Vitalijs Zavorotnijs is the most recent champion topped contained in the PokerGO Studio. The seasoned poker participant from Riga, Latvia took down the fourth $10,000 buy-in occasion on the 2026 Poker Masters schedule, incomes his second PGT title and the highest prize of $224,000.
This was the fifth-largest rating but for Zavorotnijs, who now boasts greater than $3.6 million in profession cashes. His largest payday stays the $678,000 he earned because the champion of the 2019 World Poker Tour Barcelona foremost occasion. His earlier PGT triumph got here in a $10,000 excessive curler on the 2025 North American Poker Tour Las Vegas cease.
Zavorotnijs now has six last tables and two titles on the 12 months, having additionally gained a $10,000 excessive curler on the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open in August. The 480 Card Player Player of the Year factors that got here with this newest victory pushed him simply exterior the highest 600 within the 2026 POY standings introduced by CoinPoker.
He additionally secured 224 PGT factors, shifting into fourth place within the race for the Poker Masters purple jacket.
Deng Seizes The Lead After Pair Of Early Knockouts
The 80-entry turnout created an $800,000 prize pool, with a dozen gamers cashing. The first seven knockouts inside the cash came about late on day 1, with notables like Chris Hunichen (tenth), occasion no. 3 champion Joey Weissman (ninth), six-time bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus (eighth), Sam Laskowitz (seventh), and 10-time bracelet winner Erik Seidel (sixth) amongst these to fall forward of the break in play.
The last day started with 5 remaining, and Zavorotnijs out in entrance. The first knockout of the day got here rapidly. Bracelet winner Andrew Lichtenberger three-bet shoved with Okay♠9♠ after Clemen Deng opened from the button with A♥A♦. Deng, after all, snap-called with the very best hand in maintain’em. He flopped high set and turned a full home to ship Lichtenberger packing in fifth place ($56,000).
Smack into aces goes Andrew Lichtenberger.
Stream the @PokerGOTour’s Poker Masters, introduced by @official_glp, on https://t.co/l4l4onsRIp. https://t.co/KL8EJ25A2N
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) October 16, 2026
Jamie Dwan continued his breakout 12 months on the reside circuit with a fourth-place displaying on this occasion. He was floor all the way down to only a few massive blinds earlier than getting all-in with A♥6♦. Deng referred to as the small shove from the large blind with 7♦3♠ and rivered a 3 to finish Dwan’s newest deep run. The UK poker professional earned $76,000 for his efforts only a few months after taking down a $50,000 occasion on the World Series of Poker for $2.3 million and his first bracelet. He now sits in 52nd place within the POY standings, with three titles and 11 final-table finishes on the 12 months.
Palma Leads The Series Standings After Another Podium Showing
Nicholas Palma, simply a few days faraway from a win in occasion no. 2 for $235,200, survived to the ultimate three on this event for his second six-figure rating of the competition. The bracelet winner’s last hand on this occasion pitted Okay♦J♣ in opposition to the 7♠7♣ of Zavorotnijs. While it was a good struggle preflop, the primary three group playing cards sapped the drama. The 7♦6♥6♦ flop gave Zavorotnijs sevens full and an enormous lead within the hand. The 8♣ flip left Palma drawing useless, and the 3♣ confirmed that he’d stroll away from this occasion with $104,000.
The bracelet winner has cashed for $339,200 in whole this collection, bringing his lifetime haul to greater than $5.2 million within the course of. He additionally joined the highest 50 within the POY rankings, with one title and 11 final-table finishes.
Palma is now sitting on high of the collection standings with 339 factors. Myles Mullaly has cashed in three of the 4 occasions accomplished to date, together with a win within the kickoff occasion. Mullaly is in second with 274 factors, whereas occasion no. 3 champion Joey Weissman, who has additionally cashed thrice, is in third on the collection leaderboard.
Zavorotnijs Finds Another Full House To Close Out The Title
Heads-up play started with roughly a 3:2 chip lead for Deng over Zavorotnijs. The last two traded the lead a number of occasions within the early going, however Zavorotnijs pulled forward by the point last hand of the event was dealt.
The closing cooler started with a limp for 125,000 from Deng holding J♣4♦. Zavorotnijs checked his choice with the Q♦4♥ and the pair went to a flop of Q♠J♦4♠. Zavorotnijs checked with high and backside pair and Deng fired 125,000 with backside two, solely to face a check-raise to 400,000. Deng got here alongside and the 4♣ flip gave each gamers full homes.
Zavorotnijs fired 350,000 together with his fours stuffed with queens and Deng referred to as with fours stuffed with jacks. The 8♣ accomplished the board and Zavorotnijs guess 2,000,000. Deng moved all-in for 3,890,000. Zavorotnijs rapidly referred to as and revealed his superior boat to lock up the pot and the title.
Deng earned $144,000 because the runner-up, rising his profession haul to almost $7.2 million. This was his eleventh last desk
An ice-cold cooler to complete this one off!
Vitalijs Zavorotnijs wins Event #4 of the 2026 Poker Masters. https://t.co/x1zPvtjxU2
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) October 16, 2026
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Vitalijs Zavorotnijs | $224,000 | 480 | 224 |
| 2 | Clemen Deng | $144,000 | 400 | 144 |
| 3 | Nicholas Palma | $104,000 | 320 | 104 |
| 4 | Jamie Dwan | $76,000 | 240 | 76 |
| 5 | Andrew Lichtenberger | $56,000 | 200 | 56 |
| 6 | Erik Seidel | $40,000 | 160 | 40 |
| 7 | Sam Laskowitz | $32,000 | 120 | 32 |
Photo credit score: PGT / Antonio Abrego.
