Jason Mercier is a five-time WSOP bracelet winner with more than $20 million in recorded tournament earnings. The 36-year-old father of three was a fixture on the live scene for a decade before stepping away from the life of a full-time traveling grinder to focus on starting his family. He has only recorded six tournament cashes in the last 3.5 years, with his most recent title run coming in August of 2019. Mercier finally got back in the winner’s circle on Saturday, Feb. 11 by emerging victorious in the 2023 PGT Mixed Games $25,000 buy-in 10-game championship event.

Mercier defeated a field of 57 entries that turned out to the PokerGO Studio inside ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to earn his 27th career tournament title and the top prize of $367,5000. This was the only event of the series that Mercier participated in.

“This tournament was so much fun to play,” Mercier told PokerGO Tour reporters. “It was my first time in the PokerGO Studio. I felt good playing. I played cash for two days before coming here, so I felt like my mixed games were oiled up and ready to go. I played well. I was never all in except for one time in no-limit deuce, where I had the guy dead. That was the only time I was all in and at risk during the whole tournament, so I feel like I played really well, ran well, and am super happy to get the W and a nice payday.”

Mercier was also awarded 257 PGT Points for the win, enough to catapult him inside the top 5 in the points race for the series.

This event featured mix of the H.O.R.S.E. games, no-limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha, no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw, badugi, and deuce-to-seven triple draw. It played out over the course of two days. The field of 57 entries was narrowed to 18 contenders by the end of day 1, with three-time bracelet winner Dan Zack leading the remaining players when cards got in the air for day 2. Mercier was third in chips at that point, but moved up to second position by the time the final seven players combined onto a single table.

Six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu busted short stack Andrew Kelsall in seventh place ($71,250), only to soon find himself facing an all-in bet for his tournament life in a hand of no-limit hold’em. Negreanu called the shove by Jeremy Ausmus, only to muck when Ausmus revealed queens full of fours. Negreanu earned $85,500 as the sixth-place finisher.

Ausmus, a five-time bracelet winner, had a tough run during five-handed play. He lost a couple of big hands in pot-limit Omaha before finding himself involved in a crucial stud eight-or-better pot. He wound up all-in on sixth street with sixes up facing the eight low and pair of eights of two-time bracelet winner David ‘ODB’ Baker. Baker drew an ace on seventh street to improve to aces up for the high side, scooping the pot and eliminating Ausmus in fifth place $114,000.

Maxx Coleman’s run in this event came to an end in a hand of Badugi. He got all-in after the second draw with 4Club Suit2Diamond SuitASpade Suit facing the 3Heart Suit2Spade SuitADiamond Suit of Baker. Neither player improved on the end and Baker’s superior three-card badugi earned him the pot. Coleman, who has yet to play out a paused heads-up match for the event no. 4 title against Ben Lamb, earned $142,500 as the fourth-place finisher. The two-time bracelet has locked up $138,000 for making the final two in that event and could win up to $186,300 if he were able to capture the title.

Baker lost a big chunk of his chips in a no-limit hold’em pot to Mercier. He then got all-in in a hand of razz, committing his last chips on sixth street with a (5-3)A-2-5-9 board. He was up against the (A-8)9-3-2-4 of Zack. Baker caught a 10 on the end to finish with a 9-5-3-2-A low, while Zack caught a 7 to improve to 7-4-3-2-A. Baker earned $199,500 for his second big score of the series. He finished as the runner-up of the kickoff event, bringing his total earnings for the series to nearly $350,000.

Heads-up play began with Zack holding a slight lead over Mercier. The two came to a deal that redistribute the remaining prize money, with second to earn $345,000 while the winner would take home $367,500. The two soon got it all-in blind in a hand of pot-limit Omaha and Mercier made a pair of aces to win the pot for essentially all of the chips in play. Zack doubled up his short stack twice, but ran into a wheel for Mercier on the next all-in and was knocked out in second place.

Zack cashed five times across the eight-event series, with this being his highest finish and largest payday. He totaled $524,700 in earnings during the festival, accruing 352 PGT points along the way, the most of any player. While the standings in that points race are not yet final, with Coleman and Lamb’s heads-up showdown yet to be completed, Zack’s point lead is insurmountable. As a result, he has locked up the title of PGT Mixed Games series champion and the $25,000 championship bonus.

PGT Mixed Games $25,500 10-Game Championship Full Results

The The bestbet Winter Open series kicks off on Jan. 26. Justin Macella, a talented poker player, has emerged victorious at the Bestbet Winter Open Main Event, held in Florida. This was a major tournament that attracted some of the best players from around the world, and Justin’s win has solidified his place among the elite in the poker world. The Georgia native made his third tournament cash his largest by far, and he now holds $151,889 in career earnings.

The tournament was a grueling test of skill, endurance, and nerves, with players competing for several days to claim the top prize. Justin faced off against a talented field of players, but he proved to be the best, displaying a level of skill and strategy that was unmatched. He outwitted and outplayed his opponents, ultimately earning the title of Bestbet Winter Open Main Event champion.

The victory marks a major milestone in Justin’s career and will go down as one of the highlights of his career. He took home a substantial cash prize and has earned the respect of the poker community. Justin’s win at the Bestbet Winter Open Main Event is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and talent as a poker player.

Justin has been making a name for himself in the world of poker for several years now, and this win is a major step forward in his career. He has a bright future ahead of him, and many believe that he will continue to dominate the poker scene for years to come. With his win at the Bestbet Winter Open Main Event, Justin has solidified his place among the top players in the world and has shown that he has what it takes to compete at the highest level.

In conclusion, the Bestbet Winter Open Main Event was a major success, and Justin Macella’s victory is a testament to his skill as a poker player. He has earned the respect of the poker community and has a bright future ahead of him. Congratulations to Justin on his impressive win and good luck in his future endeavors.

bestbet Winter Open Main Event Final Table Results

Four-time WSOP bracelet winner John Monnette win his maiden PGT title and a $211,000 cash prize along with a beautiful PGT memento.

The $10,300 entry buy-in tournament had 88 hopefuls vying for the beautiful PGT Mixed Games trophy and a share of the $880,000 prize pool. Only 13 players reached the money.

Phil Hui money-bubbled the tournament in 14th place.

Notables who crossed the money line but fell short of the final table include Michael Noori (8th for $35,200), Anthony Zinno (9th for $35,200), Mike Wattel (10th for $26,400), Jeff Madsen (11th for $26,400), Benny Glaser (12th for $17,600) and Billy O’Neil (13th for $17,600).

Final Table Chip Count

1. Brian Rast – 4,310,000
2. Albert Daher – 3,345,000
3. John Monnette – 1,980,000
4. Damjan Radanov – 1,585,000
5. Chris Vitch – 895,000
6. Craig Chait -805,000
7. Mike Thorpe – 275,000

Final Table Recap Eight-Game Event

Chris Vitch busted seventh after losing most of his stack to Craig Chait and the remaining chips to Albert Daher.

Mike Thorpe entered the FT with the shortest stack but worked up a pay jump, falling in sixth place, courtesy of Brian Rast.

Damjan Radanov was sent packing in fifth place by Albert Daher in an Omaha Hi-Low hand.

Brian Rast got to work again by eliminating Craig Chait in fourth place but couldn`t take those chips far as he finished third.

After Rast’s departure, John Monnette (2,300,000) and Albert Daher (10,900,000) went at each other in an intense and long-fought heads-up battle, which mostly went in Monnette’s favor until the duo decided to pause the match as the late registrations for Event #3: $10,300 Triple Stud Mix were closing. Both players wanted to enter the event and decided to postpone the match, with Monnette (9,950,000) bagging an over 3:1 chip lead over Daher (3,250,000).

While initially scheduled for Tuesday, the heads-up match got postponed by another day since Monnette made a fourth-place finish in Event #3.

PGT Mixed Games: Final Table Results 

1. John Monnette – $211,200
2. Albert Daher – $149,600
3. Brian Rast – $105,600
4. Craig Chait – $88,000
5. Damjan Radanov – $70,400
6. Mike Thorpe – $52,800
7. Chris Vitch – $44,000

Isaac Haxton won the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $100,000 buy-in 7-handed high roller tournament. The event drew a solid field of 46 entries to create a total prize pool of $4,508,460.

It was the fourth cash and second tournament victory for American poker pro Haxton at the Baha Mar Resort on The Bahamas after he won another $100,000 high roller event to pocket $1,082,230.

Isaac Haxton came out on top of a three-way deal with Seth Davies and Adrian Mateos in the opening PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $100,000 Super High Roller before banking almost half a million in the $25,000 8-Handed High Roller, falling short of a victory to Justin Bonomo and Rui Neves Ferreira. Fedor Holz was the runner-up, but he did take home a nice seven-figure score worth $1,014,400.

Final Result Event #66: PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $100,000

Sam Greenwood won the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $250,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em Super High Roller event. The event drew a solid field of 39 entries to create a total prize pool of $9,498,060.

According to The Hendon Mob, The big wins adds to his lifetime earnings of more than $26,000,000,  trailing only Daniel Negreanu ($49,403,695) and Timothy Adams ($31,261,338). Jean-Noel Thorel won his second place for $2,317,100.

Super High Roller Final Table Results of 2023 PCA

Final Table Action

The final day began with eight players remaining and Chris Brewer was the first to fall on day 3, with his A-4 suited unable to overcome the pocket jacks of Artur Martirosian. Brewer cashed a 28th-place finish in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event for $38,900.

In the final hand of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Super High Roller event, Thorel got all-in with QHeart Suit8Spade Suit racing against the 2Spade Suit2Club Suit of Greenwood. The board came down KClub Suit10Spade Suit9Diamond Suit4Diamond Suit6Spade Suit and Greenwood’s small pocket pair held to lock up the pot and the title. Thorel took home $2,137,100 as the runner-up. The Frenchman now has more than $9.9 million in recorded tournament scores.

Preston McEwen battled through a field of 642 entries at Tunica Horseshoe Casino & Hotel in Mississippi. To win the  $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament with a prize pool worth $972,630 that came with a $183,653 top prize.

The win secured Preston McEwen his largest WSOP cash to date since taking down the Cherokee Monster stack for $133,830 a few short months ago, a win which meant a lot for the 34-year-old poker pro.

Final Table Results

Final Table Action

The final match came down to McEwen and Carl Masters. McEwen held more than a 2-1 chip advantage, and the first time the final two players got all in was the last hand of the tournament. McEwen held K-J, and he had the K-6 of Masters dominated. The board changed nothing, and the Clarksville, Tennessee resident Masters was awarded $113,504 for his runner-up finish in the tournament.

“You know, I just woke up today feeling like I was going to win. I knew I was sitting fourth in chips out of five players, but I knew I still had 37 big blind and I was just locked in,” said McEwen to the WSOP Circuit reporters after his win.

He continued, “Even though I woke up feeling that it was my day, I’m just super grateful it came to fruition and thankful for the supporting cast I have around me because without my wife, kids, or friends, this wouldn’t be possible.”

A few other notables that cashed in the event included Hunter Cichy (18th), Andre Ostapchenko (32nd), Maxwell Young (59th), Corey Wade (68th), and Laura Born (84th).

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The Lucky Hearts Poker Open $25,000 High Roller event is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world of poker. It is held annually at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and attracts some of the best poker players from around the world.

The Lucky Hearts Poker Open series is organized by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, which is one of the most famous casinos in the United States. The casino features a wide range of amenities, including a spa, a fitness center, and a variety of dining and entertainment options. This makes it an ideal location for a tournament like this, as players can enjoy all the amenities of the casino while competing in the tournament.

Aram Oganyan, a professional poker player from Russia, recently emerged victorious in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open $25,000 High Roller event. This prestigious tournament, which took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, attracted a star-studded field of top poker players from around the world.

Oganyan’s victory in the event was a testament to his skill and experience as a poker player. He had to outlast a field of 64 players, all of whom were highly skilled and experienced in the game. The tournament featured several high-profile players, including several World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winners and other top-ranked poker pros.

The tournament began with a flurry of action, as players jostled for position and tried to build up their chip stacks. Oganyan, however, was able to stay calm and focused, and he was able to consistently make smart decisions and build up his stack. As the tournament progressed, he found himself in a strong position and was able to take advantage of his opponents’ mistakes to build up an even bigger lead.

In the end, Oganyan faced off against a tough opponent in the final round of the tournament, but he was able to outplay him and take home the first-place prize of $900,000. His win in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open $25,000 High Roller event is one of the biggest and most prestigious of his career, and it solidifies his position as one of the top poker players in the world.

The Lucky Hearts Poker Open is a well-known event that attracts players from around the world, and this year’s tournament was no exception. It was a highly competitive and exciting event, and Oganyan’s victory is a testament to his skill and experience as a poker player. He’s definitely a player to watch out for in future tournaments.

In the end, Oganyan’s win in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open $25,000 High Roller event is a huge accomplishment for him and for the poker world. He proved his skills and experience and has demonstrated that he has what it takes to come out on top in a tournament of this caliber. We are looking forward to see him in the upcoming events and wishing him all the best for his future endeavors.

Lucky Hearts Poker Open $25,000 High Roller final table results:

Alex Foxen, a professional poker player from the Canada, recently emerged victorious in the PokerGO Cup $26,000 High Roller event. This exclusive tournament, which took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, attracted a select group of top poker players from around the world.

Foxen’s victory in the event was a testament to his skill and experience as a poker player. He had to outlast a field of 50 players to gain $317,040 and also his first trophy of the year, all of whom were highly skilled and experienced in the game. The tournament featured several high-profile players, including several World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winners and other top-ranked poker pros.

Foxen’s two deep go for this celebration have actually seen him build up $470,040 in revenues as well as 870 POY points just a couple of weeks into the brand-new year. As a result, he has already re-established himself inside the leading 10 in on the POY leaderboard sponsored by Global Poker.

Foxen was also awarded 240 PokerGO Tour points for the win. He now sits in second place in both the PokerGO Cup points race and the overall PGT standings.

This latest deep run marked Foxen’s 55th recorded cash for six figures or more. The 31-year-old poker pro now has more than $27.8 million in lifetime earnings to his name.

This event ran from Jan. 17-18 at the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino. Day 1 was scheduled to conclude when just six players remained. Bracelet winner Brian Kim was knocked out by thee-time bracelet Nick Schulman on the bubble. Six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu secured his second cash of the series by finishing eighth ($50,000). Schulman also made the money for the second time in this series, ultimately placing seventh for $62,500.

Day 2 began with Orpen Kisacikoglu out in front and Foxen in third chip position. Bracelet winner Sam Soverel began the day with the shortest stack, and was ultimately sent home in sixth when his A-9 ran into the pocket queens of Cary Katz.

Not long after that, the ever-talkative Sean Perry was knocked out in fifth place when his pocket tens squared off against the pocket jacks of Aram Oganyan. Neither player improved on an ace-high runout and Perry settled for $100,000. This was Perry’s first live cash since last September. Based on table talk from the final table, he has been focusing on sports betting over playing poker in recent months. This latest score increased his tournament earnings to nearly $6.8 million.

A classic coin flip spelled the end of Katz’s run in this event, with his pocket fives unable to outrun the A-J of Oganyan (4th – $125,000). The payday saw Katz’s career earnings grow to nearly $35.9 million, good for 13th place on the all-time money list.

While Kisacikoglu started the final day of this event solidly ahead of the rest of the pack, he gave up much of that lead in the early going. During three-handed play, though, he began to pull away again. He ended up entering heads-up play with a 3:1 chip lead after his A-8 held against the A-7 of Oganyan (3rd – $175,000).

Heads-up was a swingy affair. Foxen battled all the way back to even, and then took a sizable lead of his own. In fact, he had more than a 10:1 chip advantage at one point before Kisacikoglu managed a couple of double ups to remove himself from the danger zone. He eeked into the lead in time for negotiations between the final two about a chop, likely motivated in part by the impending close of registration in the next event on the schedule at the PokerGO Cup. They eventually agreed to redistribute the remaining prize money based on ICM, with Kisacikoglu taking home $345,460 while Foxen earned $317,040. The pair agreed to flip for the title, with Foxen’s Q-J suited holding against the J-6 of Kisacikoglu. The pair then hurried over to the registration window to sign up for event no. 7, the penultimate tournament of the high-stakes festival.

This runner-up finish was the seventh-largest score of Kisacikoglu’s career. It increased his total earnings to nearly $10.7 million.

Here is the final table results of PokerGO Cup $26000 High Roller: