The PGT PLO Series attracts a devoted roster of pot-limit Omaha specialists who can usually solely put in quantity throughout a number of choose home windows annually. James Chen took full benefit of the most recent PLO alternative throughout occasion no. 4, a $10,500 quattro bounty match, successful the lion’s share of the bounties, the trophy, and $239,000 in complete prize cash.
Chen earned his second profession PGT title with this efficiency, including to his 2024 PGT PLO Series II victory. Coincidentally, that win additionally got here in occasion no. 4 on that pageant’s schedule. That 12 months, Chen additionally received a World Series of Poker bracelet occasion, in a $1,500 Omaha eight-or-better match.
The official first-place payout for Chen was $107,000, however he greater than doubled that sum with $132,000 in bounty prizes. Chen claimed eight of the 14 bounties in play. Runner-up Richard Gryko ($68,400) had two bounties, for a complete prize of $100,400, and third-place finisher Youness Barakat ($47,900) doubled his declare with three bounties, taking residence a complete of $95,900.
Chen’s win is price 300 Card Player Player of the Year factors, giving him his third qualifying money of 2026. Of the gamers on the last desk, Gryko (now 104th) and sixth-place finisher Lautaro Guerra (now a hundred and fifth) are simply outdoors the highest 100. Barakat’s 200 POY factors for third place places him at 3,183 for the 12 months, good for sixty fifth place within the 2026 POY standings introduced by CoinPoker.
Chen at the moment leads the PGT PLO Series factors race, with this win and a fourth-place end within the opening occasion. Cary Katz (73rd), Lautaro Guerra (178th), and Gryko (185th) every improved their standing on the season-long PGT leaderboard by making this last desk. The prime 40 gamers on the finish of the season qualify for the $1 million PGT Championship.
Changing The Game: Bounties Appear Once Again At PGT PLO
After three simple PLO occasions to begin the PGT PLO Series, occasion 4 modified the format. The $10,500 PLO quattro bounty occasion launched $16,000 bounties into the combination, and nobody benefited greater than Chen. The match drew 57 entries by the shut of registration, with $570,000 going to the principle prize pool and $228,000 devoted to bounty prizes.
The last 14 gamers carried bounties, however solely 9 would end within the cash. Chen picked up early bounties by knocking out each Sam Soverel and Dylan Weisman earlier than the official cash bubble popped. Chen then burst the bubble himself, choosing up a pair of bounties whereas sending Cesar Garcia out on the bubble and eliminating Jonas Kronwitter in ninth place ($11,400).
Barakat despatched Chino Rheem to the rail in eighth place ($14,300) and doubled by means of Jeremy Ausmus on the similar time, courtesy of a flopped set of jacks. With the sector mixed to a single desk of seven gamers, a wild four-way all-in pot drastically modified the chip distribution.
Ausmus: A♦Okay♠5♥3♦
Ben Lamb: A♠10♣7♦2♠
Barakat: Okay♣10♣9♣9♦
Guerra: A♥Q♦6♠4♠
The board ran out J♥8♠5♣6♣9♠, giving Lamb a triple up and a short-stacked Ausmus’ bounty. Ausmus was out in seventh place ($14,300). Barakat’s rivered set of nines was good for one of many aspect pots, eliminating Guerra in sixth place ($18,800).
A Dominant Showing From Chen
From that time within the match on, Chen didn’t relinquish the highest spot. He eradicated Lamb in fifth place ($25,700) with a flopped set of fours, dodging a flush draw and straight draw with one card to come back. Chen then picked off Katz with a turned full home, which had Katz’s straight and flush attracts lifeless to rights. Katz went out in fourth place ($34,200), and day 1 motion got here to an in depth with three gamers left.
James Chen leads the ultimate three gamers in Event #4 of the PGT PLO Series introduced by @official_glp.
If Chen wins, he’ll transfer to the highest of the collection leaderboard.
Back right now at 11:45a PT to shut it out.
Updates: https://t.co/rtFjy1GIvc pic.twitter.com/3PAXbHNn51
— PGT (@PokerGOTour) September 29, 2026
Gryko pulled himself again into competition early on day 2, courtesy of eliminating Barakat in third place. The chips obtained in preflop with Barakat forward, holding A♦Okay♦Okay♣4♥ towards Gryko’s A♠10♠10♦7♦. But Gryko had it locked up by the flip with a nut spade flush, giving him the bounty and a stack that was inside putting distance of Chen’s.
Chen opened a 2.5:1 lead early in heads-up play, however Gryko doubled with one other turned spade flush to tug again into the match. Chen wouldn’t be denied on at the present time, although. On a board studying 10♦4♣2♦7♥, the entire chips went into the center.
Chen confirmed Q♦9♣8♦6♠ for an enormous wrap straight draw and diamond flush draw. Gryko tabled 5♦4♠3♠2♣ for 2 pair, and the low finish of the straight draw. According to the Card Player PLO odds calculator, it was a literal coin flip down to 2 decimal locations – a 50.00% likelihood for every participant.
This coin landed in Chen’s favor, because the J♥ accomplished a jack-high straight, and secured him the victory. His complete profession earnings now stand at $1,992,701.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | Bounties | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | James Chen | $107,000 | $132,000 | 300 | 178 |
| 2 | Richard Gryko | $68,400 | $32,000 | 250 | 103 |
| 3 | Youness Barakat | $47,900 | $48,000 | 200 | 72 |
| 4 | Cary Katz | $34,200 | $0 | 150 | 51 |
| 5 | Ben Lamb | $25,700 | $16,000 | 125 | 39 |
| 6 | Lautaro Guerra | $18,800 | $0 | 100 | 28 |
| 7 | Jeremy Ausmus | $14,300 | $0 | 75 | 21 |
Photo credit score: PGT / Antonio Abrego.
