In the showdown of the $10,200 eight-game mix tournament at the 2023 PGT Mixed Games II festival, it all came down to a face-off between Dzmitry Urbanovich, the 2016 European Poker Tour Dublin champion, and the illustrious six-time bracelet winner, Daniel Negreanu. After an intense hour-long battle, Urbanovich emerged as the victor, securing not only the prestigious title but also the top prize of $179,200.
This significant win marked the ninth-largest recorded score in Urbanovich’s poker career, elevating his lifetime earnings to nearly $7.4 million. Furthermore, the Polish poker professional earned 300 Card Player Player of the Year points, thanks to his fourth final-table appearance in 2023. Although it was his first cash of the series, the 179 PokerGO Tour points he accumulated propelled him into third place in the festival-long points race.
Negreanu, the runner-up, took home $117,600 and gained 250 Player of the Year points for achieving his 11th final-table finish of the year. His total of 2,424 points and earnings exceeding $840,000 in the current Player of the Year standings, as presented by Global Poker, positions him just outside the top 100. Additionally, Negreanu advanced to 28th place in the year-long PGT standings, boasting 22 qualified cashes and winnings nearing $1.2 million in this high-stakes competition.
With this deep run, the Poker Hall of Fame member and two-time World Poker Tour champion expanded his career earnings to $50,487,491. This achievement elevated him to the fifth-place position on poker’s all-time money list, making him one of the few players to surpass the $50 million mark.
The tournament unfolded over two days within the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. By the end of day 1, the bubble had burst, resulting in the elimination of bracelet winner Dylan Linde (8th), bracelet winner Andrew Kelsall (7th), and six-time bracelet winner John Hennigan (6th).
Three-time WPT champion and four-time bracelet winner Anthony Zinno (5th – $44,800) was the first to exit on day 2, committing his short stack with pocket aces in pot-limit Omaha. Arthur Morris, holding a double-suited three-broadway hand, made two pair, reducing the field to four. Max Hoffman followed, with his pocket kings falling to Urbanovich’s A-8 suited. Hoffman’s fourth-place finish earned him $56,000.
During a round of Omaha eight-or-better, Morris faced some significant losses, leaving him in a precarious position. Ultimately, Negreanu won a hand in the same game, and Morris departed with $78,400 after being unable to beat kings for the high and a 6-5-4-2-A for the low. This marked Morris’s fifth final table of the year, including a second-place finish in the $10,000 pot-limit Omaha event at the WSOP, securing a career-best $809,167 payday.
The heads-up battle commenced with Urbanovich and Negreanu on equal footing. Negreanu momentarily pulled ahead during a round of stud, but Urbanovich quickly reversed the momentum during a pot-limit Omaha round. The final hand of the tournament occurred in the same game. Urbanovich raised from the button with Q♠7♥6♠5♥, and Negreanu called with Q♦J♠8♠6♣. The flop revealed Q♣4♣3♦, prompting Negreanu to check-call Urbanovich’s continuation bet. The 8♥ on the turn gave Negreanu top two pair, and he bet the pot. In response, Urbanovich raised all-in with his top pair and wrap straight draw, which Negreanu called. The river brought the 2♥, improving Urbanovich to a six-high straight, securing him the pot and the coveted title.
