The latest PokerGO trophy went the way of a PokerStake legend and one of the most popular players on the professional tour. Chino Rheem won the top prize of $112,100 after he did a heads-up deal with Dylan Linde in the PokerGO Studio at ARIA on the Las Vegas Strip. With appearances from other PokerStake legends such as Matt Vengrin and Alex Livingston, it was a top-quality final table to kick off the seven-event series in Las Vegas.

Big Field Welcomes Mixed Games Players in Vegas

The opening event of the 2026 PGT Mixed Games series played out its final table last night and when the dust settled in the $5,000-entry H.O.R.S.E. event, it was Chino Rheem who held the PGT Gold Cup trophy, his ninth win in PokerGO Tour history. The PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino welcomed a total of 101 entries in the event, as another big field signalled a strong start to the year for the PokerGO Tour.

With just 15 players paid, the battle was on from the first card to make the money and prove their mixed game skills. It was the British poker professional Patrick Leonard who missed out on the money last, bursting the bubble with his elimination before players such as the former PPC champion Phil Hui, jet-setting WSOP Circuit boss Ari Engel and the ‘Gorilla’ himself, Jesse Lonis, all cashed.

Outside the final table, Brian Rast cashed for $15,150 in ninth place before Richard Sklar left for $20,200 in eighth. Brian Breck led the final seven but was being chased down by some of the finest mixed game minds ever to do it, including, Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra, last month’s PGT $1,000,000 Championship winner Chad Eveslage and PokerStake’s own Alex Livingston and Matt Vengrin.

Eveslage and Elezra Eliminated

With the final seven playing down to a winner under the heat of final table lights and added pressure of playing for six figures, it was the table’s biggest winner in 2026 that busted first. Chad Eveslage won the $1m PGT Leaderboard just last month, adding the PGT Gold Cup trophy to his collection, along with the top prize of $500,000. Eveslage had no luck this time, however, bricking a draw to a flush and backdoor low draw in Omaha Hi-Lo against Dylan Linde’s top se to leave with a score of $20,200.

Next to go was Eli Elezra, as the Poker Hall of Famer and WSOP bracelet winning legend left in sixth place for $25,250. Elezra’s three-to-a-seven couldn’t hit against the eight-six low belonging to Chino Rheem in Razz and the field was down to five. Soon, that number was four, as the overnight chip leader Brian Breck left the party in fifth place for a score of $32,825. He had queens-up in Stud Hi-Lo but Dylan Linde’s straight-seven prevailed, as the top four players prepared to battle for glory.

PokerStake’s Matt Vengrin has spoken to us at length about his passion for poker and how his ambitions in poker are only just beginning to be achieved, and his 2026 is off to a strong start. A return of $45,450 on his buy-in of $5,000 was booked when he exited in fourth place this time out, his king-jack losing to Linde’s nine-eight.

Rheem Reels in Another Win

Three-handed play started with two PokerStake sellers in action. Only one of them made the final duel, however, as Canadian player Alex Livingston departed outside the heads-up duel for the title, finishing third for a score of $58,075. All-in on third street in a round of Stud, the Canadian only ended up with ace-high, which was nowhere near good enough to beat Chino’s open kings.

In the heads-up battle for the title, both Chino and his opponent Dylan Linde agreed that a deal could be done, and the pair locked up $100,000 for the runner-up to smooth out the payments. There was still $12,100 to play for and the title and Chino managed to grasp the nettle.

It was Dylan Linde who took a slim lead into proceedings with two left but Chino made queens-up in Stud before a hand of Stud Hi-Lo decided it. Linde had eights and made trips on fourth street, but Chino split tens on fourth street, aces-up on fifth and then tens-full on sixth street. Linde could only bank on drawing the case eight, but he missed his one-outer and that made him runner-up for six figures and a shake of the hand.

Chino Rheem moved onto nine PGT Wins, one ahead of Jeremy Ausmus, Chris Brewer, Andrew Lichtenberger, Sean Perry, Justin Bonomo and Michael Addamo, now in fifth place in the all-time PGT rankings behind Daniel Negreanu (11), Alex Foxen (12), Stephen Chidwick (12), and the peerless Sam Soverel, who has 13 PGT titles.

For winning his third trophy in PGT Mixed Games events, Rheem not only earned the $112,100 top prize money but 193 PGT points too, putting him top of the PGT Mixed Games leaderboard after the opening event, as well as slotting him into 12^th  place on the overall PGT Leaderboard for the season, with only the top 40 places guaranteeing qualification for the $1,000,000 Championship freeroll in early 2027.

PGT 2026 Mixed Games Event #1 $5,100 H.O.R.S.E. Final Table Results:
Place	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Chino Rheem	United States	$112,100*
2nd	Dylan Linde	United States	$100,000*
3rd	Alex Livingston	Canada	$58,075
4th	Matt Vengrin	United States	$45,450
5th	Brian Breck	United States	$32,825
6th	Eli Elezra	United States	$25,250
7th	Chad Eveslage	United States	$20,200