Chino Rheem Wins PGT Mixed Games Series Event #2 for $171,000

The second event of this month’s PGT Mixed Games Series in Las Vegas, the $10,200-entry Big Bet Mix saw the comeback kid himself, Chino Rheem, bag the top prize of $171,000 and claim top spot on the series leaderboard. Rheem, who spoke to us this week about his battle back from addiction in a revealing and at times difficult interview, has been on what he described himself as the biggest heater of his 20 yerds in the poker industry recently and this latest victory only adds to his reputation as one of the best at any game you care to play him at.

Friedman Fried in Frantic Early Levels

With 57 entrants to the second event of the PGT Mixed Games Series, cashes for Arthur Morris (9^th for $17,100), Nick Schulman (8^th for $22,800) and Dan Shak (7^th for $28,500) preceded the six-handed final table. The last hand of Day 1 saw Shak taken out by Adam Friedman, whose trip sixes held against Shak’s pair of queens.

Heading into the last day, the Poker Masters winner Stephen Chidwick led the remaining half dozen players with 2,530,000 chips. Behind him, however, everyone had a chance with Chino Rheem (2,370,000), Adam Friedman (2,245,000), Ben Yu (2,070,000), John Hennigan (1,110,000) and Andrew Korn (1,080,000) all sitting down with a very playable stack as they began their battle for the trophy.

First to lose his seat in the final six was the former World Series of Poker bracelet winner in mixed games, Adam Friedman. His last hand took place in No Limit Five Card High Single Draw, where Rheem won with a full house made by his final draw, while Friedman could only make two pair, meaning he headed to the rail. Rheem had catapulted himself into the lead at the perfect time.

The World is Not Enough

With five players left, no-one wanted to be left on the outside looking in, but Ben Yu saw fate end his chances for $45,600 next. In 2-7 Triple Draw, he also fell to Chino Rheem, as the eventual champion made an eight-six after the first draw. There he was happy to remain. Yu had to go for what was a possible eight-five that might have doubled his way back into contention but ended with a king-eight to lose out instead, heading to the payout desk as Rheem grew his ever-increasing pile.

Johnny ‘World’ Hennigan enjoyed and endured an up and down day at the felt, but while he battled into the money and even with four players left doubled up in 2-7 Pot Limit Triple Draw. That was not the case for long, however, as he busted in fourth place for $57,000 at the hands of Stephen Chidwick. It was a hand that took place in No Limit Hold’em, as Chidwick shoved pre-flop with . Hennigan rightly called it off with , but was immediately behind on the flop, never catching up on the turn and river.

With three remaining, that hand for Chidwick gave the British poker professional the chip lead with 5,175,000 chips. Chino Rheem sat with 3,900,000, while Andres Korn was the short stack with 2,325,000. There was to be plenty of movement before the denouement of the tournament, as it all changed dramatically in the final stages of the event.

Rheem Earns His Korn

As the chips changed hands, a big hand saw Chino Rheem use four time extensions before he folded to Argentinian Andres Korn on the river. That gave Korn the lead and left the other two chasing. The pivotal hand in that sense happened when Chidwick lost to Rheem in 2-7 Pot Limit Triple Draw. Chidwick’s last card peeled was a pair and Rheem was able to stay low and scupper the chances of one of the most dangerous opponents he had faced in the event.

Heads-up, Korn still had a slim advantage, but two back-to-back wins in No Limit Hold’em gave Rheem the lead instead. In Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, Rheem made that count. Flopping the nuts against Korn’s top set, Rheem’s straight ruled the day and earned him the $171,000 top prize, with the Argentinian Korn having to settle for a consolation prize of $114,000.

Having come fourth in the opening event and won the second tournament outright, can Rheem stay on the right track for the Championship Bonus of $25,000 by topping the leaderboard after all nine events? We’ll see over the course of the next week.