New Jersey Grinder Orson Young Scores WPT Online Borgata Title At Partypoker US For $196K
The second World Poker Tour online event wrapped up on Tuesday in New Jersey. Garden State grinder Orson Young became the latest member of the Champions Club after taking down the $3,500 WPT Online Borgata Poker Open title for $195,748.
“Feeling extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play this tournament and make the final table alongside one of my best friends and legend Daniel Buzgon,” Young noted on Twitter after his win. “Thank you for the great tournament WPT.”
The tournament played out on the partypoker, BetMGM, and Borgata Poker skins in New Jersey.
Adding a WPT title at partypoker
Orson hails from Oceanport, New Jersey, and has $785,000 in live tournament winnings. The WPT win becomes the largest score of his career.
On the tour, Young has five other cashes with a 27th-place finish as the best of those. He’s been a regular at the Borgata, where he’s recorded some of his biggest live scores.
After two days of play, Borgata Poker ambassador Daniel Buzgon led the final table with 58 million chips. Young entered the final day in second with 49 million.
Buzgon extended his lead for much of the final table including winning a late 68 million-chip pot from Young. However, with play at three-handed Young won in a key spot with blinds at 1 million/2 million, vaulting into the lead.
The action began with raising to 7.6 million from the small blind with 8♠7♥ and Young calling with K♥7♦. The flop brought K♦8♣5♠ and both players checked.
With the 3♥ hitting on the turn, Buzgon bet 8 million and Young called. Buzgon bet another 8 million and Young called when the 6♦ came on the river.
Young raked the pot and took the chip lead with almost 120 million. However, Buzon later climbed back on top again with more than 112 million.
The New Jersey online grinder has plenty of Borgata success. That includes two other final table appearances at WPT final tables at the property. Buzgon also has a fourth-place finish at a WPT Jacksonville event in 2012. He now has almost $722,000 in WPT winnings.
A look at the action late
Ultimately, that first WPT title didn’t come Buzgon’s way. Late in the battle, Young won some key hands and Buzgon ultimately hit the rail in third when he went all in with K♣10♣.
Young called and hit a flush with A♠10♠, giving Buzgon a third-place finish for $102,933. Young was then heads-up with “justliberto” for the title.
Despite exiting the tournament, Buzgon was happy to see his friend play for a WPT championship.
Obviously a little bummed I couldn’t close this one out. But so happy for one of my best friends @YoungOrson on taking this one down. Shoutout to @partypokerUS and @wpt for putting on a great series. Now time for some live poker. Cya out in Vegas.
— Daniel Buzgon (@DBuzgon) September 22, 2021
After beginning heads-up play with a significant lead, Young’s opponent took an early hand for a nice pot. However, the New Jersey grinder later came out on top.
The final hand saw justliberto raise preflop with K♦9♦ and Young three-bet to 23 million. The flop brought K♠7♣2♥. Young then bet 12.3 million and received a call before the 4♦ came on the turn.
Young bet 30.8 million and justliberto called.
The J♦ fell on the river and Young moved the last of his 96.4 million in the pot. Justliberto called instantly and the tournament was over.
Final table results
Beyond the cash, Young also earns some extras. His name will be etched on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup alongside all other tour champions. He also earns 1,000 Player of the Year points, which slides him to 10th in the standings.
The tournament came with a $1 million guarantee and a small overlay. The tournament produced 305 entries with $3,200 of each buy-in going into the prize pool. That made for an overlay of $24,000. Here’s a look at how the final tabled turned out:
- Orson Young (Borgatcha) – $195,748
- Justliberto – $135,930
- Dan Buzgon (leinad) – $102,933
- 4tFitzroidPoo – $76,830
- Betbetbet – $61,070
- CNC_LY – $47,280
- Ryan Hohner (TheSims) – $34,475
- DoURespectWood – $24,625
What’s ahead for the WPT
A few more events are on the horizon after a short break during the World Series of Poker. The $3,500 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open heads to the Seminole Hard Rock in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from Nov. 26 – Dec. 1. The event comes with a $2 million guarantee.
The tour’s version of the Super Bowl also returns in December after getting canceled in 2020. The $10,500 Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic is set for Dec. 15-19.
The Five Diamond has been part of the tour since the first season in 2002-03 with some of the biggest names in poker winning the title. Some of those include Antonio Esfandiari, Gus Hansen, Daniel Negreanu, and others.
Esfandiari even made three straight final tables at the tournament, finishing first, sixth, and fourth from 2010-12. Poker superstar Alex Foxen won the 2019 Five Diamond for $1.7 million.
* Lead photo courtesy WPT