Mori Eskandani and John Hennigan Bag Big Wins in PGT Mixed Games Series

Two big events took place in the 2024 PokerGO Tour Mixed Games Series this weekend as John Hennigan a.k.a. ‘Johnny World’ joined the winners’ podium as infamous PokerGO President Mori Eskandani won his first-ever PGT title and the biggest cash of his at-the-felt career in poker. In both 8-Game and H.O.R.S.E., the action was non-stop as some of the best poker players in the world took to the purple felt in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Johnny’s World Conquers Yet Again

In the second event of the series, John ‘Johnny World’ Hennigan took the title, winning $120,150 in the process. With 89 entrants, 13 players got paid, including players such as Alex Livingston (13^th for $11,125), Andrew Kelsall, who made his second cash of the series for $13,350, and PokerStake player Allen Kessler, who cashed for $13,350 in 9^th place, making profit for any backers who invested in him on our official PGT Mixed Games Series staking page.

When the final table of six had been confirmed, John Hennigan had a big lead with 6.2 million chips, some way clear of his nearest challenger, Max Hoffman, on 2.2 million. As it happened, the shorter stacked Chris Claasen would bust first, sliding out when his pair of kings lost to Hoffman’s pair of aces in Pot Limit Omaha.

Despite leaping into second place on the leaderboard when he won that hand, Hoffman left next, sliding down the chipcounts until he was at risk before crashing out in Omaha Hi-Lo to Ken Aldridge when the latter couldn’t hit a straight and lost to Aldridge’s pair of queens on the flop for a score of $31,150.

After Nick Guagenti departed in fourth place, Aldridge himself missed out on the heads-up battle for the trophy, losing a vital pot to Hennigan in Stud, cashing for $55,625 in the process. That pot was worth 1.67 million chips to Hennigan and as he already held a strong lead, it became an insurmountable one after that hand. With eight times his opponent Adam Friedman’s stack, one hand of Stud was all it took, as Friedman missed a live draw on seventh to hand ‘Johnny World’ the top prize of $120,150, Friedman consoled a little by the huge runner-up prize of $77,875.

Mori Eskandani Wins Event #3 for Biggest-Ever Career Title

The PokerGO President and award-winning poker producer Mori Eskandani won $201,600 as he scooped the biggest prize of his poker career. Taking Event #3 for the PokerGO Mixed Games Series trophy, Eskandani beat PokerGO Favorite Jeremy Ausmus heads-up for the title after superstars Daniel Negreanu and Benny Glaser both came close.

This time, the event buy-in was ramped up to $10,200, with Eskandani one of nine players who made money from the 63 entrants in the tournament. It was Michael Parizon who was busted on the bubble as Jeremy Ausmus took him out in a hand of Omaha Hi-Lo to put the remaining nine players into profit. John Monnette (9^th for $18,900) and Ben Diebold (8^th for $25,200) busted before the remaining players gathered around the last table seven-handed.

The President Gets Seal of Approval

One player still needed to bust in order to bring about the official final table. That player turned out to be Talal Shakerchi, as the British hedge fund manager cashed for $25,200 in seventh place, losing out to Jeremy Ausmus as the American furthered his chances by leaping up the leaderboard. The Event #1 winner Maksim Pisarenko lost in sixth place for $34,650 when Ausmus got him in Razz and soon just four remained as Jerry Wong won $47,250 after Ausmus once again turned executioner.

Benny Glaser eliminated Daniel Negreanu in fourth place as Kid Poker lost out in Stud Hi-Lo for a result worth $63,000. It was a case of two pair not being good enough for the Canadian as Ausmus’ superior two pair meant he took the chip lead. A couple of big hands between Ausmus and Glaser left the Brit on the rail as a Razz hand ended his chances.

While Glaser collected $88,200, Eskandani went into the heads-up as an underdog, and although Ausmus battled, the crucial pots went Eskandani’s way. When he hit two pair in Omaha Hi-Lo, Ausmus couldn’t hit on the river and the title belonged to the PokerGO President, along with the biggest score of his career, $201,600, and a signpost win that put him over a million dollars in live poker winnings for his career.