Ariel Mantel Wins 1st PGT Title at PGT Kickoff for $171,600

Ariel Mantel has won his first career PGT title after topping the 52-entrant field in the single-day finale of PGT Kickoff. Mantel wrestled victory away from Clemen Deng in Event #6: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em to capture the $171,600 first-place prize, 343 PGT points, and the PGT Gold Cup.

Mantel's first PGT title came from his 13th career PGT cash that has yielded $752,237 in career PGT earnings. The Argentinian now has amassed more than $1,584,000 in lifetime tournament earnings, according to The Hendon Mob.

The PGT Kickoff finale was a single-day turbo with 20-minute levels and a 20-second PGT shot clock. The 52-entrant field created a $520,000 prize pool that paid the final eight players. With play approaching the money bubble, Jeremy Becker, Sam Soverel, and Sergio were all eliminated as the final eight were in the money. Patrick Leonard earned his third cash of the series as he fell in eighth place. Matthew Wantman exited in seventh place before Bin Duan avenged his Event #5 bubble with a sixth-place finish.

Brandon Wilson fell in fifth place and was soon followed out the door by Andrew Lichtenberger and Dan Smith. Clemen Deng entered heads-up play as the overwhelming chip leader ahead of Ariel Mantel. After a short break, play resumed, and Mantel began his epic fight back, doubling several times before delivering the final blow to Deng with a straight flush. Mantel now takes home $171,600, 343 PGT points, and his first PGT Gold Cup.

2026 PGT Kickoff Event #6: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em Results

Following his victory, Ariel Mantel moves to seventh on the PGT leaderboard with 379 PGT points. Clemen Deng rises to fifth place with 423 PGT points, while fifth-place finisher Andrew Lichtenberger remains on top with 531 PGT points. Event #5 winner Michael Berk is second overall with 525 PGT points, while Andrew Moreno and Dan Smith sit third and fourth, respectively. 

The normal front-runners on the PGT leaderboard don't fill the top ten, or even the top 20. Joao Simao (23rd), Kristen Foxen (24th), Patrick Leonard (25th), Nick Schulman (27th), Chino Rheem (50th), and Alex Foxen (54th) will all need to do some work during the PokerGO Cup to be in contention to replicate their 2025 PGT seasons. Simao, Leonard, Schulman, and Rheem will likely all be playing the upcoming PGT Mixed Games, where the seven-event series will give them plenty of opportunities to earn PGT points.

PGT Leaderboard Top 10 

These are the leaderboard standings as of Saturday, January 31, 2026. The current PGT leaderboard is at pgt.com/leaderboard.

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