Best Hands of the Week: Brutal Cooler on the Bubble at the Borgata Summer Poker Open 2026

In July 2026, PokerNews covered the Borgata Summer Poker Open in Atlantic City. Learn about the key hands and dramatic moments from the biggest tournaments of the series.

At the end of July 2026, the PokerNews team once again headed to the East Coast of the USA to provide live coverage of the Borgata Summer Poker Open—one of the largest poker series held in Atlantic City. The festival featured numerous events, with two tournaments standing out in particular: the Main Championship with a $2,700 buy-in and the opening Deep Stack Kick Off event with a $600 buy-in. Both tournaments attracted an impressive number of participants and awarded millions of dollars in prize money. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the key hands that influenced the course of the tournaments, as well as analyze what these events mean for PPPoker club players. Borgata Summer Poker Open 2026 Overview: Key Tournaments and Prizes The Borgata Summer Poker Open is an annual series that attracts top players and enthusiasts from around the world. In 2026, the schedule included dozens of tournaments, but two events drew special attention: $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship — the series’ main event, which drew 565 entries. The prize pool reached $1,356,000, with the battle for the title unfolding between professionals and ambitious amateurs. $600 Deep Stack Kick Off — a massive opening event with 2,390 registrations and a total prize pool of $1,242,800. Thanks to deep stacks and an affordable buy-in, this tournament became a true battleground for a wide audience. Both tournaments were marked by dynamic action, dramatic hands, and unexpected outcomes, which we’ll discuss below. Hands That Changed the Course of the Tournaments Deep Stack Kick Off: Full House vs. Full House On Day 2 of the $600 Deep Stack Kick Off, at Level 27 (blinds 40,000/80,000/80,000), a hand occurred that proved decisive for the further distribution of chips. Robert Hwang opened with a raise to 160,000 from early position, and Jamie Carmen defended the big blind. The flop came 10♥ 7♦ 7♠ . Carmen check-raised to 375,000 over Hwang’s 80,000 bet, and Hwang called. On the turn 3♥ , Carmen continued the aggression, betting 500,000, and again got a call. The river 5♣ was the final street, where Carmen shoved all in for about 1,800,000. Hwang called instantly. Carmen showed 3♦ 3♦ —a full house (threes full of sevens), but Hwang revealed 10♣ 10♦ , making a stronger full house (tens full of sevens) and scooped a huge pot. Such a combination is rare even in the late stages of a tournament, and a clash of two full houses almost always leads to one player’s elimination. Chestnut Knocks Out Steinberg on the River Soon after, at Level 28 (50,000/100,000/100,000), another crucial hand took place. Christopher Steinberg raised to 200,000 from early position, and Coleem Chestnut from the small blind 3-bet to 550,000. Steinberg called. The flop came Q♣ 9♥ 2♣ . Chestnut bet 675,000, and Steinberg did not fold. On the turn 10♦ , Chestnut, holding the biggest stack at the table, shoved all in. Steinberg had about 1,600,000 left, and after a long tank, he decided to call. Christopher Steinberg: J♥ 10♥ (second pair) Coleem Chestnut: 5♣ 2♠ (bottom pair and backdoor outs) Steinberg made a tough call with a ten, but the river 5♦ gave Chestnut two pair, allowing him to win the pot and eliminate his opponent from the tournament. Chestnut couldn’t hide his joy, pounding the table after the lucky five hit. The Most Painful Bustout: Lewis Esposito on the Championship Bubble In the $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship on Day 2, at Level 16 (4,000/8,000/8,000), a decisive moment arrived—the bubble (the last elimination before the money). On the 14th hand of the bubble, Paul Volpe raised from early position, after which Lewis Esposito shoved all in for 95,000 from the hijack. On the button, Drew O’Connell re-shoved all in for 143,000, and Volpe folded. Lewis Esposito: Q♠ Q♣ (pocket queens) Drew O'Connell: K♠ K♦ (pocket kings) Esposito found himself in a very unfavorable spot, dominated by the higher pair. The flop A♥ 4♦ 3♥ brought no help, and the turn and river ( 6♥ 7♠ ) only cemented the kings’ advantage. Esposito became the last player to leave the tournament without a payout, while the remaining 71 participants could celebrate making the money. Dramatic Hands in the Late Stages of the Championship Bin Weng Busts in 11th Place After a Tough Decision On Day 3 of the championship, at Level 25 (30,000/60,000/60,000), a hand occurred in which one of the most experienced players, Bin Weng, was eliminated. With 11 players left, Weng raised to 120,000 from the cutoff, and Carlos Chadha defended the small blind. The flop came A♠ K♣ 8♠ . Chadha check-called a 105,000 bet. The turn J♣ went check-check, and on the river 4♠ Chadha bet 190,000 into a 570,000 pot. Weng thought it over, used his time bank, and raised to 630,000. Chadha, with a bigger stack, shoved all in. Weng, left with 1,080,000, took a long time to decide, using almost all his remaining time banks. “What a terrible river,” he commented on his thoughts. In the end, Weng called and saw Chadha’s K♠ J♠ —the nut flush. Weng showed 4♦ 4♣ (a set of fours), but it wasn’t enough. He received $18,150 for 11th place. It’s worth noting that for Bin Weng, this was a return to tournament poker after some serious health issues, which he discussed with PokerNews during the series. Hand of the Tournament: Chadha Makes Huge Overbets and Wins Without Showdown At Level 26 (40,000/80,000/80,000) on Day 3 of the championship, a hand took place that many called the tournament’s defining moment. In a limped pot between the blinds, Nicholas Verderamo bet 80,000 on the A♥ 7♣ 4♥ flop, and Carlos Chadha called. On the turn 7♦ , Verderamo checked, after which Chadha made a huge bet of 700,000 into a 410,000 pot. Verderamo, using his time bank, called. On the river 3♦ , Verderamo checked again, and Chadha made another overbet—2,400,000, far exceeding the size of the pot. Verderamo had 2,830,000 left and again went into the tank, using his time bank. Eventually, he folded, showing A♠ 6♠ (top pair with a six kicker). Chadha, without showing his cards, took down the pot, and it was later revealed he held 6♣ 3♠ —almost a bluff. This hand demonstrated the power of pressure in the late stages of major tournaments and Chadha’s skill in playing for stacks. Tournament Standings and Prizes: Key Payouts Below are the prize payouts for players who finished in the top 11 of the $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship: Place Player Prize ($) 11 Bin Weng 18,150 In the $600 Deep Stack Kick Off, the prize pool was $1,242,800 with 2,390 entries, while the $2,700 Championship had $1,356,000 with 565 participants. Exact payouts for other places are not specified in the original. Who Covered the Events: The PokerNews Team The main coverage of the series was led by Calum Grant, a PokerNews journalist since September 2021. Previously, he worked in the UK energy sector, and got into poker in 2017, quickly becoming passionate about the game. During his time at PokerNews, Calum has covered the world’s biggest events, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP), and has made a significant contribution to the development of poker journalism. Bret Slezak also joined the tournament coverage, providing detailed descriptions of key hands and the atmosphere of the series. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Analyzing the key moments of the Borgata Summer Poker Open, several practical conclusions can be drawn for PPPoker club users. First, even in tournaments with a relatively small buy-in, like the Deep Stack Kick Off, complex situations and rare coolers can occur—so it’s important to manage your bankroll and be prepared for unexpected outcomes. Practicing in PPPoker clubs with deep stacks and multi-level structures will help you better prepare for such events. Second, hands on the bubble and near the final table show how important it is to make well-considered decisions under pressure. Using time banks, reading opponents, and not being afraid to make tough calls—these are all skills that can be honed in regular club tournaments on PPPoker, where similar situations often arise. Finally, the example of Carlos Chadha, who managed to win a big pot with aggressive play and overbets, clearly demonstrates the power of unconventional lines. In PPPoker clubs, it’s recommended not to be afraid to experiment with bet sizing to put opponents in tough spots and expand your strategic arsenal. Regular practice in online clubs will help you feel more confident both at the live tables and in online events.