Carlos Chadha Wins Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Mon Aug 03, 2026, 11:00 am ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

Carlos Chadha Wins Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship

poker

Carlos Chadha-Villamarin captured the 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship after a dominant performance in Atlantic City. The accomplished tournament professional earned $242,385 for the victory, marking the second-largest live cash of his career.

The win capped a memorable festival and added a prestigious Borgata title to Chadha-Villamarin's résumé. He navigated a stacked final table before defeating Maxwell Young in an entertaining heads-up battle.

The result also showcased the level of competition found in major live events, even as many professionals continue refining their strategies through US online poker sites before transitioning to the live arena.

Chadha-Villamarin Controls the Final Table Before Reaching Heads-Up

Chadha-Villamarin entered the final table alongside several accomplished competitors, with every remaining player chasing the championship and a six-figure payday.

Michael Dentale became the first casualty in ninth place. Ricky Guan followed in eighth before Andrew Porter exited in seventh after failing to build momentum.

Russ Dunlevy finished sixth, trimming the field to five players. Michael Renna then bowed out in fifth, leaving James Tedrow, Nicholas Verderamo, Maxwell Young, and Chadha-Villamarin in contention.

Tedrow's elimination in fourth narrowed the race to three. Verderamo eventually fell in third after losing a critical pot, setting up a heads-up showdown between Chadha-Villamarin and Young.

Throughout the final table, Chadha-Villamarin remained patient while consistently applying pressure. He preserved his stack, capitalized on favorable situations, and entered heads-up play with the chip lead.

Chadha-Villamarin Makes Hero River Call to Win the Title

The championship concluded with one of the tournament's most memorable hands. Young limped pre-flop holding 5♦ 3♦, and Chadha-Villamarin raised with 8♥ 4♣.

Then, Young called before leading into Chadha-Villamarin on a 5♥ 4♠ 3♠ flop after flopping two pair, fives and threes.

Young continued betting on the 7♣ turn, and Chadha-Villamarin called once again while holding a pair of fours and an open-ended straight draw.

The 8♠ river completed Chadha-Villamarin's higher two pair, eights and fours, while Young still held his flopped two pair. Young moved all in for value, putting Chadha-Villamarin to a difficult decision.

After a lengthy tank, Chadha-Villamarin made the hero call with the winning hand. Young mucked his cards, and Chadha-Villamarin's remarkable river call secured the final pot, the Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship, and the $242,385 first-place prize.

Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship Final Table Results

Place Player Payout POY Points
1 Carlos Chadha-Villamarin $242,385 1,260
2 Maxwell Young $167,985 1,050
3 Nicholas Verderamo $116,525 840
4 James Tedrow $77,345 630
5 Michael Renna $54,100 525
6 Russ Dunlevy $42,975 420
7 Andrew Porter $34,620 315
8 Ricky Guan $28,160 210
9 Michael Dentale $22,945 105

Marquee Borgata Title Rewards Years of Preparation

After securing the championship, Chadha-Villamarin reflected on how well everything came together at the final table.

"It went surprisingly smoothly. I felt like I was playing really well and knew exactly what I was doing in every situation," he said.

The victory delivered one of the largest payouts of Chadha-Villamarin's career while adding a marquee Borgata championship to a résumé that already includes deep runs in some of poker's toughest high-roller events.

His latest success also rewarded the countless hours he has invested studying tournament strategy. Like many professionals competing across major tours and US online poker sites, Chadha-Villamarin has spent years reviewing hands and refining his decision-making.

That dedication finally translated into another signature tournament victory.

:It makes the 1000s of hours of studying pay off. So finally worth it. You know, a lot of times you study and you don't get results, especially in multi-table, live tournaments. So it's just nice to have an actual result to go with hard work."

Beyond the six-figure payday, the title awarded valuable Player of the Year points and further strengthened Chadha-Villamarin's reputation as one of the circuit's most consistent tournament professionals. 

While he has recorded larger achievements against elite high-roller fields, winning one of Borgata's flagship championships remains another significant milestone in his accomplished poker career.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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