Atlantic City served up a proper winter poker classic this week as Blake Vogdes outlasted a massive field to win the 2026 Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship at Borgata Hotel & Casino. The $3,500 buy-in centerpiece of the festival drew 895 entries, generated a $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, and ended with Vogdes lifting the trophy for $457,980 after a heads-up deal.
Short Stack Comeback: From Bottom to Champion in Under an Hour
With five players left, Vogdes was the clear short stack — the type of spot where the next pay-jump starts whispering “just ladder.” He did the opposite.
- 1He strung together multiple double-ups in quick succession, turning a short-stack survival spot into a real title shot.
- 2The momentum swing happened over roughly 45 minutes of high-pressure final-table play – exactly the phase where most players leak EV by panicking or overcorrecting.
- 3Once he got traction, he didn’t give it back – pressuring the mid-stacks, avoiding punts, and closing the door as the table shortened.
Heads-Up Deal: Trophy to Vogdes, Big Payday for Jack Kwon
Vogdes reached heads-up against Jack Kwon, who turned his run into a career score. The pair agreed to a heads-up deal. But Vogdes took the trophy and top money; Kwon banked a huge runner-up payout of $407,110.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1st | Blake Vogdes | $457,980 |
| 2nd | Jack Kwon | $407,110 |
| 3rd | Zachary Fischer | $243,245 |
| 4th | Duane Mitchell | $159,570 |
| 5th | Benjamin Morgan | $109,925 |
| 6th | Olivier Busquet | $85,300 |
| 7th | Kyle Grupp | $67,655 |
| 8th | Greg Himmelbrand | $54,995 |
| 9th | Thomas Cannuli | $42,970 |
Who Is Blake Vogdes?
Blake Vogdes isn’t the type of name that dominates highlight reels — and that’s exactly why this win is so refreshing to kick of the poker tournament season. He’s been building results without the noise, such as a 4th in last year’s PGT Kickoff, and this Borgata may well be Blake’s breakthrough title.
Before this championship, Vogdes had logged ~$237k in recorded live earnings and a best live score of $50,400 (4th place) from the 2025 PGT Kickoff. This Borgata win isn’t just “bigger” — it’s a career-shaping leap.
| Vogdes Snapshot | What It Tells Us |
| Previous recorded live earnings (pre-win) | $237,000 — strong volume but no headline-breaking score yet |
| Previous best score | $50,400 (4th in a 2025 PGT Kickoff event) |
| 2026 Borgata WPO Championship | $457,980 — a true breakout win and major title |
| Win path | Short stack at 5-handed → multiple double-ups → closes in under an hour |
Let’s keep an eye on Blake Vogdes in 2026 and see if this truly was his breakthrough win.
Der Beitrag Blake Vogdes Wins 2026 Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship erschien zuerst auf VIP-Grinders.
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