Last Updated on July 25, 2026 by Bala Kumar
Poker talent from all over the East Coast made the trip to Atlantic City for the Borgata Summer Poker Open’s $650 Super Deep 6-Max event. When the dust settled, it was a local favorite, cash game and tournament regular Li Liang, who walked away with the trophies, making history as the event’s first female champion.
A Big Field and a Big Prize Pool
The tournament attracted 401 total entries, building a total prize pool of $228,570. With $41,150 guaranteed to the winner, 65 players survived to return for Day 2 action. From there, the field narrowed down to a final six, who battled it out at a streamed final table on Friday to determine a champion.
It took Liang just over two hours of heads-up play to close out the title, defeating runner-up Giorgi Arveladze to claim the win. The victory more than doubled her total live tournament earnings on record.
Full Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Li Liang | United States | $41,150 |
| 2 | Giorgi Arveladze | Georgia | $28,575 |
| 3 | Ryan Syrko | United States | $20,000 |
| 4 | Yuriy Kudrynskyy | Ukraine | $13,710 |
| 5 | Bin Weng | United States | $9,140 |
| 6 | Frank Costigan | United States | $7,430 |
Day 3 Final Table: Hand-by-Hand Breakdown
The final six players returned to the felt with Arveladze holding a commanding chip lead, while Liang started the day in fourth place.
6th Place — Frank Costigan: On one of the very first hands of the day, Costigan opened and then jammed for 23 big blinds holding pocket tens. Arveladze called from the big blind with ace-king, while the original opener, Yuriy Kudrynskyy, folded ace-king from the pot. A king landed on the flop, giving Arveladze the best hand and sending Costigan to the rail first.
5th Place — Bin Weng: Nearly 90 minutes passed before the next elimination. Weng, who had just doubled up an opponent in a coinflip, shoved his final 19 big blinds with ace-king over an Arveladze open. Arveladze snap-called with pocket tens, and a third ten on the flop left Weng drawing dead by the turn — ending the run of the most tournament-accomplished player left in the field.
4th Place — Yuriy Kudrynskyy: Play tightened up as the shorter stacks tried to ladder while Arveladze’s stack continued to grow. Kudrynskyy eventually got his last six big blinds in with king-queen, but he ran into Liang’s jack-six and couldn’t find an improvement to survive.
3rd Place — Ryan Syrko: Just a few hands later, Syrko shoved his final seven big blinds holding ace-three. He ran directly into Arveladze’s pocket sixes, and when Arveladze flopped a set, Syrko’s tournament came to an end in third.
Heads-Up — Liang vs. Arveladze: Heads-up play opened with Arveladze holding a two-to-one chip advantage over Liang. Liang chipped away early, winning a string of small pots to even the chip counts. The hand that decided the tournament came when Arveladze led out on the flop in a single-raised pot holding an open-ended straight draw. He then jammed the turn for more than three times the size of the pot. Liang called off with the second pair and the nut flush draw, and improved to trip when her hand got there on the river, while Arveladze’s straight draw missed. The hand left Arveladze crippled and set up Liang’s eventual victory.
Winner’s Reaction
The magnitude of the win was clear on Liang’s face once it fully set in. Speaking with PokerNews after a grueling three-day battle, the New Jersey native said the accomplishment meant more to her than just the money, capturing the title itself was the bigger prize.
Liang, a fixture at the Borgata poker room, said playing at her regular casino gave her a real edge throughout the event, and credited the support of the room’s staff and other familiar faces for helping carry her through. She said the win has boosted her confidence heading into the rest of the summer series, and that she plans to keep grinding at the tables every day going forward.
As for the rest of her day, Liang said she’d be figuring out where to display her two new trophies at home, and celebrating the win with her daughter.
FAQs
1. Who won the Borgata Summer Poker Open $650 Super Deep 6-Max event?
Li Liang won the tournament, defeating Giorgi Arveladze heads-up to claim the $41,150 first-place prize and become the first female champion of the event.
2. How many players entered the tournament?
The $650 Super Deep 6-Max event attracted 401 entries, generating a $228,570 prize pool, with 65 players advancing to Day 2.
3. How did Li Liang win the final heads-up match?
Li Liang came back from a two-to-one chip deficit against Giorgi Arveladze. In the decisive hand, she called with second pair and the nut flush draw, improved to trips on the river, and crippled Arveladze’s stack before securing the title.
4. Who finished at the final table?
The final six players were Li Liang (1st), Giorgi Arveladze (2nd), Ryan Syrko (3rd), Yuriy Kudrynskyy (4th), Bin Weng (5th), and Frank Costigan (6th).
5. What did Li Liang say after her victory?
Li Liang said winning the title meant more to her than the prize money. She credited her familiarity with the Borgata poker room and support from staff and fellow players, and said the victory has given her confidence for the rest of the summer series.
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