Michael Berk Leads PGT Kickoff Event #5 Final Table

Michael Berk leads the final seven players in PGT Kickoff Event #5: $10,500 NL Hold'em. Berk has a sizable lead over the field and holds 35% of the chips in play.

Berk is making his first cash of the 2026 PGT season. Late on Day 1, Berk had the chip lead and used his big stack to take advantage of the bubble.

Joining Berk at the final table are Clemen Deng, Neil Warren, Brock Wilson, Andrew Lichtenberger, Dan Maor, and Kristen Foxen.

Foxen is line for an extraordinary three-peat in this very event. During the 2024 PGT Kickoff series, Foxen beat Daniel Negreanu to win Event #5 for $165,000. Then at the 2025 PGT Kickoff series, she won the same event, beating Joao Simao to win it for $197,625. Warren, who is also at this year's final table, finished seventh last year.

Lichtenberger is looking to pull off a double victory during this series. He opened the season by winning PGT Kickoff Event #1: $5,300 NL Hold'em for $162,000, an event he also won last season.

2026 PGT Kickoff Event #5 Final Table

PGT Kickoff Event #5 attracted a field of 103 entries, creating a prize pool of $1,030,000. First place is $262,650, with everyone at the final table guaranteed $41,200.

Bubbling the event was Bin Duan. Duan was short-stacked for a while on the bubble. He was able to survive a few times when all in, but ultimately his pocket sevens lost to Berk's ace-queen.

Some of the players to finish in the money but fall short of the final table were Dan Smith (10th - $30,900), David "ODB" Baker (12th - $25,750), and Patrick Leonard (13th - $23,175).

The final seven players in PGT Kickoff Event #5: $10,500 NL Hold'em will be back in action on Saturday, January 31, at 12 p.m. PT. The blinds will be 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 big blind ante to start.

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