The 2026 PokerGO Tour season wasted no time delivering fireworks. Inside the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas, the six-event PGT Kickoff Series launched the new year with deep, elite-heavy fields and double PGT points on the line. Running from January 26–31, the series featured a mix of $5,100 and $10,100 no-limit hold’em events and immediately shaped the early Player of the Year conversation.
By the time the final cards were dealt, one name stood above the rest: Andrew “Lucky Chewy” Lichtenberger.
“Lucky Chewy” Sets the Early Pace
The series opener, Event #1 ($5,100 NLHE), drew 135 entries and saw Lichtenberger pick up right where he left off at the end of 2025. Fresh off a $200,000 runner-up finish in the PGT Championship $1M Freeroll, he navigated another tough field to lock up the first trophy of 2026 and $162,000. Lichtenberger defeated Jeremy Eyer heads-up, while Ethan “Rampage” Yau made a deep run before exiting in fifth after his aces were cracked by the eventual champion. The win marked Lichtenberger’s eighth career PGT title and immediately launched him to the top of the leaderboard.
Momentum continued in Event #2, another $5,100 contest featuring a stacked lineup of high-stakes regulars. This time it was Brian Battistone who broke through, earning his first PokerGO Tour title and $173,600 after outlasting a final table that included Dan Smith, Nick Schulman, and Maksim Pisarenko.
The largest field of the festival arrived in Event #3, where 159 entries took their shot. Andrew Moreno once again proved his consistency on the tour, capturing his third PGT title and $162,300 by defeating Jim Collopy heads-up.
Breakout Wins and Bigger Buy-Ins
Event #4 ($5,100 NLHE) brought another new face to the winner’s circle. Taylor Paur claimed his first PokerGO Tour victory after navigating a final table loaded with recognizable names. Paur defeated “Rampage” Yau heads-up to earn $174,000, with Moreno finishing third and Jeremy Becker, Paul Roy, Scott Eskenazi, and Justin Zaki also reaching the final table.
The action ramped up in Event #5, the first $10,100 buy-in of the series. A field of 103 entries created the largest prize pool of the week, and Michael Berk delivered one of the most impressive performances of the festival. Berk earned his first PGT title and a career-best $262,650, defeating Daniel Maor heads-up. The final table was stacked, featuring Brock Wilson, Clemen Deng, Neil Warren, Andrew Lichtenberger, and Kristen Foxen.
The series wrapped up with Event #6, a $10,100 single-day turbo that attracted 52 entries. Ariel Mantel capped the week by winning his maiden PokerGO Tour title, rallying late and defeating Clemen Deng heads-up for $171,600. Dan Smith finished third, while Lichtenberger added yet another deep run with a fourth-place finish.
Lichtenberger Emerges as Early Player of the Year Favorite
When the dust settled, Lichtenberger’s combination of a series-opening win and multiple deep finishes proved decisive. No other player accumulated more PGT points during the Kickoff Series, firmly establishing “Lucky Chewy” as the early frontrunner in the 2026 PGT Player of the Year race.
Top 10 PGT Leaderboard After the Kickoff Series
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Andrew Lichtenberger – 531 points | $265,500 | 3 cashes | 1 win
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Michael Berk – 525 points | $262,650 | 1 cash | 1 win
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Andrew Moreno – 518 points | $238,425 | 2 cashes | 1 win
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Dan Smith – 427 points | $213,175 | 3 cashes
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Clemen Deng – 423 points | $211,850 | 3 cashes
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Daniel Maor – 386 points | $192,750 | 3 cashes
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Ariel Mantel – 379 points | $189,725 | 2 cashes | 1 win
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Taylor Paur – 348 points | $174,000 | 1 cash | 1 win
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Brian Battistone – 347 points | $173,600 | 1 cash | 1 win
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Ethan Yau – 291 points | $145,625 | 2 cashes
With the Kickoff Series complete, the tone is set for another fiercely competitive PGT season—and Andrew Lichtenberger has given everyone else an early target to chase.
