Daily Tournament Highlights | 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open

2 days 23 hours ago

Lavin and Williams Lead the Winners in Borgata Cash Game

Calum Grant

A few hours into the BetMGM Poker ambassador cash game at Borgata, Mike Lavin has emerged as the night's biggest winner.

Lavin sits atop the profit leaderboard with $7,515 in winnings, thanks in part to a monster double-board bomb pot where he scooped both boards against fellow ambassador Esther Taylor.

Aubrey Williams is close behind, up $6,045 after an impressive start that included turning quads to claim one of the night's first headline pots. Darren Elias rounds out the top three, ahead $3,585, while Lucas Bernui (+$1,320) and Taylor (+$950) are also in the black.

On the other side of the ledger, Stanton Tentnowski has taken the biggest hit so far, down $7,845. Dave Stefanski (-$6,330) and Ben Duronio (-$5,240) are also looking to mount a comeback.

Player	Stack	Profit/Loss
Mike Lavin	$9,810	+$7,515
Aubrey Williams	$8,695	+$6,045
Darren Elias	$13,275	+$3,585
Lucas Bernui	$6,290	+$1,320
Esther Taylor	$13,675	+$950
Ben Duronio	$2,790	-$5,240
Dave Stefanski	$3,060	-$6,330
Stanton Tentnowski	$6,365	-$7,845

Tags: Aubrey Williams Ben Duronio Darren Elias Dave Stefanski Esther Taylor Lucas Bernui Mike Lavin Stanton Tentnowski

2 days 23 hours ago

Stefanski Can't Get Away From This One

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Calum Grant

Dave Stefanksi kicked the hand off with a raise to $125 from the hijack and then called when Esther Taylor reraised to $400 from the cutoff.

Stefanski check-called for $300 on the 10♠9♦3♣ flop, before the 7♥ turn checked through to the J♥ river.

Stefanski bet $200 into a pot of $1,490. Taylor sprung into life, raising it big to $1,500. Stefanski didn't give it much thought before flicking in a calling chip.

Taylor had the nuts with K♣Q♦ and Stefanski mucked his Q♥10♥.

Tags: Dave Stefanksi Esther Taylor

2 days 23 hours ago

Stefanski Lays Down Broadway to River Jam

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Calum Grant

The double straddle was on, and Dave Stefanski raised to $200 from the hijack after liking his K♠Q♣. Aubrey Williams was the only caller, coming along with A♣10♣ from the first straddle.

Both players didn't mind the J♥10♦10♠ flop, which checked through to the A♦ turn. Both players now had made hands, but Williams had the checkmark with tens full of aces and was miles ahead of Stefanski's Broadway.

Williams check-called for $375 and the 9♣ completed the board.

Williams checked again and Stefanski sized up to $1,550 into a pot of $1,265. Williams rechecked her cards and moved all in for $5,990. There was no tanking from Stefanksi, who quickly open-folded his straight. Williams was kind enough to show the table her boat.

Tags: Aubrey Williams Dave Stefanski

3 days ago

Want More PokerNews in Your Feed? Here's How!

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Calum Grant

Here at PokerNews, we pride ourselves on bringing you the very best there is in the world of poker. Whether it's the latest poker news, live tournament updates straight from the floor, or a wide range of poker strategy, we're committed to delivering the poker content that matters to you.

Now, Google is making that easier than ever. With Google's Preferred Sources feature, you can choose PokerNews as one of your preferred go-to news outlets. This helps ensure our latest stories and live updates appear at the top of your search feed.

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3 days ago

Bernui Gets a Double with Jacks

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Calum Grant

Dave Stefanski raised to $75 from middle position before Stanton Tentnowski made it $250 from the cutoff. Lucas Bernui was on the button and four-bet to $550. Stefanski ditched his 9♣9♠ and then Tentnowski ripped in his chips as the bigger stack. Bernui had $2,525 behind, and committed those chips after a little bit of thought.

The board ran out Q♦J♥3♠5♦10♠, and Bernui turned over J♠J♦ for a set of jacks and Tentnowski threw his K♣4♣ into the muck.

Tags: Dave Stefanski Lucas Bernui Stanton Tentnowski

3 days ago

Nearly $60,000 on the Table in BetMGM Ambassador Cash Game

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Calum Grant

The chips are piling up in the BetMGM Poker ambassador cash game at Borgata, with $58,960 now sitting on the table in the $5/$10 no-limit hold'em game.

Darren Elias holds the biggest stack with $13,430, making him the only player above the $13,000 mark. Esther Taylor follows with $10,205, while Dave Stefanski ($7,970), Michael Lavin ($7,285), Stanton Tentnowski ($6,815), and Aubrey Williams ($6,785) all have deep stacks.

Tags: Aubrey Williams Darren Elias Dave Stefanski Esther Taylor Michael Lavin Stanton Tentnowski

3 days 1 hour ago

Maurice Hawkins Having "Best Summer of My Life" After Declaring Bankruptcy

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Calum Grant

Maurice Hawkins has rarely been far from the headlines in 2026. On the felt, he's putting together the best run of his career. Away from it, he's been navigating a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing that has drawn scrutiny throughout the poker world.

Just days after extending his own World Series of Poker Circuit record with a 26th gold ring at Choctaw, Hawkins sat down with PokerNews at the Borgata Summer Poker Open to discuss both sides of what has been a remarkable year.

Read the interview here

Tags: Maurice Hawkins

3 days 2 hours ago

Ambassador on Ambassador Violence in Double Board Bomb Pot

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Calum Grant

The first $25 double-board bomb pot of the night produced the biggest pot so far, with Michael Lavin handing fellow BetMGM Poker ambassador Esther Taylor a brutal cooler.

https://twitter.com/PokerNews/status/2082300840023318907

J♥J♣2♥8♠K♣
Q♣6♠3♦3♥K♠

All eight players checked the flop, prompting Taylor, holding J♦4♠4♣2♠, to fire out $225 from the big blind after making a full house on the top board.

Stanton, with 10♥7♦6♣3♠, called from the next seat over with threes full of sixes on the bottom board. Lavin, meanwhile, had a monster with K♥Q♦J♠3♣, giving him trip jacks on the top board and threes full of queens on the bottom.

Lavin raised to $800 and Taylor called before Stanton made a shrewd fold.

The pot looked destined to be chopped, but the K♣ river on the top board improved Lavin to jacks full of kings, giving him the checkmark on both boards.

Taylor checked and quickly called when Lavin jammed for $1,580, only to discover she had been coolered.

The massive scoop gave Lavin the biggest pot of the night so far.

Tags: Big Blind Esther Taylor Michael Lavin

3 days 2 hours ago

Four-Bet Pot for Elias in Ambassador Cash Game

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Calum Grant

Michael Lavin raised to $75 from the hijack with 10♣9♥, but saw Stanton Tentowski make a three-bet to $300 from the small blind. That wasn't enough for Darren Elias, who increased the price of poker to $725, after he looked down at A♠K♠ from the staddle. Lavin got out of the way before Tentowski called.

Elias made pair on an ace-high flop, and Tentowski laid his hand down after Elias continued for $200.

Tags: Darren Elias Michael Lavin

3 days 2 hours ago

Aubrey Williams Makes Quads on Cash Game Livestream

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Calum Grant

The BetMGM Poker ambassador cash game is underway at Borgata, with ambassadors Darren Elias, Esther Taylor, and Michael Lavin joined in a $5/$10 no-limit hold'em game by 2026 WSOP Ladies Championship runner-up Aubrey Williams and members of the U.S. Poker Community Discord.

Williams wasted little time making her mark on the game, dragging the first notable pot after turning quads.

Holding 9♣9♠, Williams opened to $30 from early position before Lucas Bernui three-bet to $130 from the small blind with 6♦5♦. Williams called to take the action heads-up.

The 9♥8♣5♠ flop gave Williams top set, while Bernui paired his five and check-called for $80.

The 9♦ on the turn improved Williams to quad nines. She set the trap and checked behind.

When the A♠ completed the board, Bernui checked for a third time and Williams fired $220 into the pot. Bernui gave it some thought but ultimately elected to fold, allowing Williams to rake in the first big pot of the evening.

Tags: Aubrey Williams Darren Elias Esther Taylor Lucas Bernui Michael Lavin