Sergei Kislinskii is the newest champion to be topped contained in the PokerGO Studio. The Russian bested 57 entries in occasion no. 4 of the 2026 PokerGO Tour Sprint to earn $91,200 and his first PGT title. This was his largest reside match rating but, and it pushed his lifetime earnings previous $1.1 million.
Prior to this victory, Kislinskii’s prime payday had been the $78,750 he earned for a runner-up end in PGT Kickoff occasion no. 2 again in 2024. That shut name got here only a couple months after he took down the 2023 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian important occasion for $73,019.
In addition to the cash and the title, Kislinskii additionally earned 240 Card Player Player of the Year factors for his first certified rating in direction of the 2026 POY race sponsored by CoinPoker.
The $285,000 prize pool paid out the highest 9 finishers. Eventual runner-up Brandon Sunshine burst the bubble by knocking out 2023 World Poker Tour World Championship winner Dan Sepiol. Recent Poker Masters occasion no. 2 champion Nick Palma (ninth – $8,550) kicked off the in-the-money eliminations, adopted out the door by Sam Soverel (eighth – $11,400), Mike Zulker (seventh – $11,400), Pierce McKellar (sixth – $15,675), and Dorian Pavon (fifth – $21,375).
Big Names Fall Down The Stretch
2015 World Series of Poker important occasion champion Joe McKeehen then busted Andrew Lichtenberger in fourth place ($28,500), with Okay-9 outrunning A-2. This was Lichtenberger’s third final-table end by means of 4 occasions, together with a second-place exhibiting within the kickoff match. The bracelet winner now has over $25.8 million in cashes to his title.
Despite scoring that knockout, McKeehen was in the end the subsequent to fall. Kislinskii took a bit out of his stack, doubling with pocket sixes towards pocket fours. Sunshine nabbed the remaining with A♠Q♥ holding towards A♦4♦. McKeehen earned $39,900 because the third-place finisher, whereas Sunshine took a wholesome lead into heads-up.
The tables quickly turned, although, due to a post-flop cooler that pitted Sunshine’s prime two pair towards Kislinskii’s flopped straight. The chips went in earlier than the flip, and Kislinskii held to take greater than a 3:1 lead.
The last hand started with a shove from Sunshine on the button. His Okay♠9♥ was trailing A♣10♥ for Kislinskii. The board got here down A♥Q♠9♠6♠2♦, and Sunshine was eradicated in second place ($57,000). This was the second straight last desk for the recent face on the PGT scene. He completed third in occasion no. 3 only a day earlier for $37,050. This newest rating pushed his profession haul previous the $1 million mark.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Sergei Kislinskii | $91,200 | 240 | 137 |
| 2 | Brandon Sunshine | $57,000 | 200 | 86 |
| 3 | Joe McKeehen | $39,900 | 160 | 60 |
| 4 | Andrew Lichtenberger | $28,500 | 120 | 43 |
| 5 | Dorian Pavon | $21,375 | 100 | 32 |
| 6 | Pierce McKellar | $15,675 | 80 | 24 |
| 7 | Mike Zulker | $11,400 | 60 | 17 |
Photo credit score: PGT / Antonio Abrego.
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