Vivek Rajkumar Wins Borgata Poker Open

The final table of the WPT tournaments was over in just 48 hands.

The signs were there early on - it was going to be Vivek Rajkumar's day. He quickly lost the chip lead he had coming into the day, but took it back in a huge pot against Mark Seif. Rajkumar moved all-in with pocket tens, and was called by Seif who had pockets aces. A ten came on the flop and Rajkumar was in command of the tournament.

Seif couldn't complain too much, however, as he only was alive in the tournaments thanks to a suck-out against Jason Strochak - pocket eights against pocket queens, all-in pre-flop - a little earlier. Seif, who was the most well-kwon player at the table, got knocked out in fifth place by Rajkumar a few hands later.

Rajkumar went on to bust Jason Strochak in fourth place and Dan Heimiller in third place, before it was time for heads-up play against Sang Kim. And of course, the 2008 Borgata Poker Open ended with another suck-out:

Kim moved all-in with A-Q and was in a good position against Rajkumar who called with A-J. But once again the flop favored Rajkumar, this time with a jack, and it was all over.

Rajkumar's first World Poker Tour victory gave him $1,424,500 in prize money, a WPT bracelet, and the $25,000 buy-in for the WPT finals at the Bellagio.

22-year-old Rajkumar started his poker career online, but he has already proven himself to be a solid live player. He cashed five times in the 2007 WSOP, including one final table, and added three more cashes in the 2008 series. 

Final-table results from the WPT Borgata Poker Open:

1. Vivek Rajkumar $1,424,500

2. Sang Kim $750,000

3. Dan Heimiller $387,500

4. Jason Strochak $337,500

5. Mark Seif $287,500

6. Andrew Knee $237,500