It\’s time to take a breath after all of last week\’s crazy poker action, but there was still quite a bit of poker to be played this week.
The Borgata Winter Poker Open and the Caesers Classic each held their Main Event, and the year of the media continued to roll on strong.
Borgata Winter Poker Classic (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
![\"\"](\"http://old.pokerati.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/vadim_shlez.jpg\" "\\"vadim_shlez\\"")
After almost a full month\’s worth of tournaments, the Borgata Winter Poker Open culminated in a $3,500 Main Event that drew 718 players and generated a prize pool of over $2.6 million. The top six players each locked down a six-figure score, but Ukranian Vadim Shlez was the last man standing, claiming a first place prize of $533,210. [Borgata Blog]
Caesars Winter Poker Classic (Las Vegas, Nevada)
This $550 Main Event drew over 450 players, which made for a first place prize of over $44,000. The biggest name to make this final table was Bryan Micon, who would have to settle for eight place and $6,500. The big winner on this day was Christopher Johnson, no relation to the Tennessee Titans Pro Bowl running back, but he undoubtedly got paid, straight cash homey. [CardPlayer]
Elsewhere…
![\"\"](\"http://old.pokerati.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/remko.jpeg\" "\\"remko\\"")
Remko Rinkema became just the latest member of the poker media to score big on the other side of the tournament ropes. Remko finished 4th in an Estrellas Poker Tour event in Madrid to the tune of over €26,000… Liv Boeree made her first big splash since joining Team PokerStars by defeating James \”mig.com\” Mackey to win the PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up and $75,000.