Andrew Chang won the Big Big Kickoff tournament at Borgata and $182,000

Andrew Chang claimed victory in the Big Big Kickoff tournament at Borgata Casino, outlasting 456 entrants and earning $182,000. Find out the details of the final day.

Event #2: $2,200 Big Big Kickoff has wrapped up at the Borgata (Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Atlantic City, New Jersey), becoming one of the marquee events of the Big Big Series. The tournament drew 456 players, generating a $1,000,000 prize pool. The final day kicked off on June 1, 2024, at 1:15 PM local time, and on that day, the biggest title of the series so far was awarded. The Road to Victory: How Andrew Chang Won the Big Big Kickoff This tournament was a true breakthrough for Andrew Chang. Prior to this, his best live tournament cash was $38,000 (according to Hendon Mob), and by the time play reached five-handed, he had already surpassed that mark. However, the path to the title was anything but easy. Chang began the final day with one of the shortest stacks among the 58 remaining players. At the last two tables, he was the shortest stack, but managed to recover and reached the final table with a comfortable stack. Still, he quickly found himself back on the ropes: Nick Pupillo knocked Chang down to just five big blinds. Despite this, Andrew kept his composure and continued to battle. He was all-in and at risk several times, but managed to double up each time. His opponents even started calling him “nine lives” because he kept surviving all-ins when facing elimination. Chang himself noted that when he wasn’t at risk, he would lose, but when everything was on the line, he always seemed to find another “life.” When play was three-handed, David Stefanski held 75% of the chips in play and put constant pressure on both Chang and Namit Patel, who were fighting for the next pay jump. For Chang, making the final three was already the biggest cash of his career, which, as he said, allowed him to relax and just play his game. After Namit Patel was eliminated in 3rd place, the heads-up battle between Chang and Stefanski began. At the start of heads-up, Chang had just 10 big blinds, while Stefanski had a five-to-one chip lead. Over the course of two levels, the momentum shifted: Chang not only survived but turned the tables and took the lead. In the decisive hand, Stefanski called with A-3 against Chang’s K-J. The board ran out in Chang’s favor, making him the champion and earning him the top prize of $182,000 and the trophy. The Final Table: Key Hands and Eliminations The final table was marked by several dramatic moments and classic “coolers”—hands where players are forced to put all their chips in due to the strength of their holdings. The first major clash was an all-in between David Stefanski and Michael Wang: Stefanski held pocket kings, Wang had pocket aces. However, a king hit the board, doubling up Stefanski and leaving Wang short. In the very next hand, Wang shoved with A-10 but lost to Namit Patel’s 7-6: both made a straight, but Patel’s was higher. Wang finished 9th for $18,200. Dylan Lemery, who started the final table as the shortest stack, was eliminated in 8th place. He moved all-in with K-8 from the button against Chang’s queens in the big blind. The flop brought a king, giving Lemery hope, but the river completed a straight for Chang. Lemery took home $22,050. In one of the pivotal hands at the final table, Stefanski and Pupillo clashed in a massive pot: Stefanski made quads, while Pupillo had a full house. More than a third of all chips were in the pot, and Stefanski surged into a commanding chip lead, holding over half the chips in play. Chang then doubled up twice through Matthew Constanzo, and in their third encounter, eliminated him: Chang’s ace-jack beat Constanzo’s ace-nine. Constanzo earned $26,425 for 7th place. Jeremy Becker was left with less than a big blind and shoved with A-7. Stefanski raised from the small blind, and Chang re-shoved with A-Q. Becker picked up plenty of outs on the turn but couldn’t improve and finished 6th ($32,625). Stefanski continued to play aggressively, frequently shoving with his big stack. In one hand, Pupillo called him with pocket sevens against Stefanski’s A-J. A jack hit the flop, sending Pupillo out in 5th place for $40,950. Dylan Gordon finished 4th, marking the best result of his career ($58,425). His A-8 couldn’t hold against Patel’s A-K. Three-handed, Stefanski continued to dominate, applying pressure to both opponents. Patel and Chang each doubled up in turn, but Stefanski’s lead remained significant. Eventually, Patel moved all-in with A-3 against Stefanski’s A-Q, didn’t improve, and finished 3rd ($87,725). In heads-up play, Stefanski started with a two-to-one chip lead, but Chang managed to turn things around. In the final hand, Stefanski called an all-in with A-3 against Chang’s K-J, but a jack hit the board, giving Chang the victory. Tournament Table: Final Table Payouts Place Player Prize ($) 1 Andrew Chang 182,000 2 David Stefanski 126,375 3 Namit Patel 87,725 4 Dylan Gordon 58,425 5 Nick Pupillo 40,950 6 Jeremy Becker 32,625 7 Matthew Constanzo 26,425 8 Dylan Lemery 22,050 9 Michael Wang 18,200 Payouts for Places Outside the Final Table 10th place: Nicholas Verderamo — $14,725 12th place: Bin Weng — $12,275 18th place: Thomas Cannuli — $10,525 22nd place: Aubrey Williams — $10,525 23rd place: Justin Liberto — $10,525 24th place: Kharlin Sued — $8,800 25th place: Mike Dentale — $8,800 28th place: Darren Elias — $8,800 32nd place: Joe McKeehen — $7,450 51st place: Brock Wilson — $6,125 53rd place: Michael Lavin — $6,125 56th place: Jonathan Tamayo — $4,825 Tournament Stars: Notable Names and Their Results The tournament attracted many well-known pros and poker brand ambassadors. In the early stages of the final day, the following players were eliminated: Jonathan Tamayo (2026 WSOP Main Event champion) — 56th place, $4,825 Michael Lavin (BetMGM ambassador) — 53rd place, $6,125 Brock Wilson — 51st place, $6,125 Joe McKeehen (2015 WSOP Main Event champion) — 32nd place, $7,450 Darren Elias (BetMGM ambassador) — 28th place, $8,800 Mike Dentale — 25th place, $8,800 Many of these players were considered favorites, but none managed to reach the final table. The last to bust before the final three tables was Mike Dentale (25th place). Just short of the final table were well-known players like Kharlin Sued (24th), Justin Liberto (23rd), Aubrey Williams (22nd), Thomas Cannuli (18th), and Bin Weng (12th). The last player to miss out on the final table was Nicholas Verderamo (10th), who lost a hand where his two pair fell to Jeremy Becker’s full house. Winner’s Comments: Andrew Chang on His Success After his victory, Andrew Chang shared his thoughts on the tournament and how he managed to overcome all the challenges on his way to the title: He mentioned that he started playing cash games around 2018-2019, but only began taking tournament poker seriously in the last couple of years. The winner emphasized: “Everyone says they work hard, but today I just got lucky—the cards chose me. I’m very grateful that persistence paid off.” When his stack was at its lowest, Chang reminded himself: “The main thing is to stay calm. Anything can happen, you just need to stay focused and hope luck is on your side.” He said that when he was at risk of busting, he managed to win, but in hands without risk, he would lose. His opponents even joked about his ‘nine lives.’ Three-handed, when he had already locked up a personal best cash, Chang felt he could just play his game without worrying about the pressure. About his heads-up opponent, Chang said: “David Stefanski played very well, maneuvered skillfully at the final table, and applied pressure at the right moments. But this time, the cards chose me.” When asked about his future plans, Chang admitted: “I wasn’t sure if I would continue playing the series, but now I’ll stay until the end!” Tournament Structure and Format The Big Big Kickoff tournament featured two starting flights, after which the top 58 players returned to play down to a champion. The buy-in was $2,200, and the total prize pool reached $1,000,000. This format allows players to choose a convenient starting day and increases the field size, which in turn boosts the prize pool. The final table was played in classic no-limit hold’em, where stack sizes and blind dynamics played a crucial role. The short stack factor was especially important: many players were forced to go all-in, leading to frequent dramatic showdowns. The tournament brought together both seasoned professionals and ambitious amateurs, resulting in exciting battles and unexpected twists at every stage. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this tournament is a great example of how even players with limited tournament experience can achieve success through perseverance, composure, and smart short stack play. Andrew Chang showed that you should never give up, even in the toughest spots: regular double-ups and belief in yourself can lead to victory, even when the odds seem slim. It’s also important to highlight the need to adapt to changing circumstances at the table. The Big Big Kickoff final table showed just how quickly things can change: a chip leader can lose their advantage, and a player with five big blinds can become the champion. For PPPoker club members, it’s a reminder of the importance of focus and flexibility in any tournament situation. Finally, the Borgata tournament is a great example of how major live events are structured and how they attract top players—something that can be useful for organizers and participants of club series on PPPoker. Studying these kinds of tournaments helps you better prepare for your own events, understand stack dynamics, final table strategies, and opponent psychology. Learn from the best, and your results in PPPoker clubs are sure to improve!