Paul Volpe has spent enough time winning at Borgata that calling the Atlantic City casino a happy hunting ground barely covers it. His latest visit has produced his biggest Borgata score yet, with Volpe taking down the $5,300 Big, Big Championship for $492,415 after an ICM deal with Frank Lagodich.
The flagship event of the BetMGM-powered Big, Big Series drew 519 entries and played for a $3 million prize pool. Volpe’s victory pushed his lifetime cashes in Borgata main events beyond $1.5 million, according to the final event reporting, and came after a final day in which he had to recover from a stack of only eight big blinds.
Volpe Turns Eight Blinds Into the Trophy
There was nothing inevitable about this one. Volpe later said he had fallen to eight big blinds before rebuilding, including a particularly useful early double when his pocket nines cracked pocket kings. From there the three-time WSOP bracelet winner began collecting chips and eliminations at a rate that made the final table increasingly uncomfortable for everyone else.
Sead Duraku was first out at the nine-handed table for $53,865, followed by Julian Altieri for $64,585. David Kinane took seventh for $79,100 before 2017 WSOP Main Event champion Scott Blumstein departed in sixth for $97,865 after losing a race with pocket sevens against Brock Wilson’s ace-king.
Sanat Mehrotra finished fifth for $122,850 after his ace-king was overtaken by Volpe’s ace-ten. Wilson, who has made a habit of appearing deep in expensive tournaments, then went out fourth for $175,080 when Tyler Hirschfeld’s jack-ten beat his king-queen.
A River Shove Leaves Two
The key three-handed pot belonged to Volpe and Hirschfeld. On an 8-7-2-9-9 board, Volpe shoved the river holding jack-ten for a straight. Hirschfeld called with ace-nine for trips, a hand strong enough to make the decision painful but not strong enough to survive it, and collected $263,150 for third.
That left Volpe with 15.25 million chips against Lagodich’s 5.5 million. Rather than grind out the final heads-up match, the pair agreed an ICM deal. Volpe received the trophy and $492,415, while Lagodich locked up $420,000 as runner-up.
The chop was not simply a case of two tired players grabbing the calculator. Volpe described Lagodich as a tough no-limit hold’em opponent and made clear that he would not necessarily have agreed the same deal against everybody. After a long final day and with close to half a million dollars already secured, discretion beat another hour of heads-up heroics.
Borgata Remains Volpe Territory
The result fits a much longer pattern. Volpe has been reaching major Borgata final tables for around 15 years, and this was his tenth final table in the casino’s main events and special championships. His previous Borgata history includes a Spring Poker Open Main Event title in 2016, but the $492,415 payday is now his largest score at the property.
It also gives Poker Type another strong finish to a Big, Big Series that has repeatedly produced comeback stories. Andrew Chang recovered from five big blinds to win the opening $2,200 Kick Off, while Aaron Pinson landed a huge Mystery Bounty haul on his way to another title.
Volpe’s route was different, but the theme was familiar. A short stack did not stay short for long, and once he had chips he was prepared to use them. For a player better known by many poker fans for his mixed-game results and three WSOP bracelets, winning a 519-entry no-limit championship at his home casino is a useful reminder that there are not many obvious holes in the résumé.
Big, Big Championship Final Table
- 1st: Paul Volpe, $492,415*
- 2nd: Frank Lagodich, $420,000*
- 3rd: Tyler Hirschfeld, $263,150
- 4th: Brock Wilson, $175,080
- 5th: Sanat Mehrotra, $122,850
- 6th: Scott Blumstein, $97,865
- 7th: David Kinane, $79,100
- 8th: Julian Altieri, $64,585
- 9th: Sead Duraku, $53,865
*ICM deal.
The Big, Big Championship closed a series carrying more than $6 million in guarantees across 11 events. For Volpe, though, the headline is simpler: another Borgata title, his biggest cash there, and nearly half a million dollars after being down to eight blinds.
