This week the identical two gamers battled it out heads-up with a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars} on the road on back-to-back days contained in the PokerGO Studio. This wasn’t the newest version of High Stakes Duel, although. Joey Weissman and Michael ‘Texas Mike’ Moncek had simply managed to every make it all the way down to the ultimate two gamers in each of the primary two occasions of the 2025 PokerGO Cup. While Moncek got here out on high in occasion no. 1, Weissman was capable of even the rating the second time round.
According to the PokerGO broadcast, this was the primary time in PokerGO Tour historical past that the identical two gamers had managed to go heads-up in consecutive tournaments.
Weissman was awarded $295,000 because the champion of occasion no. 2, a $10,000 buy-in no-limit maintain’em occasion with 118 entries. With the $123,900 he earned a day earlier within the $5,000 kickoff occasion with a file discipline of 177, his whole for the collection now sits at $418,900.
For his half, Moncek has accrued $368,750 along with his one-two punch at the beginning of this eight-event pageant. The two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner now has practically $4.4 million in lifetime earnings.
This win grew Weissman’s profession haul to just about $8.3 million. The bracelet winner primarily based out of Las Vegas is now ranked fourth within the 2025 Card Player Player of the Year race offered by Global Poker, having already made 5 closing tables up to now together with this win for 600 factors.
Weissman additionally earned 295 PGT factors with this triumph. This was his fourth certified money on the tour already in 2025, making him the present chief within the season-long standings. He additionally leads the collection factors race due to his unbelievable begin.
The closing day of this occasion started with seven gamers remaining and Sam Laskowitz within the lead. Anthony Hu (seventh – $47,200) was the primary to fall, along with his A-10 operating into the pocket kings of Andrew Lichtenberger for his closing six or so large blinds.
Six-handed motion lasted for a few hours, with the stalemate ultimately damaged due to a cooler on the river. Bracelet winner Andrew Lichtenberger hit his gutshot straight attract an already wholesome pot and worth guess on the top. 2021 Wynn Millions champion Andrew Moreno had additionally accomplished a backdoor draw of his personal, along with his being to the nut flush. He raised all-in and acquired a fast name, leaving Lichtenberger with only a handful of massive blinds.
Stream the PokerGO Cup on PokerGO. https://t.co/mm91babAG7 pic.twitter.com/Wp8arsLJKc
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) February 14, 2025
Lichtenberger managed a double up not lengthy after taking that hit, however was finally eradicated not lengthy after that, incomes $59,000 for his efforts. He now has practically $22.1 million in profession cashes to his title.
Laskowitz got here into the ultimate day of this occasion with the lead, however ended up hitting the rail in fifth place when his A
Q bumped into the A
Ok
of ten-time bracelet winner Erik Seidel, who made the nut flush in spades to pull the pot and slim the sector to 4. Laskowitz walked away with $76,700, which was sufficient to develop his lifetime haul to greater than $3 million.
A basic preflop race spelled the top of Moreno’s event, with pocket jacks being outrun by the A-Q of Seidel. Moreno held by means of the flip, however a queen on the top gave Seidel his second straight knockout. Moreno was awarded $100,300 because the fourth-place finisher, which moved his profession earnings north of $4.9 million.
Seidel quickly misplaced an enormous chunk of his stack with high pair, high kicker towards the overpair of aces of Joey Weissman, who doubled into the chip after getting his stack in on the flip and fading a king on the river. The final of Seidel’s stack went in from the small blind with J-9 trailing the J-10 of Moncek, who known as the shove from the large. Moncek ended up with high pair of tens by the river to earn the pot and the knockout. Seidel grew his profession earnings to greater than $48.5 million due to the $129,800 payday he secured because the third-place finisher.
We lose
Erik_Seidel</a> in third place, meaning for the second consecutive event it&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/TexasMike2014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">TexasMike2014 versus @JoeyWeissman for the title.Stream the PokerGO Cup on PokerGO. https://t.co/mm91babAG7 pic.twitter.com/5miqOp3I00
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) February 14, 2025
The second heads-up match between Moncek and Weissman in as many days started on pretty even footing, after the primary had seen an enormous beginning benefit for Moncek. The first large hand went Moncek’s approach, along with his selecting off a bluff from Weissman with king excessive to tug effectively out in entrance. Weissman doubled again into the lead with A-10 besting Ok-4, solely to have Moncek grind his approach again into the lead.
Weisman doubled up once more, this time with Ok-3 besting J-8 suited. Weissman made journey threes to maneuver again in entrance for what could be the final time. Moncek got here near night issues up at a couple of factors, however Weissman was capable of maintain after which prolong this newest lead earlier than closing out the win.
In the ultimate hand Weissman min-raised to 800,000 from the button and Moncek three-bet shoved for six,875,000 with Ok2
. Weissman known as off with OkJ and the board got here down J769J to provide Weissman journeys and the victory. Moncek was awarded $182,900 because the runner-up.
Here is a take a look at the payouts and rankings factors awarded on the closing desk:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Joey Weissman | $295,000 | 600 | 295 |
| 2 | Michael Moncek | $182,900 | 500 | 183 |
| 3 | Erik Seidel | $129,800 | 400 | 130 |
| 4 | Andrew Moreno | $100,300 | 300 | 100 |
| 5 | Sam Laskowitz | $76,700 | 250 | 77 |
| 6 | Andrew Lichtenberger | $59,000 | 200 | 59 |
| 7 | Anthony Hu | $47,200 | 150 | 47 |
Photo credit score: PokerGO / Enrique Malfavon.
