The final day of the PokerGO Tour $1m Championship Freeroll saw PokerStake seller Daniel Negreanu battling to reach the money as seven players battled to just six money places in Las Vegas. With other stars of the poker felt such as Andrew ‘LuckyChewy’ Lichtenberger and Michael Wang in contention, it was WSOP and WPT event winner Chad Eveslage who eventually took the title and $500,000 top prize.

The Bubble Bursts

With just 54 of the world’s best poker players and Dream Seat winners assembling on Day 1 of the $1m guaranteed freeroll event, the opening day of the PGT Championship for the 2025 season saw those 54 original players reduced to just seven by the close of play. Among those to depart outside the money places were the newly-crowned 2025 PGT Player of the Year Alex Foxen and PokerStake’s own Josh Arieh.

Once the final seven were reached, the penultimate day ended at a point of drama – the money bubble. Eric Blair was the ‘Bubble Boy’ as his ace-queen couldn’t hit against the pocket nines belonging to Aaron Kupin. With everyone then into the money spots, John Riordan exited in sixth place for $40,000.

Riordan called off his stack with on a board showing for trip fives but Eveslage, who had shoved on the river, held to out-kick his opponent and take the lead in the event for the first time at the final table. Down to five players, Daniel Negreanu was the short stack, but the Canadian Poker Hall of Famer battled and soon, he saw Aaron Kupin depart for $60,000 in fifth place.

Kupin correctly called off his stack pre-flop with after Andrew Lichtenberger shoved from the small blind with . The weaker hand won, however, when a ten on the flop and nine on the river saw him make two pair to send play four-handed.

Negreanu Takes his Bow

“This is a show, ladies and gentlemen, this is a show. An informative, educational show.”

Down to four players, the Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu was next to leave. Kid Poker got his 2026 off to winning ways with $80,000 in fourth place when he committed his final chips with pre-flop against Eveslage’s pocket jacks. Although he flopped an open-ended straight draw, Negreanu missed turn and river to bust for $80,000.

After the event, ‘DNegs’ spoke to PokerNews about how educational the event had been chatting with such passionate poker players who all have knowledge on a variety of subjects.

“You learn all kinds of things here – it’s like social media, except better, because we’re playing poker and doing it! This is a show, ladies and gentlemen, this is a show. An informative, educational show.”

Pressed to how he managed to call only with a rivered set of eights on Day 1 when his opponent held a flopped set of kings, Negreanu was modest.

“I chose not to!” he laughed. “I just called him. He had three kings. I’d have been out of here!”

That stunning play led to a cash and a final four appearance from the Canadian, who will likely see to WSOP in Las Vegas and Paradise again on PokerStake in 2026. Who knows, maybe poker fans will even see him compete in WSOP Europe when it descends on the Czech capital of Prague this Spring.

Chad Eveslage Wins After Rollercoaster Three-Handed Battle

Three-handed, Michael Wang had the lead. That didn’t last, however, as the all-American final trio each held the advantage and momentum along the way. A rollercoaster mini session saw Wang eventually bust in third place for $120,000 when Andrew ‘LuckyChewy’ Lichtenberger made two-pair with ace-eight against Eveslage’s pocket jacks. Wang shoved after hitting two-pair on the flop only to see Chad Eveslage counterfeit him, pairing up eights to go with the kings in his hand.

It was a crucial moment in the context of the final three. Wang was out and Eveslage had grabbed a massive lead at the pivotal time. Leading 4:1 in chips, Eveslage found pocket jacks again and when ‘Chewy’ shoved with , Eveslage held with the pocket overpair, the action dead to the river after a jack on the turn.

“I made a lot of good hands,” Eveslage told PokerGO’s Jeff Platt after the event. “It was mostly that; these guys are really good. I didn’t feel like the best player at the table. I had a high pocket pair about every hand at the end.”

Watch how Daniel Negreanu battled with poker legends at the $1m PGT Championship Freeroll final table inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA right here:

PokerGO Tour $1 million Championship Freeroll Final Table Results:
Position	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Chad Eveslage	United States	$500,000
2nd	Andrew Lichtenberger	United States	$200,000
3rd	Michael Wang	United States	$120,000
4th	Daniel Negreanu	Canada	$80,000
5th	Aaron Kupin	United States	$60,000
6th	John Riordan	United States	$40,000