Today saw the conclusion of the mixed game portion of Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa’s Big Big Series. A total of 48 entries filled the poker room over the past two days with the will to try their luck at nine different game types. Only 10 players remained this morning and just one now stands as the champion with the title, the trophies, and the $56,170 first place prize.
It was Pennsylvania’s Jeffrey Gibson who ended up defeating Michael Falk heads up to claim his second Borgata trophy. With listed tournament results dating back 20 years, this also marks his largest non-NLH score in his career. One of those non-NLH games holds a more special place in Gibson’s heart.
“Probably Stud Eight or Better,” Gibson said when talking about his favorite of the games. “I think it’s the game that I probably know the best. It’s a good game.”
Gibson came into the day very closely behind both Falk and Ryan Moriarty, with each of the players ending up as one of the final three in the tournament.
“When we were four-handed I felt that anyone could win,” Gibson remarked on the final table, “at any point at any time. For the most part I felt it was pretty even.”
Chip lead was passed around many times throughout the match, but a huge turning point came in the 2-7 Single Draw round when Falk’s pat nine got in against Gibson’s pat ten. Falk’s chip lead would further grow when he eliminated Moriarty in third place and the heads up portion would begin with Falk holding just over a 3:1 lead over Gibson.
The match would continue to see the lead shift around multiple times, each player taking the chip lead at multiple points throughout the match. Gibson’s favorite game became the final game in the tournament as he went into the chip lead, to a 6:1 lead, then to the title all in the course of the same Stud Eight or Better round. His other Borgata trophy came last Summer in the $600 B.E.A.S.T. mix, a format that does have his favorite game in the mix as well.
“I learned some of these games when I was a little kid,” the newly crowned champion commented on their own journey into the non-NLH foray. “I started playing mixed games about a year ago…maybe a year and a half ago. They’re fun. A nice little switch up from Hold’em.”
Just under two years of mixed games and two Borgata titles for Gibson. Time will tell just how many more Gibson will have under his belt in the series’ to come.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeffrey Gibson | United States | $56,170 |
| 2 | Michael Falk | United States | $34,500 |
| 3 | Ryan Moriarty | United States | $22,500 |
| 4 | Michael Dorff | United States | $15,600 |
| 5 | Philip Dedona | United States | $11,550 |
| 6 | Donovan Bates | United States | $9,680 |
Day 2 Action
Just ten players returned to play at 12:15 pm, with the field shrinking to a final table after just one level of play. Esther Taylor was the first out the door, quickly followed by Wayne Stock and Rolf Andersen setting the final table of seven. On the stone bubble, it was Aubrey Williams who fell. She jammed her final six big blinds holding king-ten in No-Limit Hold’em from the small blind and Michael Dorff looked her up from the big blind holding ace-four. No help came to Williams and she became the last to leave the tournament without a payout.
Donovan Bates became the first player to collect their payout, making the money with under two big bets. He would get his last chips in holding aces in Omaha Hi-Lo against Ryan Moriarty’s two wheel cards and a pair of eights. Aces looked good to win until the river where Moriarty made three fours and Bates collected $9,680 for his sixth place finish.
A career high score would be awarded to Philip Dedona who finished in fifth place shortly after. After being whittled down to just a few chips, he moved his final few blinds in holding eights with a suit in PLO. Jeffrey Gibson woke up with suited aces and made a set to boot and Dedona went over to the payout cage to collect $11,550.
Dorff found himself getting quite short and drew his line in the sand in triple draw. He was dealt a nine-eight and stood pat on three draws, only for Moriarty to make his eight-six and take down the pot. Dorff’s fourth place finish was good for $15,600, while the three biggest stacks at the start of the day battled it out as the final three players in the tournament.
The battles were fought and the war waged, but a 2-7 Single Draw pot would cement Falk as the chip leader, holding two thirds of the chips in play. Falk’s chip lead would continue to grow and the victim of his surging stack became Moriarty. Right before a break, the two would clash in a Stud Hi-Lo hand where Falk would make a straight and a low to best Moriarty’s aces. The Connecticut poker player shook both of his opponents hands and took home $22,500 for his finish.
A few levels of play would see the chip lead shift around as the games went between Limit, No-Limit, and Pot-Limit. Two Stud Hi-Lo hands saw Gibson ascend as he took a massive pot with three twos, then a few hands later he would end the tournament with a six-high straight against Falk’s pair of eights and gutshot. The gutshot would not come home and Falk was eliminated from the tournament in second place, good for $34,500.
