This Week's Big Winner: Jesse Sylvia Wins WPT Borgata Poker Open Main Event

When the underdog beats the favorite, a common reaction from the sports punditry is, “That’s why we play out the games.” One team may be higher-rated, with the superior record and home court advantage, but they still have to go out and convert those advantages into a win. Like sports contests, poker tournaments aren’t decided on paper, either. Jesse Sylvia came into the final table of the 2016 World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open $3,500 no-limit hold’em main event as the shortest stack, while Farid Jattin held roughly 45 percent of the chips in play and nearly three times as many chips as the next largest stack. When all was said and done, however, Jattin finished sixth and Sylvia emerged victorious with his first WPT title and the $821,811 first-place prize.

Sylvia finished as the runner-up to Greg Merson in the 2012 World Series of Poker main event for $5,292,889. With this latest win he increased his career live tournament earnings to more than $6.7 million.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Sylvia to the win.

Tournament: WPT Legends of Poker
Buy-In: $4,000 • No. of Entries: 687 • Prize Pool: $2,465,643 • 1st Place Prize: $821,811

The Action

Farid Jattin raised to 265,000 from middle position and Jesse Sylvia moved all in for 2,510,000 in the cutoff. Simon Lam then moved all in for 2,985,000 in the big blind. Jattin made the call and all three players turned over their cards. Lam had A K and Jattin held A K, making Sylvia’s pocket fours a favorite to take down the pot. The board came 10 9 8 2 3 and Sylvia tripled up while leaving Lam very short stacked.

The Action

Chris Limo raised to 275,000 from middle position and Farid Jattin reraised to 880,000 from the small blind. Jesse Sylvia then went into the tank for two minutes before he four-bet to 2,375,000 from the big blind. Limo folded and Jattin moved all in. Sylvia instantly called all-in with A K, which was well ahead of Jattin’s 5 4. The flop of A 10 3 kept Sylvia in the lead, but it also gave Jattin four outs to a wheel. The turn and river were the Q J, however, and Sylvia doubled up into the chip lead.

The Action

With five players remaining, Jesse Sylvia raised to 280,000 in the cutoff and Chris Limo reraised to 655,000 from the small blind. Sylvia tanked for a bit before making the call and the flop was 9 7 4. Limo bet 680,000 and Sylvia called. The turn was the 3 and Limo moved all in for 2,075,000. Sylvia immediately called with his set of sevens, but Limo was still drawing live with A 5 for a double gutshot straight draw. The river was the 9 and Limo was eliminated in fifth place, earning $207,569.

The Action

With nearly identical stacks, Zach Gruneberg raised to 600,000 on the button and Jesse Sylvia three-bet to 1,875,000. Gruneberg made the call and the flop came down K 8 5. Both players checked and the turn was the Q. Sylvia bet 2,025,000 and Gruneberg called. The river was the 9 and Sylvia bet 5,325,000. Gruneberg instantly called, but mucked upon seeing Sylvia’s J 2 for a runner-runner flush. The pot was enough to give Sylvia a 3:1 chip advantage.

The Action

After 79 hands of heads-up play, Jesse Sylvia had built a nearly 6:1 chip lead over Zach Gruneberg, who was down to his last 14 big blinds. Sylvia was dealt J 4 on the button and opted to move all in, putting the pressure on his opponent. Gruneberg looked down at A 2 and made the call for his tournament life. The flop was good for Sylvia, coming J 9 8, but it also gave Gruneberg a flush draw to go with his overcard. The turn was the Q, giving Gruneberg additional outs to a straight, but the K on the river ended his tournament run in second place. He picked up $490,617 while the $821,811 first-place prize and WPT title went to Sylvia.

Final Table Results

1. Jesse Sylvia – $821,811
2. Zach Gruneberg – $490,617
3. Taha Maruf – $300,031
4. Simon Lam – $250,970
5. Chris Limo – $207,569
6. Farid Jattin – $167,942
7. Aleksei Vandyshev – $132,089
8. Phong Van Nguyen – $98,123
9. John Racener – $69,253