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$1,000,000 Championship Freeroll
Day 1 Completed
2025 PGT Championship
$1,000,000 Championship Freeroll
Day: 1
Event Info
2025 PGT Championship
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
Prize Pool
$1,000,000
Total Entries
54
Level
21
Blinds
75,000 / 125,000
Ante
125,000
Entries
54
Players Left
7
Players Left 1 / 54
Filter
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
The final event of the 2025 PokerGO Tour (PGT) season kicked off today as 54 poker players made their way to the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas for the PGT Championship $1,000,000 Championship Freeroll. After Day 1, American pro Michael Wang leads the final seven players with a stack of 2,890,000 as he looks to claim the $500,000 first-place prize.
Also at the final table is poker superstar Daniel Negreanu, who bagged a middling stack to be just behind John Riordan in the counts and ahead of short stacks Chad Eveslage and Eric Blair. Meanwhile, Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger and Aaron Kupin, the last Dream Seat winner standing, will have the upper hand as the big stacks.
The bubble has yet to burst as only six spots are paid, with a minimum cash worth $40,000.
End of Day 1 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Wang | United States | 2,890,000 | 96 |
| 2 | Andrew Lichtenberger | United States | 2,410,000 | 80 |
| 3 | Aaron Kupin | United States | 1,690,000 | 56 |
| 4 | John Riordan | United States | 1,230,000 | 41 |
| 5 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | 1,020,000 | 34 |
| 6 | Chad Eveslage | United States | 800,000 | 27 |
| 7 | Eric Blair | United States | 685,000 | 23 |
Championship Freeroll Action
Day 1 had more swings than a playground as stacks grew and crumbled in the PokerGO Studio.
British grinder Philip Sternheimer ran hot early as he scored a double knockout of Jason Koon and Dream Seat qualifier Timothy Tuveson, but his run took a dark turn as he quickly went from a million chips to out after back-to-back confrontations with Andrew Lichtenberger.
The screaming heard throughout the day can be attributed to a black-and-red prop bet between Eric Wasserson and the team of Bryce Yockey and Chino Rheem.
Negreanu can be distinguished from many of today's top pros by his willingness to value instinct more than math. He put those skills on display today when he just called with the fourth nuts after rivering a set, in a hand where almost any other player would have raised.
"This is part of what makes me a good poker player!" Negreanu cheered.
Meanwhile, PGT Player of the Year Alex Foxen, fresh off winning his 12th tour title, built a stack early but was eliminated by Lichtenberger as the event reached its last two tables.
Some other players who were eliminated as the money bubble approached include Eric Wasserson, Bryce Yockey, Adam Hendrix and poker's second most winning player Stephen Chidwick, who had moved to Hendrix's seat but had no better luck than the Alaskan pro.
The final table formed after Chidwick's elimination, but there were no more eliminations, and play ended with seven players remaining at the completion of level 15. The seven players will return for Day 2 on Tuesday at 1 p.m. local time, and the event will play to a winner.
PGT Championship Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $500,000 |
| 2 | $200,000 |
| 3 | $120,000 |
| 4 | $80,000 |
| 5 | $60,000 |
| 6 | $40,000 |
Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team will be back on-site tomorrow to see the completion of the PGT Championship. Check out the live reporting portal in the meantime.
*Photos courtesy of PokerGO & Antonio Abrego
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,890,000
95,000
|
95,000 |
|
||
|
2,410,000 | |
|
||
|
1,690,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,230,000
510,000
|
510,000 |
|
||
|
1,020,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
|
||
|
800,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
685,000 | |
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
The 7 remaining players have called it a night, and will bag up and return on the bubble tomorrow at 1 p.m. local time.
Stay tuned for full chip counts and Day 1 recap.
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Action folded to the small blind Andrew Lichtenberger who limped in with Q♦J♦ and Eric Blair checked his option with K♣4♠.
The flop came 3♠K♦7♦ and Lichtenberger who flopped a flush draw, check-called a bet of 50,000 from Blair who flopped top pair.
The Q♠ on turn gave Lichtenberger a pair as well, and again check-called a bet of 135,000 from Blair.
The river was the 8♦ which brought in the flush for Lichtenberger, and both players checked to give ‘Chewy’ the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,410,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
685,000
260,000
|
260,000 |
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Aaron Kupin opened the action with a raise to 60,000 with 10♠10♥, and was called by Michael Wang with A♥J♣ and the big blind Eric Blair with A♠J♦ as well.
The flop came 5♣J♥9♣ and it was checked to Wang, who bet out 110,000. Blair called and Kupin folded.
After the 8♣ on the turn, both players checked to see the 2♣ on the river, which gave Wang a flush.
Blair then checked to Wang, who bet out 385,000. Blair took some time before making the call to see the bad news, sending the pot to Wang.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,795,000
570,000
|
570,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,665,000
335,000
|
335,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
945,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Andrew Lichtenberger raised to 60,000, and when it folded to Michael Wang in the small blind, he three-bet to 250,000. John Riordan in the big blind then four-bet all in for his stack of 315,000. Lichtenberger folded, and Wang quickly called to put Riordan at risk.
John Riordan: A♣K♣ 
Michael Wang: K♠9♠
Riordan had Wang dominated, and managed to find a double up once the board ran out 8♦Q♥5♣10♠7♠.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,420,000
520,000
|
520,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,225,000
345,000
|
345,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
720,000
420,000
|
420,000 |
|
|
||
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Daniel Negreanu opened the action with a raised to 60,000 with 9♥7♥, which was called by the big blind Michael Wang holding K♣7♣.
The flop came 2♥K♦J♦ and Wang, who flopped top pair check-called the 60,000 continuation bet from Negreanu.
After the A♦ on the turn, Wang checked to Negreanu, who fired another bullet, this time for 125,000. Wang gave it some thought, before mucking the best hand and Negreanu took in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,570,000
670,000
|
670,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,200,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
|
||
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
PokerNews updates will now be on a delay in sync with the PokerGO stream.
Level 15
: Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chad Eveslage | United States | 700,000 | 23 |
| 2 | Michael Wang | United States | 1,900,000 | 63 |
| 3 | John Riordan | United States | 300,000 | 10 |
| 4 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | 850,000 | 28 |
| 5 | Andrew Lichtenberger | United States | 1,900,000 | 63 |
| 6 | Eric Blair | United States | 1,100,000 | 37 |
| 7 | Aaron Kupin | United States | 2,000,000 | 67 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,000,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
1,900,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,900,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,100,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
850,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
700,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
300,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
|
||
