Ben Lamb Wins PGT Mixed Games Big Bet Mix Event

The 2023 PGT Mixed Games $10,300 buy-in big bet mix event kicked off on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The tournament was set to finish the following day, but action was ultimately paused with just two players remaining to allow those still competing a chance to enter the next event on the schedule before its late registration window close. The pause in the action ended up lasting six days, but eventually, Ben Lamb and Maxx Coleman returned after every other event in the series had been completed to determine a winner on Monday, Feb. 13. In the end, it was Lamb who emerged victorious with the title and the top prize of $186,300.

Lamb recorded two final-table finishes during this eight-event series, winning this tournament and placing second in the $10,300 dealer’s choice for another $117,600. The 304 total PGT points he earned were enough to see him finish third in the PGT Mixed Games player of the series points race, trailing only eventual winner Dan Zack (352 points) and John Monnette (316 points).

This was the World Series of Poker bracelet winner and two-time main event final tablist’s 18th recorded live tournament title. He now has more than $15.2 million in lifetime earnings.

This tournament, which featured a rotation of Big O, no-limit hold’em, no-limit 2-7 single draw, pot-limit Omaha hi-lo, no-limit five-card draw high, pot-limit Omaha, and pot-limit deuce-to-seven triple draw, attracted a field of 69 entries to create a $690,000 prize pool. The top ten finishers made the money, with two-time WSOP Poker Players Champion Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates (10th), Johannes Becker (9th), Dan Zack (7th), and five-time bracelet winner Brian Rast (7th) among those that ran deep enough to cash but did not make it to day 2.

What was scheduled to be the final day of action began with five-time bracelet winner and back-to-back-to-back WSOP dealer’s choice championship winner Adam Friedman leading the final six contenders. Bracelet winner Sam Soverel (6th – $41,400) was the first to fall, with his 9-8 low running into the 8-7 low of Craig Chait in pot-limit triple draw deuce-to-seven lowball.

Four-time bracelet winner Ben Yu’s run in this event came to an end when his final big blind went in with 7-2 suited in no-limit hold’em. Coleman isolated with A-3 and made a pair of threes to drag the pot and narrow the field to four. Yu earned $55,200 as the fifth-place finisher.

Chait was left short when his A-3 suited failed to outrun the Q-J of Lamb in another no-limit hold’em pot. He soon was all-in and at risk with a three-card draw in no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw lowball. He was up against the two-card draw of Coleman, who held 10-8-6. Coleman improved to a 10-9-8-6-4. Chait showed 9-2, and was drawing live to a nine low. When one of his three draw cards turned out to be an ace, Chait was eliminated in fourth place ($69,000)

Friedman was soon all-in and at risk during a round of no-limit five card draw high. He got the last of his stack in with 44. Lamb, who had him covered, showed down QQ. Lamb improved to trip queens after the draw, leaving Friedman in rough shape. Friedman was unable to come from behind and finished third for $89,700. He now has nearly $4 million in recorded lifetime tournament earnings after this latest strong showing.

Lamb began heads-up play with more than a 4:1 chip advantage over Coleman. After two double-ups, Coleman had closed the gap considerably. He soon overtook the lead in time for the final two to decide to pause the action.

Six days later, action resumed and Coleman won a few early pots to take nearly a 4:1 lead of his own. Lamb found two crucial double-ups, with the first in deuce-to-seven single draw and the second in pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better. Coleman bounced back with a double-up of his own, but Lamb was soon able to pull away again.

The final hand came in a round of pot-limit Omaha. Coleman raised to 900,000 on the button with AQ83 and Lamb defended his big blind with AJ97. The flop came down 1084 and Lamb bet enough with his wrap drawto put Coleman all-in for his last 1.8 million or so. Coleman called with his pair of eights and the nut flush draw. The turn brought the 7 to give Lam a jack-high straight and the lead. The river was the K, locking up the pot and the title for Lamb.

Coleman was awarded $138,000 as the runner-up. Like Lamb, he also managed two final-table showings during this series. He took home $280,500 in total earnings, accruing the seventh-most PGT points of any player (224 points) in the process.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points:

Winner photo credit: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego

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