Chino Rheem Wins One, Tamasauskas Takes His Second at 2023 Poker Masters

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Live Reporting Executive
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Chino Rheem

The 2023 Poker Masters series rolls on at PokerGO Studios in Las Vegas and three more winners have been crowned at Aria Casino & Resort.

The latest winner was Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger — who won Event #5 for $204,000 on his 36th birthday. Before that was Chino Rheem’s win in Event #4 for $218,400 and Vladas Tamasauskas picked up his second win of the series in Event #3 for $208,800.

Tamasauskas Closes the Deal Again

Ren Lin made another deep run after his third-place finish in Event #1, but he lost in heads-up play to the red-hot Tamasauskas and the field of 87 entries surrendered a victory to the Lithuanian for the second time in the series. The final table also included mainstay Alex Foxen and an appearance from Chance Kornuth.

Vladas Tamasauskas Scores Second Win
Vladas Tamasauskas scores his second win

Event #3 Final Table Results

RankPlayerCountryPrize
1Vladas TamasauskasLithuania$208,800
2Ren LinChina$147,900
3Daniel RezaeiAustria$104,400
4Alex FoxenUnited States$87,000
5Michael RoccoUnited States$69,600
6Chance KornuthUnited States$52,200

Rheem Beats Little in Event #4

Daniel Negreanu made it to the televised final table in Event #4, but an ill-timed bluff against Jonathan Little ran his ship aground early and he left the studio in sixth place. Justin Saliba, Daniel Rezaei, Chris Brewer, and Brock Wilson also found their way to the endgame, but Event #4 was headlined by the final battle between Little and Rheem. Little entered heads-up play with a big deficit, but he fought back to make a game of it before Rheem prevailed with a successful straight draw for the win.

Event #4 Final Table Results

RankPlayerCountryPrize
1Chino RheemUnited States$218,400
2Jonathan LittleUnited States$154,700
3Brock WilsonUnited States$109,200
4Chris BrewerUnited States$91,000
5Justin SalibaUnited States$72,800
6Daniel NegreanuCanada$54,600

Can Short-Stacked Daniel Negreanu Push Around the Big Stack at Poker Masters Final Table?

A Happy Birthday for LuckyChewy in Event #5

Andrew Lichtenberger
Andrew Lichtenberger

Lichtenberger rang in his 36th birthday with a victory over Brian Kim in a tournament that drew 85 entries. The final table featured two Germans in Niko Coop and WSOP Main Event champion Koray Aldemir, as well as Wilson’s second Poker Masters final table in a row. It came down to Kim, Lichtenberger, and third-place finisher Daniel Lazrus in the end.

Kim and Lichtenberger outlasted Lazrus in extended three-handed play and “LuckyChewy” went into the final two with the advantage. Kim got it in with the better ace-queen, but Lichtenberger lived up to his name and pair the lower of his ace-six for the win.

Event #5 Final Table Results

RankPlayerCountryPrize
1Andrew LichtenbergerUnited States$204,000
2Brian KimUnited States$144,500
3Daniel LazrusUnited States$102,000
4Niko KoopGermany$85,000
5Brock WilsonUnited States$68,000
6Koray AldemirGermany$51,000

Check out the PokerNews Podcast interview with LuckyChewy

What’s Next for the 2023 Poker Masters?

The series has hit its halfway point and there is one more $10,000 event before the buy-ins increase to $25,000 on the road to the $50,000 finale on September 25. Tamasauskas has a big lead on the strength of two wins, while Lin lurks in the distance with three cashes in five events.

The leader at the end of ten events will take home a $50,000 bonus and the purple Poker Masters jacket.

Poker Masters Purple Jacket
Poker Masters Purple Jacket

2023 Poker Masters Leaderboard (through 5 events)

RankPlayerWinsCashesEarningsPoints
1Vladas Tamasauskas23$506,400506
2Ren Lin03$298,800299
3Andrew Lichtenberger13$265,700266
4Darren Elias12$259,500259
5Chino Rheem11$218,400218
6Brock Wilson03$194,600194
7Aram Zobian01$171,000171
8Eric Baldwin01$155,200155
9Jonathan Little01$154,700155
10Alex Foxen03$152,500153

The Poker Masters continues with the conclusion of Event #6 on Thursday, September 21. The series will run with ten events until Sept. 26 before PokerGO kicks off the Super High Roller Bowl on Thursday, Sept. 28.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for recaps of the 2023 Poker Masters, and tune into PokerGO for live-streamed final tables throughout the rest of the series and beyond.

- Photos courtesy of PokerGO

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Live Reporting Executive

Las Vegas-based PokerNews Live Reporting Executive, originally from Chicago, IL

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