David Paredes Wins WPT Borgata Poker Open

The first time David Paredes made a final table on the World Poker Tour it was here at the Borgata during Season XII for the Borgata Winter Poker Open. He came up just short in that attempt, finishing in second place. That was not the case tonight. He topped a field of 1,027 players to win his first WPT title and $723,227, and he took his WPT career earnings to more than $1.4 million. Parades topped a tough final table that included respected professionals Joe Kuether and Maurice Hawkins, and he spent much of the late stages of the final table with the chip lead. It would appear that the second try was the charm for Paredes after coming so close the first time he played under the bright lights of a WPT televised table.

Here is a look at the chip stacks when cards got into the air at 4:30 this afternoon.

Seat 1.  Roman Valerstein  –  2,155,000  (26 bb)
Seat 2.  Joe Kuether  –  3,750,000  (47 bb)
Seat 3.  Jerry Payne  –  3,025,000  (37 bb)
Seat 4.  Maurice Hawkins  –   7,000,000 (87 bb)
Seat 5.  Jim Gilbert  –  9,650,000 (120 bb)
Seat 6.  David Parades  –  5,625,000 (70 bb)

The final table began slowly but the first two times players moved all in there was a bust out. Roman Valerstein shoved on Hand 43 and his were behind the of Jim Gilbert. The board fell and Valerstein was out in sixth place, good for $146,291.

Jerry Payne was all in next and he pinned his tournament hopes on . Gilbert was quick to call with pocket jacks and the board followed . Payne was eliminated in fifth place and took home $180,808.

Maurice Hawkins scored the first double up at the final table, but the next time he moved all in on Hand 88 he was not so lucky. Hawkins moved all in preflop with pocket tens, but David Paredes was ready and waiting with pocket aces. The board missed them both and Hawkins fell in fourth place, good for $220,258.

The battle for third place became the longest of the tournament thanks to a carousel of half-a-dozen double ups that pushed play late into the night. Play between the final three began on Hand 89, and it didn’t end until the 180th hand of play.

Joe Kuether was all in preflop with and Paredes had him covered holding pocket aces. The board ran out and Kuether was eliminated in third place, good for $262,994.

Paredes held the chip lead at the start of the final match with 19.85 million topping the 11 million held by Gilbert. After such a long battle for third, the heads-up final was a much shorter affair. It took just 18 hands to decide a champion.

On the final hand, Gilbert limped for 400,000, Paredes raised to 1,200,000, and Gilbert moved all in for 11,050,000. Paredes called with , and Gilbert turned over . Gilbert needed to improve to stay alive. The board fell , and the pocket kings held up for Paredes to win the pot — and the WPT title — with two pair, kings and eights. Gilbert finished as the runner-up, earning $434,598.

Paredes won the WPT Borgata Poker Open, earning $723,227, a Hublot watch, and a WPT trophy. As part of his prize money, he also received a $15,400 seat into the season-ending WPT World Championship. Congratulations, David Paredes!

Final Table Results

1st:  David Paredes – $723,227
2nd:  Jim Gilbert – $434,598
3rd:  Joe Kuether – $262,994
4th:  Maurice Hawkins – $220,258
5th:  Jerry Payne – $180,808
6th:  Roman Valerstein – $146,291

That concludes our coverage from the WPT Borgata Poker Open. Thanks to the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa for hosting another great event. The next stop on the WPT schedule has already begun, and the WPT Maryland Live Main Event will run until September 29. The WPT Live Updates team will be there to bring you all of the action from this new stop for Season XIV.

Photos by Joe Giron