As the PokerGO Tour season reaches its finale, a crucial week unfolds where the last chance to gather points for the season-long leaderboard and qualify for the TOP40 presents itself. This all happens in a succinct window from January 5-10 at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. The pace is typically high stakes — six days and six tournaments, each with a $10,500 buy-in.
And it's not just about points. Alongside the usual battle for the TOP40 is a separate Last Chance leaderboard, where the top five players secure what's called a Dream Seat — a direct entry into the PGT $1,000,000 Championship with a 125-big blind starting stack. If any of the "Dream Seat" players are already qualified through the TOP40, the reward moves down to the next in line. Essentially, even players who struggled earlier in the season get one last shot.
Event #1: The Unassuming Clemen Deng Outsmarts Star-Studded Competition
The opening Event #1 ($10,100 NLH) of the series attracted 109 entries, creating a prize pool of $1,090,000, divided among the top 16 players. After the first day of play, the final six returned, featuring star names like Phil Hellmuth, Jesse Lonis, Cary Katz, and David “ODB” Baker.
Amidst all these stars, the quiet short stack Clemen Deng made an incredible run. Early in the day, Deng doubled up against the then-leader Lonis. A pivotal moment came during his clash of AK vs. Cary Katz's KK — Deng hit a runner-runner nut straight, turning from a short stack into a contender.
The game began to shift from that moment — Wantman was the first to fall, followed by Katz. Hellmuth got into his typical steam, and his elimination came when Baker knocked him out. PokerBrat went all-in on the flop T h 6 c 2 d after his opponent's check, holding A h 2 s . Baker called with a pair of J d J h and after a blank turn and river, he eliminated the most successful player in WSOP history.
The decisive twist in the tournament came in a remarkable situation — Baker opened, leaving only one chip behind, Lonis went all-in, and Deng called. It was only then everyone realized Baker still had a decision to make. Baker eventually folded, and after Lonis' 99 lost to Deng’s AK, Deng reached heads-up.
Deng began heads-up with a massive 27:1 lead, and within a few hands, it was over — Deng secured the victory and the series’ first title. This win propelled him to the top of the Last Chance leaderboard and made a huge leap toward a Dream Seat in the $1,000,000 Championship. For his triumph, he took home $277,950 and 278 points.
Final Table Results:
| Position | Player Name | Country | Amount |
| 1 | Clemen Deng | United States | $277,950 |
| 2 | David “ODB” Baker | United States | $174,400 |
| 3 | Jesse Lonis | United States | $125,350 |
| 4 | Phil Hellmuth | United States | $91,800 |
| 5 | Cary Katz | United States | $70,850 |
| 6 | Matthew Wantman | United States | $54,500 |
Final Table of the Second Event Features Elite Lineup
The second series tournament ($10,100 NLH) attracted 126 entries, creating a prize pool of $1,260,000. Up for grabs is $315,000 for the winner and a significant move toward the TOP40. Martin Zamani busted on the bubble, securing financial rewards for the remaining players.
Seven players moved on to the final day, led by Patrick Leonard, who secured approximately 32% of all chips after a series of knockouts. Finalists for Event #2 also include Joao Simao, Nick Schulman, Jared Jaffee, and Jeremy Ausmus, promising an exciting night for spectators!
| Seat | Player Name | Country | Chip Count |
| 1 | Joao Simao | Brazil | 3,125,000 |
| 2 | Patrick Leonard | United Kingdom | 5,105,000 |
| 3 | Nick Schulman | United States | 1,345,000 |
| 4 | Jared Jaffee | United States | 800,000 |
| 5 | Brock Wilson | United States | 1,710,000 |
| 6 | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | 1,725,000 |
| 7 | David Coleman | United States | 1,940,000 |
Sources – PGT, X
