Brian Rast Leads the Final Seven in PGT Mixed Games Event #2: $10,300 8-Game

PGT Mixed Games Event #2: $10,300 8-Game Mix drew out 88 entries and at the end of the day, just seven players remained with Brian Rast leading the pack. 

Rast picked up a big stack midway through the day and won some key hands to take over the chip lead. He exchanged the lead over the last few levels with Albert Daher, but Rast won a key pot against Chris Vitch in Stud Hi-Lo, making a straight and a low to scoop a massive pot and extend his lead. He did not relinquish it from there and  finished the night with 4,310,000.

Daher would finish the day second in chips with 3,345,000 after being one of the biggest stack throughout the entire day. John Monnette (1,980,000) and Damjan Radanov (1,585,000) finished the day third and fourth in chips respectively, while Chris Vitch (895,000), Craig Chait (805,000), and Mike Thorpe (275,000) round out the final seven. 

The players are all currently guaranteed at least $44,000 but are all fighting for the first-place prize of $211,200 and 211 PGT points which will be used to determine the PGT Mixed Games champion. The PGT Mixed Games champion will receive the PGT Trophy and a $25,000 championship bonus. PGT points will also be used for the year-long leaderboard which will qualify players to the end-of-year PGT Championship $1,000,000 freeroll. 

Of the 88 entries, only 13 received a share of the $880,000 prize pool. On simultaneous hands, Phil Hui and Maxx Coleman were eliminated to burst the bubble. Hui was eliminated by Rast in a hand of Pot-Limit Omaha when Rast flopped a flush against Hui's aces, while Coleman fell to Damjan Radanov at another table.

Among those to make it to the money were Benny Glaser (12th - $17,600), Jeff Madsen (11th - $26,400), and Anthony Zinno (9th - $35,200). Michael Noori's elimination in 8th place would finish play for the day when he was taken out by Albert Daher. Noori flopped a straight in Omaha Hi-Lo against Daher who flopped top pair. The turn would fill up Daher and leave Noori drawing dead, left to collect $35,200. 

Play would conclude when Mike Thorpe asked for play to be stopped upon reaching the final table, and players would bag and tag for the night. 

PGT Mixed Games Event #2: $10,300 8-Game Final Table

Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count
1	Albert Daher	Lebanon	3,345,000
2	Brian Rast	United States	4,310,000
3	Chris Vitch	United States	895,000
4	John Monnette	United States	1,980,000
5	Damjan Radanov	United States	1,585,000
6	Mike Thorpe	United States	275,000
7	Craig Chait	United States	805,000

When play resumes there players will draw for the button and action will start with 9:49 left in Level 17 with blinds at 20,000/40,000 in the flop games, and a bring in and ante of 20,000 in the stud games with 80,000/160,000 limits. 

Play will resume at 12 p.m. PT on Monday, February 6 in the PokerGO Studio where players will play down to a winner. The PGT Live Reporting Team will provide exclusive live updates throughout the event until a winner is crowned.

Connect with PokerGO.com on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Watch daily poker clips on the PokerGO YouTube channel. Join the conversation on the PokerGO Discord server. You can save $20 off an annual subscription to PokerGO.com by using the code “PGT2023” at checkout.