Chino Rheem, Andrew Lichtenberger, Orpen Kisacikoglu claim wins at Poker Masters

The 2023 Poker Masters crowned three more champions this week.

The first winner, Chino Rheem, took home the top prize in Event #4: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em. The second, Andrew Lichtenberger, claimed victory in Event #5: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em. Orpen Kisacikoglu rounds out the trio of winners after his dominant performance in Event #6: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em.

Rheem's road to victory

Rheem entered the final table of Event #4 second in chips, but slipped down the counts in the early goings. To be fair, the other players at the table were no slouches. Daniel Negreanu, Brock Wilson, Jonathan Little, Chris Brewer, and Justin Saliba. It's not easy to keep your chips away from those guys.

Two big hands catapulted Rheem into the chip lead. Brewer's four-bet jam with ace-jack saw Rheem snap call with ace-king. Rheem's hand held up across the runout to secure a massive double up. The second big pick up came in similar fashion. This time, Little four-bet jammed with seven-eight suited. Again, Rheem snap called and tabled pocket queens. Another clean runout sent more than half of the chips in play Rheem's way. With all the chips, plus the momentum, Rheem didn't look back. In the end, it was Rheem vs. Little heads up for the title. Little managed to score one double up to make it interesting, but Rheem finished the job soon after to secure his first-ever Poker Masters win.

Event #4 final table payouts

Lichtenberger channels birthday luck to perfection

The final table of Event #5 landed on an important date for Andrew Lichtenberger -- his 36th birthday. The field of 85 entrants stood little chance against Lichtenberger's birthday run-good. Lichtenberger came into the final table fourth in chips and sat back patiently as the others busted out around him. When play reached three-handed, Lichtenberger scored his first knockout. Daniel Lazrus got his chips in good with pocket sixes against Lichtenberger's pocket threes, but the birthday luck came through with a three on the flop to send Lazrus packing.

Lichtenberger held a two-to-one chip lead over Brian Kim to start heads-up play. It didn't take long before the two found themselves all in for all of it. Again, Lichtenberger was far behind holding ace-six against Kim's ace-queen, but the birthday luck would not be denied. A six on the turn paired Lichtenberger, just enough to win the hand and the title.

Event #4 final table payouts

Kisacikoglu dominates stacked final table

Orpen Kisacikoglu put on a clinic at the PokerGO Studio on the final table of Event #6. The Turkish recreational player's performance left little difference to be gleaned between his play and that of the top professionals he faced off against. Kisacikoglu entered the final table with the chip lead and, for the first time in this year's Poker Masters, used that advantage to coast to victory.

In the early orbits, Kisacikoglu sat back and allowed the short stacked players to bust around him. Then, he won a crucial flip against Chino Rheem to solidify his chip lead even further. The win in that hand gave him over half of the chips in play and his stack only grew from there. Kisacikoglu's then took most of Justin Bonomo's chips with a rivered ace-high flush and finished him off not long after.

With a fourteen-to-one chip lead to start heads-up play it was clear how this one was going to end. Indeed, it took only one hand to finish the tournament. Kisacikoglu found himself behind when the cards went on their backs, but the runout provided the necessary help and victory was his.

Event #6 final table payouts

The 2023 Poker Masters continues later today with Event #7: $25,000 No Limit Hold'em, streaming on PokerGO.

Vladas Tamasauskas remains in first place in the race for the Poker Masters purple jacket, but with two large buy-in events in the coming days, anything could happen.

^{Feature Images Courtesy of PokerGO}