2007 WSOP Event #34 – Alexander Borteh Wins $3,000 Limit Hold’em

Alexander Borteh has come a long way in two years.  In 2005, he finished third in the $1,500 no-limit hold’em shootout, the first of Mark Seif’s two bracelets that year.  He seemed overwhelmed and nervous to battling the likes of Seif and Kathy Liebert.  Not so this year, as he entered as the big stack, weathered a storm, and came back to win the $3,000 limit hold’em event at the 2007 World Series of Poker. 

He started with $389,000 in chips, but by the time there were six players left, he was down to $240,000.  He was the short stack at the table for the entirety of four handed play.  But when the game was three-handed between Borteh, Brandon Wong, and Shawn Keller, he made a huge move to take the chip lead.  Trailing Wong before the flop with a dominated A-7 versus A-Q, Borteh flopped a 7 and proceeded to take several bets from Wong through the river.  With betting limits at $30,000/$60,000, only a couple bets could create a big swing and suddenly, Borteh had more chips than his opponents had combined. 

Keller was eliminated shortly after that hand and Borteh went into heads-up play with Wong holding a $1.2 million to $570,000 chip lead. 

About ten minutes into the match, Wong made a great river call, holding just top pair, awful kicker (the Brunson: 10-2) on a scary board of 10-8-7-K-9.  Borteh only had a pair of nines and Wong regained the chip lead. 

The two continued to battle for about another half hour when Borteh crippled Wong, this time on a questionable river call by Wong.  Wong had raised pre-flop with A-Q and Borteh called with 5-6.  The flop was nice for Borteh: 6-4-2 rainbow.  Check, check.  The turn 7 gave Borteh an even better draw to go with his pair and he bet, while Wong called.  Another 5 came on the river and Borteh decided to throw another bet out there.  Despite only having Ace-high and the board offering many straight and boat possibilities, Wong called.   

Wong was all-in pre-flop with Q-8 suited on the next hand and Borteh called with K-6.  Borteh paired his King on the turn to ice the tournament and he won his first WSOP bracelet, along with $225,483. 

Final Table Standings 

1. Alex Borteh -- $225,483
2. Brandon Wong -- $135,615
3. Shawn Keller -- $92,316
4. David Pham -- $62,906
5. Matthew Kelly -- $46,567
6. Vivek Rajkumar -- $36,763
7. Michael Byrne -- $27,777
8. Marco Johnson -- $20,424
9. Petri Pollanen -- $14,705