The opening event of the PokerGO Tour Mixed Game Festival saw David Funkhouser win the top prize of $187,200, meaning success for PokerStake investors at the first opportunity.  Funkhouser, who is selling action to some of his events via the official PokerStake page for the nine-event series has action on sale for Events #5 and #7. On this form, it’s likely to sell out completely, as he saw off opponents such as comeback kid Chino Rheem, WPT legend Antony Zinno and Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra along the way.

Zolotow and Kelsall Miss Out on Final Table

With a total of 72 entrants in the first of nine PGT Mixed Game events, only 11 players made the money places. After mixed game legend David ‘ODB’ Baker bubbled the event, it was Ben Yu who min-cashed for $21,600 in 11^th place. He was joined on the rail for the same amount by 10^th-place finisher Steve Zolotow, who lost in Stud to Chino Rheem’s sixth street full house, putting Rheem in the realms of safety as the final table approached.

With nine remaining, Joe Ranciato busted for $21,600 as Paul Volpe put himself in the frame for the overnight lead he would eventually enter the final table with. There was still time for one more player to be eliminated before the last day, and that fate befell Andrew Kelsall. He bricked out on seventh street in Stud Hi-Lo when Dylan Weisman made a full house. Kelsall’s tournament was over for $28,800 at the last as the final seven reconvened the next day to play down to a winner.

The final day began with a rush for Anthony Zinno before Chino Rheem took out Dylan Linde in Stud Hi-Lo. Rheem’s full house of nines over kings was better than Linde’s two pair and the latter headed home $36,000 better off than he had been when he arrived on the day. Rheem’s win elevated his stack to over 2.5 million chips, but Paul Volpe grabbed back the lead at his fellow American’s expense.

Rheem Recovers Then Hits the Rail

In a thrilling series of events, Chino Rheem proved once again why he’s always box office at the felt. First, in Hold’em, he trebled up when his was committed post-flop when the dealer had fanned against his caller, Anthony Zinno with that had been outflopped. With all the money on the like an ace on both turn and river gave Rheem the full house and put him right back amongst it.

Zinno was gone a couple of hands, with his eventual elimination for $57,600 coming in fifth place after a hand of Omaha Hi-Lo. Losing his remaining chips to Rheem, Zinno lost to a wheel draw that came in on the river and his particularly painful beat put Rheem in second place on the leaderboard.

No sooner had those chips come for Chino, however, were they gone. In a brutal hand of Razz, Rheem had a seven-draw, but needed a lot of help to beat David Funkhouser’s nine-six and seventh street didn’t help out the all-in player. Rheem cashed for $72,000 in fourth place after a rollercoaster ride at the final table.

Funkhouser Finishes It Off

With three players remaining, Funkhouser had picked the perfect time to eliminate a dangerous opponent for an important pot. Sitting on 7.5 million chips, however, overnight chip leader Paul Volpe was a long way clear of Funkhouser (2,125,000) and Eli Elezra (1,175,000).

It was the Poker Hall of Famer Elezra who busted in third place for $93,600. Funkhouser’s kings and queens not only took out Elezra just before the heads-up, but completely changed the dynamic of the match, as Funkhouser sat behind 7.5 million chips. Volpe, who had held the lead for the vast majority of the final table, had only 3.3 million by comparison.

The final hand played out in Hold’em, as Volpe three-bet from the big blind with . Funkhouser called with , and although he was dominated before the flop, after those first three community cards it was a very different story, the on display markedly changing matters in his favor.

On the turn, Volpe bet everything except one bet, and Funkhouser called. As  the landed on the river, Volpe was eliminated in second place for a very good score of $136,800, while Funkhouser won the top prize of $187,200 and the first trophy of the 2023 PGT Mixed Game Series.