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Mamma Mia! Late-Night Drama Sees Zavorotnijs Bag Poker Masters Event #8 Chip Lead
A wild finish to Day 1 of Event #8: $15,700 No-Limit Hold'em at the 2026 Poker Masters saw Vitalijs Zavorotnijs snatch the chip lead in the closing stages at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
With just a handful of hands remaining, the Latvian made a gutsy call for his tournament life against Nicholas Palma. Zavorotnijs was right, and the massive pot sent him to the top of the counts with 2,980,000, while Palma, who had looked set to finish as the overnight leader, was suddenly the short stack.
Things went from bad to worse for the New Yorker, who was eliminated by Justin Vaysman on the final hand of the night. It was a brutal ending for Palma, who had earlier lost a flip to Vaysman that could have left him holding close to half the chips in play.
Palma's disappointment was understandable given his pursuit of the Poker Masters Purple Jacket. With leaderboard leader Adrian Mateos failing to cash in Event #8, Palma had a golden opportunity to close the gap. Mateos had strengthened his position with a fourth-place finish in Event #7 earlier in the day, but Palma's late collapse meant he couldn't take full advantage.
Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitalijs Zavorotnijs | 2,980,000 | 60 |
| 2 | Keith Lehr | 1,315,000 | 26 |
| 3 | Justin Vaysman | 1,565,000 | 31 |
| 4 | Sam Soverel | 1,485,000 | 30 |
| 5 | Nicholas Seward | 1,055,000 | 21 |
Purple Jacket Race Still Wide Open
Zavorotnijs is now in a position to make a serious push for the Purple Jacket, having already won Event #4 earlier in the series. A second title would put him right in contention at the top of the leaderboard, with the final standings potentially coming down to just a handful of points.
Vaysman also has plenty to play for. The Event #6 champion, who produced an extraordinary comeback from just a third of a big blind to claim his first Poker Masters title, returns with 1,565,000 and another opportunity to climb the standings.
“Now I’ve got somewhat of a sweat for the leaderboard, so definitely be in there for the next couple,” Vaysman said after his victory.
Just one big blind behind Vaysman is Sam Soverel, the PGT's record holder with 17 titles. Bracelet winners Keith Lehr and Nicholas Seward complete the five-handed final table, with all five players guaranteed at least $67,200.
Dwan Bubbles After Chip Leading
Palma wasn't the only player to endure a painful ending. Brit Jamie Dwan was the unfortunate money bubble after a rollercoaster session that had seen him among the chip leaders with two tables remaining.
Dwan's fortunes took a turn for the worse on the feature table, where he repeatedly found himself fighting for survival.
His resistance eventually ended at the hands of Palma, whose eight-six improved to beat Dwan's ace-seven and send the Brit to the rail one spot short of the money.
The tournament attracted 56 entries, creating an $840,000 prize pool, with the top eight finishers earning a payout.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $277,200 | ||
| 2 | $176,400 | ||
| 3 | $117,600 | ||
| 4 | $84,000 | ||
| 5 | $67,200 |
The five remaining players will return at 11:45 a.m. Las Vegas time for the final day, with play resuming at Level 18 and blinds of 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 big blind ante.
PokerNews live updates will be in sync with the PokerGO livestream, which begins at 1 p.m., so be sure to follow along as the Event #8 champion is crowned.