Samuel Laskowitz beats all-American final table to win PGT Last Chance #3

New York’s Samuel Laskowitz defeated Isaac Haxton heads-up to win the third of this week’s PGT Last Chance tournaments, late on Thursday night.

This series of $10k tourneys is flying under the ‘Last Chance’ banner as they provide a final opportunity to accrue points on the PokerGO Tour (PGT) leaderboard. Following the last of these tournaments, the top 40 players on the leaderboard - plus two ‘dream seat’ wildcards - will have the chance to play a live $1 million freeroll with $500k to the winner.

Many players then, it seems, are here for the points, but the $205k Laskowitz has banked for this win is up there with his biggest results. His best return to date was his first recorded tournament result: 2nd in the 2022 WSOP Colossus for $256,170.

Live stream is dropped amid technical problems

While this week’s first two PGT Last Chance tournaments were streamed live, the third running was affected by technical issues which prevented viewers from being able to follow the action live.

82 players created a prize pool of $820,000, to be divided among the top 12 finishers. Among those making the money - and those crucial leaderboard points - but falling short of the final table were Kristen Foxen (12th, $16,400) and Jim Collopy (11th, $24,600).

Daniel Smiljkovic, who has made the previous two final tables, was eliminated simultaneously with Canada’s Jonathan Cohen, the pair finishing in 9th and 10th place, respectively (both for $28,700). Their knockout hands took place at the same time but at different tables, which was also the case when Chris Brewer and Jonathan Little hit the rail soon after, in 8th and 7th, good for $36,900.

That left a final table of six American players: Laskowitz, Isaac Haxton, David Peters, Seth Davies, Dylan Linde and Aram Zobian.

Laskowitz and Haxton top all-US final table

David Peters was first to hit the rail when he ran A-Q into Haxton’s pocket kings, taking $49,200 and 49 points. Aram Zobian followed soon after, his 5th place finish good for $65,600 and 66 points.

Dylan Linde followed some four hours later, falling to Haxton’s A-J and banking $82k (82 points). Davies then lost a flip to Laskowitz, bowing out with $106,600 (107 points) and leaving Haxton at a 2:1 disadvantage as heads-up play began.

It was a deficit Haxton would pull back at one point, but ultimately he would have to settle for the runner-up spot and $139,400. The 139 leaderboard points he collected will have no bearing on his eligibility for the PGT Championship freeroll, as he currently sits at the top of the rankings.

Haxton got it in good with pocket fives but lost the flip on the river to Laskowitz’s 9-8, the player from New York spiking a 9 to win the $205k up top plus 205 points.

PGT Last Chance #3 results

^{Images courtesy of PokerGO/WPT}