Dan Smith Leads PGT Kickoff Event #2 Final Table

Dan Smith commands a big lead for the PGT Kickoff Event #2 final table. With seven players remaining, Smith holds 40% of the chips in play, and he sits in pole position in the race for the $173,600 first-place prize.

Smith is joined by Brian Battistone, Maksim Pisarenko, Yifu He, Sam Laskowitz, Mike Zulker, and Nick Schulman, with everyone guaranteed $30,200.

As a reminder, all cashes in PGT Kickoff events are worth double PGT points, so not only have the players secured $30,200 in prize money, but they've also locked up 60 PGT points. The winner will earn 347 PGT points.

2026 PGT Kickoff Event #2 Final Table

PGT Kickoff Event #2: $5,300 NL Hold'em drew a field of 151 entries to the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas, which was an even bigger turnout than the first tournament of the series. The top 22 places made the money after an extremely lengthy bubble that saw nearly two dozen at-risk players double up. Eventually, Natalie Ferguson busted in 23rd place to push the field into the money.

Among those to finish in the money but fall short of the final table were Stephen Song (13th - $15,100), Patrick Leonard (15th - $11,325), Nacho Barbero (16th - $11,325), and Jeremy Becker (18th - $11,325).

The final seven players in PGT Kickoff Event #2: $5,300 NL Hold'em will return to action on Wednesday, January 28, at 12:30 p.m. PT. The blinds will be 40,000/80,000 with an 80,000 big blind ante to start.

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