Roughly two weeks forward of Halloween, Justin Vaysman has already come again from the useless on the 2026 Poker Masters.
The three-time bracelet winner was left with only a quarter of a giant blind after dropping an enormous pot with 5 gamers remaining on the ultimate desk of occasion no. 6 on the newest PokerGO Tour. Incredibly, he was capable of bounce again from being successfully right down to the felt to ultimately take down the title within the $10,000 no-limit maintain’em match.
The win got here with $192,000 and his first PGT title. This was the third-largest rating of his profession, trailing solely the $350,000 he secured with a Twenty fifth-place end within the 2024 World Series of Poker important occasion and the $257,400 that got here with a win in a $5,300 WSOP Online six-max title. The Horsham, Pennsylvania resident now has greater than $2 million in profession match earnings after this newest triumph.
Vaysman was awarded 360 Card Player Player of the Year factors because the champion. This was his sixth final-table end of the yr. He additionally climbed to fifth within the race for the Poker Masters purple jacket, with 192 factors bringing his whole to 231. This was his second money of the competition, having additionally positioned sixth within the kickoff occasion.
Setting The Stage
The 64-entry turnout created a $640,000 prize pool, with the highest ten finishers making the cash. Adrian Mateos, who leads the sequence standings due to a win and a runner-up end, has additionally discovered himself eradicated on the bubble an unimaginable 4 occasions by way of six occasions. Vaysman delivered the deadly blow, pitting pocket sevens in opposition to Adrian Mateos’ A-Q and Robert Chorlain’s A-6 in a double-elimination late on day 1.
Michael Berk (tenth) and bracelet winners Andrew Lichtenberger (ninth) and Cherish Andrews (eighth) all fell inside the cash earlier than day 1 got here to an in depth. Sean Winter and Victoria Livschitz have been nearly tied for the lead heading into day 2, with Vaysman sitting in third chip place among the many ultimate seven.
The first knockout of the day noticed Livschitz’s set of eights maintain in opposition to the highest pair of aces of Sam Laskowitz (seventh – $25,600). She additional added to her stack when A♥Okay♠ held in opposition to the A♦4♦ of a short-stacked Joey Weissman (sixth – $35,200). This was Weissman’s fourth money of the sequence, together with successful occasion no. 3 for $218,400. The two-time bracelet winner now sits in third within the general standings, with $301,000 in earnings and 300 factors accrued to this point.
A Crash, Then A Surge
Livschitz nearly ran away with the lead, however had her pocket aces cracked by the pocket queens of bracelet winner Anthony Gregg to surrender the highest spot on the leaderboard.
Not lengthy after that, Vaysman misplaced the pot that arrange his comeback story. It folded round to Winter, who raised to 660,000 from the small blind holding 8♦7♥. Vaysman known as with A♥9♦ off a stack of 680,000, leaving simply 20,000 behind. The two checked by way of a board of Q♥10♣6♠5♥7♦, with Winter rivering a pair of sevens to depart Vaysman on fumes.
Vaysman then received three all-ins in a row to get again as much as 400,000, or 5 full large blinds.
Gregg, regardless of having just lately held the lead, was finally the following to fall. He bought all-in with J♥J♦ main the Q♣J♣ of Winter. The Q♦J♠8♣ flop gave Gregg a set of jacks. While Winter had prime two pair, he was in tough form. The 2♣ flip gave him many extra outs, although, including a flush draw. The 7♣ on the top accomplished that draw, ending Gregg’s run in fifth place ($48,000).
Then, Vaysman received a three-way all-in with A♣9♣ besting the A♥Okay♠ of Brandon Wilson and Okay♣3♥ of Winter, who had made the preliminary increase into his two shorter-stacked opponents within the blinds. The board got here down 8♦6♣5♦7♣7♦ and Vaysman made a nine-high straight to triple as much as 2,050,000.
Three-way all-in conflict!
Stream the @PokerGOTour’s Poker Masters, introduced by @official_glp, on https://t.co/l4l4onsRIp. https://t.co/qjIcxrTnuc
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) October 20, 2026
Wilson, Livschitz Sent Packing
Winter solely had Vaysman lined by a few large blinds in that massive multi-way showdown. He was quickly all-in and in danger with A♥2♦ main the J♦7♠ of Vaysman. The 9♦8♣4♦9♣10♦ gave Vaysman a jack-high straight to win the pot. Wilson earned $64,000 because the fourth-place finisher. This was the twenty second final-table end of 2026 for the Illinois native. The 180 POY factors moved him into second place within the yearlong standings. His 7,667 factors path solely Poker Hall of Famer Nick Schulman, who boasts 7,956. He additionally moved to fifth place on the PGT’s general leaderboard for the season.
Livschitz quickly adopted. The poker participant and businesswoman ran Okay♥J♦ into the Okay♠Okay♣ of Winter. The case king hit the flop to offer Winter a set. He held from there to ship Livschitz to the rail in third place ($86,400).
Winter held roughly a 3:1 chip lead going into heads-up play with Vaysman. The hole widened within the early going, however Vaysman doubled with A-7 in opposition to Q-6 suited to maintain his hopes alive.
Vaysman then doubled into the lead when he picked off a river bluff shove from Winter, who had simply ten excessive. Vaysman known as off his stack with second pair to maneuver forward within the match.
Justin Vaysman calls down with second pair in an amazing hand in opposition to Sean Winter.
Watch the @PokerGOTour’s Poker Masters, introduced by @official_glp, on https://t.co/l4l4onsRIp. https://t.co/Oj5eitBsuv
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) October 20, 2026
Comeback Completed
The ultimate hand of the match started with a limp from Vaysman on the button for 125,000 with 10♠9♥. Winter checked his possibility with J♦3♦, and the pair noticed a flop of 10♦9♦7♣. Vaysman fired 150,000 when checked to, and Winter unleashed a check-raise to 700,000 along with his combo draw. Vaysman known as along with his prime two and the flip introduced the Okay♥. Winter shoved for two,975,000 and Vaysman made the decision.
The river introduced the 10♥ to enhance Vaysman to a full home. Winter settled for $124,800 because the runner-up. The high-stakes common now has practically $42 million in lifetime earnings. He now sits in first place within the PGT seasonal standings with 1,975 factors throughout 16 cashes.
Winter additionally moved to 14th within the sequence rankings due to this, his first money of the sequence.
From one quarter of a giant blind to champion – what a comeback for Justin Vaysman!!! https://t.co/YHPFWCbjiA
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) October 20, 2026
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Justin Vaysman | $192,000 | 360 | 192 |
| 2 | Sean Winter | $124,800 | 300 | 125 |
| 3 | Victoria Livschitz | $86,400 | 240 | 86 |
| 4 | Brandon Wilson | $64,000 | 180 | 64 |
| 5 | Anthony Gregg | $48,000 | 150 | 48 |
| 6 | Joey Weissman | $35,200 | 120 | 35 |
| 7 | Sam Laskowitz | $25,600 | 90 | 26 |
Photo credit score: PGT / Antonio Abrego
