In the first half of March, the PokerGO Tour (PGT) circuit is holding the PokerGO Cup at its studios in Las Vegas (USA). There will be ten events with buy-ins between US$ 3,000 and US$ 15,000 until the 15th, and in its first two competitions, great stories have already been written.
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The first competition was the most affordable of the PokerGO Cup, the US$ 3,000 Showcase. Also due to having a more accessible buy-in, it attracted a larger field than usual for circuit events, recording 215 entries in a two-day starting structure. Finally, the title went to the American Kent Stephens.
For the win, Stephens pocketed US$ 130,000. Considering PGT events, it’s not even such a notable figure, but for the owner of this prize, it is certainly unforgettable. This is because Stephens is a newcomer to the circuit, meaning that before this tournament, he had never sat at a table in the PGT studios in Las Vegas. According to Hendon Mob, he had less than US$ 13,000 in career tournament earnings.
And this title came in style, with a giant comeback in the heads-up. When Stephens went head-to-head with Myles Mullaly for the trophy, he had 4,200,000 chips, while his opponent boasted 22,600,000. In a 77 versus KQs, he managed to double up, taking the lead moments later. He just had to catch a bluff from Mullaly to pull ahead, and at the first opportunity, he confirmed the title with 33 against 98.
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Check out the final standings of the PokerGO Cup Showcase:
| Position | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kent Stephens | USA | US$ 130,000 |
| 2nd | Myles Mullaly | USA | US$ 85,000 |
| 3rd | Daniyal Gheba | USA | US$ 61,000 |
| 4th | Sandeep Koralla | USA | US$ 48,000 |
| 5th | Natalie Ferguson | USA | US$ 38,000 |
| 6th | Jim Collopy | USA | US$ 31,000 |
| 7th | Aaron Messmer | USA | US$ 25,000 |
In Event 2, the US$ 5,100 NL Hold’em, the title went to Filipp Khavin. Unlike Stephens, he is more experienced, with over US$ 2.6 million in payouts and five PGT final tables. Even so, it was his first trophy on the circuit, beating a field of 111 entries for US$ 124,525.
In the heads-up, he made a deal with American star Jesse Lonis. Everything indicated it would be another routine title for Lonis, who held the largest stack at the start of the head-to-head, but Khavin was determined to surprise. With AT, he had the courage to call an all-in from Lonis, who was dominated with A6. This hand gave Khavin a massive lead, and he sealed the deal with T6, hitting two pair to beat Lonis’s A9.
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See how Event 2 of the PokerGO Cup ended:
| Position | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Filipp Khavin | USA | US$ 124,525* |
| 2nd | Jesse Lonis | USA | US$ 105,800* |
| 3rd | Drake Kemper | USA | US$ 63,825 |
| 4th | David Kim | USA | US$ 49,950 |
| 5th | Jon-Michael Gisler | USA | US$ 36,075 |
| 6th | Nick Seward | USA | US$ 27,750 |
| 7th | Dylan Linde | USA | US$ 22,200 |
