PGT Mixed Games Series Ends with Excitement as Max Hoffman is the Hero

The final two events of the 2024 PokerGO Tour Mixed Games Series saw victories for Alex Livingston and Walter Chambers as Max Hoffmann amassed enough points to take the overall leaderboard title. Claiming the Championship Bonus of a $10,000 PGT Passport, Hoffmann’s remarkable consistency over the series earned him the famous PokerGO Trophy in this, the third Mixed Games Series and the biggest so far.

10-Game Championship Posts Strong Numbers

There were 41 entrants in the 10-Game Championship which acts as the de facto ‘Main Event’ of the PGT Mixed Games Series. The winner, Canadian Alex Livingston won his first-ever PokerGO Tour title in the process, as well as scooping up the biggest prize of the festival, an incredible $324,465.

The event saw just six players make the money, conveniently acting as a final table bubble as well as a money bubble when seven remained. The unlucky players to miss out on profit was Jared Bleznick, who lost to Livingston in Stud and slid to the rail without any return on his entry fee.

The final half-dozen were all great players and also represented many names who had either cashed in or won previous events during the same series. Narrative-wise, PokerGO could not have been happier as they streamed the final table to mixed game poker fans around the world via their subscription service, PokerGO.

After Bleznick’s elimination, Walter Chambers was at risk with a three-card five only to lose to Daniel Zack’s pat four-card queen and Chambers went home with a cash of $61,500. John Racener soon followed him, doing damage to his chances of the overall leaderboard crown. In Stud Hi-Lo, Racener lost to Dylan Weisman as the latter as he made a jack-high straight on sixth street. Racener had no answer and the WSOP legend was out, taking home $82,000.

Alex Livingston Wins for Canada

“[I’ve] been battling in the studio for a couple years and got my first win.” – Alex Livingston, PGT 10-Game Championship winner 2024.

Four remained, and after Livingston won a big pot against Weisman, each of the players had over 1.9m chips and less than 2.2m too. It couldn’t have been closer and an extended run of play without an elimination was predictable but entertaining. Max Hoffman eventually fell in No Limit 2-7 Single Draw, his ace-eight not good enough to triumph as Weisman drew to an eight for a ninety-eight low.

Three-handed, Weisman held the lead and despite trading the advantage with Livingston went into the heads-up with that chip edge too, taking out Dan Zack in third in a hand of 2-7 Triple Draw for $153,750.

Livingston took the lead early in the final duel and pulled away. Weisman recovered slightly but in No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw, his T-6-4-3-2 couldn’t win against the Canadian’s 9-8-7-6-3. As Weisman left with $290,535 in second place, Livingston could celebrate his first-ever PGT title.

“Been battling in the studio for a couple years,” said Livingston afterwards. “Got my first W in there last night in the 25k 10-game. Feels good!!”

“Congrats buddy, well done.” Said his fellow Canadian and the Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu. “Always happy to see you succeed man! Congrats on being an all-around badass!” said Livingston’s friend and fellow poker crusher Nathan Gamble.

Chambers Takes Final Title

Event #10 saw the $5,100 buy-in No Limit 2-7 Single Draw event garner 28 entrants, with Walter Chambers grabbing the trophy. His third cash of the 2024 PGT Mixed Games Series came after he beat Brazilian pro Felipe Ramos heads-up for the win. It was another Brazilian who bubbled the event as Pedro Bromfman was busted for nothing to Jonathan Krela.

In fourth place, John Riordan scooped a cash worth $15,400, while Krela soon left in third place, worth $22,400 on the night. That only left the head-up battle for the trophy and Chambers it was who sealed his third final table appearance of the series with the overall win. Winning with a ten-seven in the final hand, that edged out Ramos who nevertheless cashed for a score of $39,200.

Hoffman Heroics Over 10 Events Prevail

Over the ten events, Max Hoffman did just enough to win a thrilling race for the $10,000 PGT Passport prize, the American won $376,300 in prize money over the Mixed Games Series III as a whole, a vast percentage of his $587,000 lifetime winnings at the live felt. Hoffman’s achievement is all the more impressive when you consider the players he edged out for the title, as the American gained 331 points overall.

Daniel Zack(287 points), the inaugural Mixed Games Series I champion, finished in second place this time out, with Jerry Wong (261) in third and John Hennigan (256) in fourth. Coming in fifth place was Daniel Negreanu, as Kid Poker cashed for a total of $252,350 (253 points) continuing his fine start to 2024. After winning big in the first PokerGO Tour event of the year, the PGT Kick Off, the Canadian is most of the way towards freerolling the WSOP from a standing start if he so wished.

With strong showings from Mixed Games Series II winner Dylan Weisman (233 points), the 10-Game champion Alex Livingston (232) and Jeremy Ausmus (215), Hoffman’s heroics see him take the trophy and well-deserved it was too!