Chino Rheem Dominates to Become Pgt Mixed Games II Champion
Back in February, the PokerGo Tour held the inaugural Mixed Games Series. The event proved popular enough to warrant a sequel. The Mixed Games II Series kicked off 6 October at the ARIA in Las Vegas. The best and brightest mixed games players were in Vegas to take their shot at the Mixed Games II Championship.
Chino Rheem was on fire during the Poker Masters and continued his dominance during the Mixed Games II Series. He ultimately took down the Mixed Games II Championship and put himself into contention for the year-ending PGT Championship. Other players who won titles in this series include Nick Schulman, Maxx Coleman, Dzmitry Urbanovich, and David Funkhouser.
Rheem, Urbanovich, and Funkhouser Among Early Winners
David Funkhouser won the opening event, $10,200 H.O.R.S.E. He came out on top of a final table that included Chino Rheem, Paul Volpe, Anthony Zinno, and Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra. Funkhouser was the early favourite for the Mixed Games II Championship after his victory that earned him $187,200.
Chino Rheem won his second PGT title in a month after winning Event #2, $10,200 Big Bet Mix. He defeated Poker Masters Purple Jacket winner Stephen Chidwick and Poker Hall of Famer John Hennigan on route to claiming the title and $171,000. This also put Rheem into the lead for the PGT Championship. Little did we know, he was just getting started.
David Prociak won Event #3, $5,100 10-Game Mini Championship. He defeated Philip Sternheimer heads-up to win the title and $93,600. Event #4 had perhaps the best heads-up match of the series in terms of star power. Dzmitry Ubranovich battled Daniel Negreanu for the $10,200 8-game title. Urbanovich ultimately defeated the Poker Hall of Famer for the trophy and $179,200 prize.
Nick Schulman showed why he’s considered one of the world’s best stud players in the $10,200 Triple Stud Mix. He defeated a final table that included Chino Rheem, Adam Friedman, and Ryan Miller on route to the title. He made an epic comeback against John Racener heads-up to win the title and $144,000 prize.
Weisman, Coleman, and Morris Among Closing Event Winners
Dylan Weisman won Event #6, $10,200 Dealer’s Choice. He outlasted a final table that included Walter Chambers, Dan Shak, and John Monnette before dominating Craig Chait heads-up. His win earned him a trophy and $156,400.
Event #7 was the $10,200 Triple Draw Mix. Nick Schulman made heads-up for the second time in three events in this one, battling Hal Rotholz. However, Schulman could not manage a comeback in this one, and Rotholz won the title and $163,200.
Event #8 was the $25,300 10-Game Championship, the only $25k event of the series. John Hennigan was the chip leader heading into the final day, and he made the final table with Chino Rheem, Dylan Weisman, Alex Livingston and Maxx Coleman. Hennigan could only manage a fourth-place finish. Ultimately, it was Maxx Coleman battling Alex Livingston for the title. Coleman emerged the victory, claiming the $245,630 prize.
Chino Rheem finished 3rd in the 10-Game Championship, which would prove enough to give him the Mixed Games II Championship. That’s because the final event, the 55,100 NI 2-7 Single Draw, only drew 24 entries. Only 55 points were available to the winner, and Rheem had a 113-point lead.
The final event saw Arthur Morris and David Funkhouser reach heads-up, but play only lasted one hand. The pair cut a deal to chop the prize pool before play started, but it didn’t matter. Funkhouser was dealt a pat nine while Morris was dealt a 7-6-4, also known as a #2. This gave Morris the win and a 549,902 prize.
Rheem Wins S25k Champion’s Prize
For winning the PGT Mixed Games II Championship, Chino Rheem received the champion’s cup and the S25,000 championship bonus. Rheem has run hot for two PGT series. He finished third in points in the Poker Masters, winning one event. So far in 2023, Rheem has two PGT wins, 13 cashes, and S 1.14 million in prize money.
With his recent success, Rheem is now in the top 40 for the PGT Leaderboard. If this holds, he will earn a seat in the PGT Championship. The PGT Championship is a $1M freeroll that awards $500k to the winner. Daniel Weinman. Isaac Haxton. and Stephen Chidwick are among those in the Top 5. The top 40 in PGT points for the year are eligible for the series.
