Prior to entering into the PokerGO Studio for occasion no. 2 of the 2026 PGT PLO Series, Robert Chorlian had knocked on the door and narrowly missed out on main wins a number of instances. Chorlian made two World Series of Poker remaining tables, together with a runner-up end in a $600 pot-limit Omaha occasion on the 2025 WSOP. In 2023, he completed third in a $10,500 no-limit maintain’em occasion in the course of the U.S. Poker Open.
Saturday, Sept. 26 was lastly Chorlian’s day for a breakthrough match victory. Chorlian outlasted a discipline of 106 entrants on this $5,300 pot-limit Omaha occasion to say the trophy, and a $135,150 first-place prize. Along the way in which, he defeated a number of the giants of PLO match poker, together with runner-up Lautaro Guerra, and third-place finisher Sean Rafael, two of the extra embellished performers within the format.
It was a dash to the end on day 2 of the match, with six-handed remaining desk motion kicking off simply earlier than midday contained in the PokerGO Studio, and wrapping up earlier than 2 p.m. native time in Las Vegas. Chorlian began the day because the shortest stack, however doubled up early after which charged in the direction of the trophy.
Chorlian was awarded 480 factors within the Card Player Player of the Year race, his first qualifying results of 2026. Rafael, who banked 320 POY factors for third place, elevated his whole for the 12 months to three,256 factors, good for 57th within the yearlong race introduced by CoinPoker.
Chorlian additionally acquired 203 PGT factors for his win, counting in the direction of the high-stakes-centric tour’s season-long leaderboard. The prime 40 gamers on the finish of the season in January, plus different qualifiers, can enter the $1 million PGT Championship. The present cutoff for fortieth place lies at 900 factors, although a number of gamers at or round that threshold haven’t hit different necessities to qualify, together with 4 PGT cashes and one end in a PGT owned-and-operated occasion.
PLO Back In The PGT Studio
Following Sam Soverel’s report sixteenth profession PGT title within the opening occasion, gamers turned out in even higher numbers for the second and remaining match on the $5,000 worth level. By the shut of registration, there have been a complete of 106 entries, creating a complete prize pool of $530,000.
Lautaro Guerra
The prime 16 gamers reached the cash. Martin Zamani (sixteenth – $7,950) simply made it previous the bubble, adopted to the door by Jeremy Ausmus (fifteenth – $10,600), Chino Rheem (eleventh – $13,250), Joao Simao (tenth – $15,900), and Bryce Yockey (eighth – $21,200).
Guerra held the in a single day chip lead when the baggage got here out on the finish of day 1. The WSOP bracelet winner, Triton champion, and one of many winningest pot-limit Omaha match gamers of all time held a stable chip benefit over Rafael, Ky Nguyen, and Taylor Paur. Cesar Garcia and Chorlian sat on the backside of the chip counts in the beginning of day 2.
The steadiness virtually instantly flipped upon the return of the ultimate six. Almost all of Chorlian’s chips had been in preflop with A♣Ok♠5♠5♣ in opposition to Guerra’s 9♦7♦6♥5♥, and the pair of fives held by means of a Q♦4♣2♥J♠J♦ runout. Chorlian hit a runner-runner coronary heart flush to eradicate Paur in sixth place ($26,500), besting the two-time bracelet winner’s pocket pair of aces.
In a battle of quick stacks, Rafael eradicated Garcia in fifth place ($34,450) with a full home, queens filled with kings.
Chorlian Charges To Victory
Chorlian prolonged his lead when his nut coronary heart flush chopped down Guerra’s second-nut flush. Rafael then doubled by means of Nguyen twice briefly succession to drag himself into title consideration, after which Guerra completed the job. On a 5♣4♥2♠9♣6♠ runout, Guerra made a nine-high straight to beat Nguyen’s A♠J♥8♥8♣, and ship the 2023 World Poker Tour Gardens Championship winner out in fourth place ($47,700).
Chorlian introduced the match to a swift finish by knocking out his two remaining opponents in speedy succession. After Chorlian potted preflop, Rafael referred to as within the large blind to see a 10♣7♣4♦ flop. Chorlian made one other pot-sized wager, Rafael referred to as, and the Q♠ landed on the flip. Chorlian wager the pot as soon as extra, basically placing Rafael all in. After a deep tank, Rafael referred to as, after which put his final 75,000 in on a 4♥ river.
Chorlian’s A♠A♣8♥6♣ was good, as Rafael’s pair and wrap straight draw with Q♥8♠6♦5♥ missed all of its key outs. Rafael settled for third place ($60,950). Rafael now has practically $6.6 million in profession cashes, with basically all of that coming from PLO outcomes.
Guerra was the final participant standing in Chorlian’s means, and that wouldn’t final lengthy. On the ultimate hand, Chorlian limped the button, Guerra checked, and the flop got here down A♠10♦9♥. Chorlian wager the pot when checked to and Guerra referred to as. The 5♠ hit the flip and Guerra checked once more. Chorlian potted it, and Guerra check-raised all in. Chorlian referred to as, tabling A♥J♦10♠9♣ for prime two pair. Guerra’s hand, A♦9♠5♥3♣, was in serious trouble, as his two pair, aces and nines, had no back-up outs. Guerra couldn’t discover one of many two remaining nines within the deck, and completed in second place for $84,800.
Guerra’s profession earnings in PLO alone now sit at greater than $11.6 million, making him second to solely Eelis Parssinen ($12.1 million) in lifetime cashes within the recreation.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Robert Chorlian | $135,150 | 480 | 203 |
| 2 | Lautaro Guerra | $84,800 | 400 | 127 |
| 3 | Sean Rafael | $60,950 | 320 | 91 |
| 4 | Ky Nguyen | $47,700 | 240 | 72 |
| 5 | Cesar Garcia | $34,450 | 200 | 52 |
| 6 | Taylor Paur | $26,500 | 160 | 40 |
Photo credit score: PokerGO Tour / Antonio Abrego.
