This Week's Highlights: Cold Hands on the Stone Bubble at the 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open

Highlights from the 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open: including Hwang's full house victory over Carmen, Chestnut's river comeback, Esposito's bubble elimination, Chadha's elimination of Weng, and an overpot bluff.

In late July, PokerNews returned to the East Coast, once again providing live updates from Borgata in Atlantic City. With the full schedule of the 2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open, PokerNews captured major and game-changing hands live.

These include the $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship, which attracted 565 entries and had a total prize pool of $1,356,000; and the $600 Deepstack Opening Event, which had 2,390 entries and awarded a total prize pool of $1,242,800.

Here are some key and game-changing hands recorded by the PokerNews live reporting team.

Carmen was defeated by Hwang in a cold hand.

On Day 2 of the $600 Deepstack Opening Event, at Level 27 (40,000/80,000/80,000), reporter Calum Grant captured a strong hand. Robert Hwang opened from the gun and raised to 160,000, which Jamie Carmen called from the big blind.

On the flop of 10♥7♦7♠, Carmen check-raised to 375,000 after betting 80,000. Hwang called.

Carmen continued betting 500,000 on the turn with 3♥, and Hwang called again.

The river card 5♣ completed the board, and when Carmen went all in for about 1,800,000, Hwang instantly called.

Carmen made a gourd with 3♦3♦, but Hwang made a larger gourd with 10♣10♦ and won the pot.

Chestnut's river card reversed Steinberg's lead.

Shortly after, Grant caught another big hand at level 28 (50,000/100,000/100,000). Christopher Steinberg opened from the gun and raised to 200,000, Coleem Chestnut raised from the small blind to 550,000, and Steinberg called.

Chestnut continued betting 675,000 on the flop of Q♣9♥2♣, and Steinberg called.

Chestnut quickly went all-in with a large stack on the turn 10♦. Steinberg, with about 1,600,000 chips behind him, called after a long deliberation.

Christopher Steinberg: J♥10♥

Coleem Chestnut: 5♣2♠

Steinberg made a brilliant call with second pair, but it quickly turned into a disaster – Chestnut slammed his fist on the table in delight when the 5♦ appeared on the river, giving him an incredible two pair that won the pot and eliminated him.

Lewis Esposito was eliminated on a cold card in the stone foam game.

On Day 2 of the $2,700 Summer Poker Open, Level 16 (4,000/8,000/8,000), during the bubble stage, journalist Bret Slezak captured the moment the bubble burst. On hand 14 of the bubble stage, Paul Volpe opened from early position, Lewis Esposito went all-in for 95,000 from the hijack position, and Drew O'Connell, on the button, went all-in for 143,000, for which Volpe folded.

Lewis Esposito: Q♠Q♣

Drew O'Connell: K♠K♦

Esposito was at a disadvantage with a suppressed pair, and the flop of A♥4♦3♥ offered no help. The turn 6♥ and the river 7♠ did nothing to change the situation, O'Connell's K remained the best, Esposito went home empty-handed, and the remaining 71 players celebrated entering the money bubble.

Bin Weng's elimination

On Day 3 of the tournament, Level 25 (30,000/60,000/60,000), Grant caught one of the tournament's most accomplished players out of the game. With only 11 players remaining, Bin Weng raised to 120,000 from the close, and Carlos Chadha called from the small blind.

The flop came A♠K♣8♠, Chadha checked and called 105,000. The turn was J♣, and both players checked. The river was 4♠.

Chadha bet 190,000 into a pot of 570,000, causing Weng to frown. Weng, with 1,710,000 behind him, raised to 630,000 after using a time-bank card. Chadha then 3-bet all in with an even larger stack.

"That's ruthless," Weng said as he pondered how to deal with the 1,080,000 behind him. "That river card was really..."

The fourth Time Bank card was deposited into the center, leaving Weng with only one Time Chip. That one was also given to the dealer.

Weng called with tears in his eyes, Chadha revealed K♠J♠ for a nut flush, and Weng's 4♦4♣ went into the deck after being revealed, leading to Weng leaving the live table. Weng finished in 11th place, winning $18,150.

It's great to see Weng return to the field after experiencing some health issues over the past year, and he discussed this with PokerNews during Borgata.

Best hands in tournaments? Chadha's overpot bet on the turn and river.

On Day 3, Level 26 (40,000/80,000/80,000), Grant caught what was arguably the best hand in the tournament. In a flat-call pot between the blinds, Nicholas Verderamo bet 80,000 on a flop of A♥7♣4♥, and Carlos Chadha called.

The turn card 7♦ pairs the board, and Verderamo checks. Chadha bets 700,000 into the 410,000 pot, putting Verderamo in trouble. After using a time chip, Verderamo calls.

The river card is 3♦, and Verderamo checks again. Chadha overbets again, raising to 2,400,000.

Verderamo had 2,830,000 chips behind him and put in a time stack. He eventually decided to fold, handing his A♠6♠ back to the dealer. Chadha successfully escaped, as his hole cards were only 6♣3♠.

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