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PTLichtenberger Opens PGT Season With Another Win
Summary:
- Andrew Lichtenberger won the $5,100 PGT Kickoff Series opener, taking home $162,000 along with an early lead on the 2026 leaderboard.
- The 135 recorded entries turned the event into the second-largest $5,100 tournament in PGT history.
- The win represents Lichtenberger’s eighth PGT title, including 2025’s season-opening victory.
On Tuesday, Andrew Lichtenberger once again reminded everyone what he is capable of, sneaking a peek into what his 2026 PokerGO Tour season might look like.
The American took down Event #1 of the PGT Kickoff Series, winning the $5,100 No-Limit Hold’em opener at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
Double the PGT Points
The Kickoff Series, which began on January 26 and will end on January 31, features six events with buy-ins between $5,100 and $10,100.
This opening stretch, however, carries extra weight, since each tournament will award double PGT leaderboard points.
In other words, Lichtenberger’s win became even more meaningful as, besides the whopping $162,000 first-place prize, he also picked up 324 points. The move automatically helped him jump to the top of the season standings after just one event.
The victory marked Lichtenberger’s eighth career PGT title, moving him into a tie for fourth place on the tour’s all-time wins list. Just a few weeks ago, the poker pro finished second in the PGT End-of-Year Freeroll for $200,000, narrowly missing the $500,000 top prize.
He also came into this event as the defending champion, having won the same season opener last year for $117,000.
Seven players made the final table out of the 135-entry field. Jeremy Eyer finished second for $97,875, followed by Shannon Shorr in third. Cary Katz, Ethan “Rampage” Yau, Peter Mugar and Spencer Champlin rounded out the lineup.
One of the most talked-about hands of the final table ended Yau’s run in rough fashion. Holding A♥ A♣, he got all the chips in before the flop against Lichtenberger’s K♥ K♦. The board ran out K♠ 4♠ 5♠ 10♣ 8♣, giving Lichtenberger a set of kings and knocking Yau out of the tournament.
Big Turnout Despite Tax Controversy
Beyond the result itself, the event offered an encouraging sign for live high-stakes poker. With ongoing discussion around new tax laws and their possible impact on participation, turnout moved in the opposite direction.
The 135 entries marked a big jump from the 84 recorded in the same event last year. That increase came from both more unique players and a sharp rise in re-entries, turning the tournament it into the second-largest $5,100 event in PGT history.
Up next, poker pros are preparing for five more double-point events for a truly powerful start of the 2026 PokerGO Tour season.
