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Event #9: $10,000 NLH
Day 1 Completed
2026 PokerGO Cup
Event #9: $10,000 NLH
Day: 1
Event Info
2026 PokerGO Cup
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
Buy-in
$10,000
Total Entries
70
Level
23
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
150,000
Entries
70
Players Left
7
Players Left 1 / 70
Filter
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Event #9: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em at the 2026 PokerGO Cup inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino drew a field of 70 entries, with players battling deep into the night until just seven remained in contention for the title. The surviving players have locked up at least $28,000, but all eyes are on the $210,000 first-place prize that awaits the eventual champion.
Benjamin Grise ended the night as the chip leader, putting himself in prime position to capture a PokerGO Cup trophy. The American will also have a shot at quick redemption after finishing runner-up in Event #8 earlier in the day and now returns to the PokerGO Studio with the biggest stack as he looks to go one spot better.
Also advancing to the final day are a stacked group of high-stakes regulars including Aram Zobian, Brandon Wilson, Sean Winter, Jeremy Ausmus, Justin Zaki, and Myles Mullaly who will battle it out when play resumes.
Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benjamin Grise | United States | 2,040,000 | 41 |
| 2 | Sean Winter | United States | 1,530,000 | 31 |
| 3 | Aram Zobian | United States | 1,180,000 | 24 |
| 4 | Myles Mullaly | United States | 1,130,000 | 23 |
| 5 | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | 1,115,000 | 22 |
| 6 | Brandon Wilson | United States | 980,000 | 20 |
| 7 | Justin Zaki | United States | 775,000 | 16 |
Bubble Drama Extends the Night
The money bubble proved to be one of the most dramatic stretches of the tournament as short stacks repeatedly found ways to stay alive. Multiple players doubled through to keep the bubble intact and delay the inevitable elimination.
One of the wildest hands came when Joao Simao found himself all-in and dominated by pocket aces. Simao needed a miracle — and he got one — spiking a two-outer to crack the rockets and double his stack while the rest of the room groaned as the bubble continued.
Eventually, the bubble burst in dramatic fashion when 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Joe McKeehen was eliminated just shy of the money.
McKeehen got his chips in with ace-king suited in a classic race against pocket queens, but the board ran out clean for the queens to send the former world champion to the rail as the bubble boy.
Despite the stacked field, several big names were unable to reach the payouts. Among those falling before the money were Jesse Lonis, Jeremy Becker who slow rolled John Riordan early in the day, Chino Rheem, and Shannon Shorr.
The remaining players will return to the PokerGO Studio Saturday at 11:45 a.m. local time to play down to a champion. As with other PokerGO Cup events, the final table will be streamed on PokerGO at 1 p.m. local time on delay.
Play will resume in level 19 at the 30,000/60,000(60,000) blind levels.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for continued live updates, chip counts, and a full recap once a champion is crowned.
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
The seven remaining players have bagged up for Day 2 and will return tomorrow to play until there is a winner.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,040,000
290,000
|
290,000 |
|
||
|
1,530,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
1,180,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
||
|
1,130,000
195,000
|
195,000 |
|
1,115,000
260,000
|
260,000 |
|
||
|
980,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
775,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Action was picked up on the turn with a big pot brewing between Brandon Wilson and Jeremy Ausmus
The board showed 8♥8♣3♠2♦ and Ausmus check-called a bet of 150,000 from Wilson, to see the K♦ on the river.
Ausmus then used a time extension, before checking to Wilson he quickly checked back. Ausmus turned over A♠8♠ to take the pot with his trips, as Wilson quickly mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,375,000
325,000
|
325,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,000,000
850,000
|
850,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Justin Zaki opened from under the gun to 100,000, and when it folded to Sean Winter on the button, he three-bet to 250,000. It folded back to Zaki who made the call.
After the 4♠9♦8♣ flop, Zaki check-called a bet of 210,000 from Winter.
Both players checked to showdown after the 6♣ on the turn and 3♣ on the river.
Zaki turned over A♠Q♦ for ace high, and Winter also had ace high, but had he Zaki outkicked to take the pot when he turned over A♥K♦.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,750,000
650,000
|
650,000 |
|
|
780,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Chad Eveslage entered the 2025 PokerGO Tour (PGT) $1,000,000 Championship Freeroll with something to prove. The four-time bracelet winner, who won the $100,000 Super High Roller Bowl Mixed Games in the PokerGO Studio in March 2025, is widely recognized as a mixed game expert and today showed he can compete at the highest levels of Texas No-Limit Hold'em by winning the million-dollar freeroll for $500,000.
"It feels great," Eveslage told PokerNews in a winner's interview. "I don't feel super confident in my No-Limit game, and battling against all these guys (and winning), it feels great. Ten out of ten. It feels awesome."
The freeroll event field included the top 40 players on the PGT leaderboard and 14 Dream Seat qualifiers. Day 2's final table featured Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu (4th - $80,000), American pros Michael Wang (3rd - $120,000) and John Riordan (6th - $40,000), Dream Seat winner Aaron Kupin (5th - $60,000) and runner-up Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger ($200,000), who dominated most of the event but fell after a brief heads-up battle.
2025 PGT Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chad Eveslage | United States | $500,000 |
| 2 | Andrew Lichtenberger | United States | $200,000 |
| 3 | Michael Wang | United States | $120,000 |
| 4 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | $80,000 |
| 5 | Aaron Kupin | United States | $60,000 |
| 6 | John Riordan | United States | $40,000 |
Level: 18
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Level 17
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
On a flop with the board showing A♥9♠3♠ Brandon Wilson in the big blind checked to Jeremy Ausmus on the button, who bet out 100,000. Wilson then put in a raise to 210,000.
Ausmus then used a time extension, before moving all in, which got a snap-fold from Wilson.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,850,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
|
|
1,050,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
Level 17
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,125,000 | |
|
|
1,750,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,200,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,100,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
935,000
215,000
|
215,000 |
|
|
910,000
190,000
|
190,000 |
|
|
750,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
|
||
Level 17
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Brandon Wilson opened the cutoff with a raise to 80,000. It folded to the big blind Joey Weissman, who three-bet all in for his stack of 635,000, which Wilson snap-called.
Joey Weissman: A♦7♠ 
Brandon Wilson: A♥K♥
Weissman was dominated by Wilson, and when the board ran out A♠10♦K♠5♥Q♣ Wilson's two pair was best, eliminating Weissman.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,125,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
