Gilbert and Maurice Hawkins were former World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) gold ring winners. Roman Valerstein made the final table of the Dan Colman Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Main Event, finishing in ninth place, and Joe Kuether popped up once again, proving he is one of the best live tournament grinders on American soil. Kuether has now won $1.9m this year alone.

Gilbert started the final table as the chip leader, and was responsible for the first two eliminations. Valerstein was the first to go. He made a move holding K9cc and was snapped off by the AQ of the chip leader. The board didn’t change anything and Valerstein exited in sixth. Jerry Payne would follow soon after when he jammed, holding K9o, and ran into the pocket jacks of Gilbert. Once again the deck stayed loyal to the man with all the chips and we were down to four.

It was at this point in proceedings that Paredes took over things – helped by the emergence of a few pocket aces. Hawkins was sent to the rail in fourth after his pocket tens ran into the rockets, and Kuether met the same demise this time running AK into aces to leave in third.

That double whammy ensured Paredes would start the heads-up action with a 19.8m v 11m chip lead. The pair were familiar foes after both experienced deep runs at this year’s WSOP Main Event: Paredes finished 150th and Gilbert 87th.

The final hand was a cooler.

Gilbert found pocket jacks, Paredes found pocket kings, and the results were as inevitable as a clash between Barcelona FC and the CalvinAyre canteen staff.

Final Table Results

1st. David Paredes – $723,227

2nd. James Gilbert – $434,598

3rd. Joe Kuether – $262,994

4th. Maurice Hawkins – $220,258

5th. Jerry Payne – $180,808

6th. Roman Valerstein – $146,291

Other notables to cash included: Matt Affleck (15th), Darren Elias (17th) and Jonathan Little (25th).

There is no rest for the wicked at the WPT. The crew is currently hosting WPT Maryland Live! for the first time in the shows history.