The halfway point of the 2024 PokerGO Tour Mixed Games Series saw Event #5 won by a first-time PGT trophy winner in John Racener. The WSOP legend and proud American poker professional took the title after getting the better of Max Hoffman heads-up for a top prize of $151,200. With other mixed game specialists such as Adam Friedman and John Hennigan both making the six-handed final table too, it was all action as the $10,200 Triple Stud Mix threw up drama on every flop, turn and river in Las Vegas.

Monnette Misses the Money

With 42 entrants in total, that meant just six players would be paid. The $420,000 prizepool, with over $150,000 of it up top, would just miss the player who exited in seventh, John Monnette. All-in during a hand of Razz, he watched as Max Hoffman improved to a seven-six on seventh street and while Monnette had outs, a ten on seventh condemned him to a finish in the same position for no return on his entry fee.

Dzmitry Urbanovich was the first player to bust inside the money places as fans turned in on PokerGO to watch the latter stages play out as live. The Polish pro cashed for $25,200 in sixth place and at that stage, Hennigan was top of the charts. Holding 1.85 million chips, ‘Johnny World’ as marginally ahead of Hoffman (1.62m) and Racener himself, on 1.58 million.

Short-stacked were Adam Friedman (930k) and Scott Lake (315k), and after players slept on those counts overnight, the final day of action began with a slight recovery for the short stack. Lake made kings up on seventh street in Stud Hi-Lo, enabling the double-up through WSOP bracelet winner Adam Friedman.

Friedman Finishes Fourth

With five left, it was Lake who did eventually bust after a brave period of survival. Eventually, he couldn’t spin up anymore and left for a score of $33,600 in fifth as Hennigan leapt up to 3 million in chips, almost double his nearest challenger Hoffman. Adam Friedman had dropped a little at this stage and went for a big hand in Stud… only to run out of luck.

Missing his draw on seventh street, Friedman saw Hoffman make kings when the was peeled on seventh for himself and that sent Friedman to the rail with a score of $46,200. Hennigan had as many chips as Racener and Hoffman combined, but would somehow conspire to finish in third place.

Using four time extensions in one hand of Stud, Hennigan lost plenty to Hoffman and that seriously balanced the stacks out again. A long period of play took place where each man had opportunities to pull away but never quite could until a further win in Stud left Hennigan on fumes. All-in during a hand of Razz, Hennigan’s world was looking bright right up until the last card as Racener drew a to slay the pre-final favorite in third for $63,000.

Racener Pulls Away at Last

Down to two players, John Racener finally made a successful sprint for the line…but not before a period of survival that would make a certain island-based It came after Hoffman had attempted the same, a big hand in Stud Hi-Lo giving him a 7:1 chip lead. Racener doubled up almost immediately in Razz, before repeating the trick in Stud. Almost level, Racener dropped again, only to find two more doubles in Stud. Looking like he couldn’t be beaten, he took the lead and less than 10 minutes later, had the trophy in his hands – his first on the PokerGO Tour. Racener was ahead almost all the way in the final hand – again in Stud – and Hoffman was left drawing to a flush on seventh which he missed. Hoffman cashed for $100,800 but Racener it was who took the top prize of $151,200.

Here’s how the fifth event of the PGT Mixed Games Series ended up:

Hennigan Tops Leaderboard at Halfway Stage

With five of the ten tournaments in the can, the 2024 PGT Mixed Games Series is on a knife-edge. John Hennigan leads the way with 207, with PokerGO President Mori Eskandani second on 202 points. With poker legends Dan Zack (195 points), Benny Glaser (164) and Event #5 winner Racener (151 points) all in hot pursuit, the next events will be critical as players bid to put themselves in a position to win the overall PGT Mixed Games Series Championship.