Scott Abrams Wins PGT Mixed Game Dealer's Choice Event

Scott Abrams came into the 2023 PGT Mixed Games series with 39 live tournament cashes to his name, with most coming in mixed-game events at the World Series of Poker. Abrams had managed eight top-five finishes in live events, including one third-place and three runner-up showings, but had never come away with a title. More than 11.5 years after recording his first live cash, Abrams has finally come away with the outright win. He defeated a field of 56 entries in the PGT Mixed $10,300 buy-in dealer’s choice event to secure the $179,200 top prize and the trophy.

“I thought it might be a while before I get a first,” Abrams told PokerGO reporters after securing the win. “But now it’s good to have it. It’s done. I’m very happy with it.”

Abrams now has more than $1.3 million in live tournament earnings to his name after this latest victory. He also earned 179 PGT points for the win, enough to move him into seventh place in the player of the series points race.

This dealer’s choice tournament, which featured 20 possible games for players to choose from, ran from Feb. 9-10 inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The first day of action saw the field of 56 entries narrowed down to just a final two contenders. The top eight finishers cashed, with WSOP bracelet winner Johannes Becker (8th – $22,400) being the first eliminated inside the money.

Bracelet winner Bryce Yockey’s run in this event came to an end when his one-card nine low draw ran into the pat 8-7-6-4-3 of six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu in a hand of no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw lowball. Yockey was drawing dead and was sent home with $28,000 as the seventh-place finisher. Dan Zack (6th – $33,600) soon followed after losing an all-in against Abrams, who won with a 9-8-6-5-4 in the same game. This was Zack’s fourth cash of the series, bringing his total earnings to $179,700.

Abrams won a huge three-way pot in stud eight-or-better, scooping with aces up for the high and an 8-7-6-2-A low. John Monnette had a pair and a low draw, while Nick Schulman had kings up for the high. Monnette finished fifth for $44,800, while Schulman took home $56,000 as the fourth-place finisher. This was Monnette’s third cash of the series, with one win and two fourth-place showings. He is now the player to beat in the points race as this series approaches its conclusion.

Negreanu was eliminated in third place. He and Abrams both patted on the final draw in a hand of triple draw deuce-to-seven lowball. Abrams showed down 8-7-4-3-2 and Negreanu mucked. He earned $78,400 for his deep run, growing his career earnings to just shy of $49.5 million.

With that, Abrams took a slight lead into heads-up play with Ben Lamb. The two bagged and tagged to bring day 1 to a conclusion, setting up a two-player showdown on day 2 for the title.

After play resumed, it was all Abrams. Lamb chose pot-limit Omaha to start, with Abrams pulling out to more than a 3:1 lead at one point in the round. Abrams then picked badeucey, during which he extended his chip advantage even further. The final hand of the event came in this round of badeucey. Abrams made a 98652 for a 9-8 low and an 8-6 badugi. On the final draw, Lamb had 732. He picked up the 4 and 3 to end up with a pair and only a three-card 7 badugi. Lamb earned $117,600 as the runner-up finisher. He is also still heads-up for the big-bet mix title, having paused that event with two players remaining earlier in the series. Play between Lamb and Maxx Coleman has yet to resume.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded at the final table

Photo credit: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego.

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