In a thrilling display of skill and composure, Chad Eveslage took down the 2025 PokerGo Tour (PGT) $1,000,000 Championship Freeroll, banking a massive $500,000 in a star-studded field. The dual WPT winner and quadruple WSOP bracelet holder navigated a tough lineup that included poker luminaries like Daniel Negreanu, Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, and Alex Foxen, emerging victorious after two days of intense competition.
Day 1: The Field Narrows
The freeroll brought together the top 40 players on the PGT leaderboard plus 14 Dream Seat qualifiers, totaling 54 entrants. After a grueling Day 1, only seven players advanced to Day 2. Big names such as Alex Foxen, Ben Tollerene, Nick Petrangelo, Ike Haxton, and Michael Mizrachi fell short, leaving the final seven to battle for the $500K top prize. Stephen Chidwick was the last elimination before Day 2, marking the start of the climactic showdown.
Day 2: Final Table Drama
Michael Wang began the final day with the chip lead, aiming for a personal best cash. Eric Blair, the shortest stack, exited in seventh after losing a flip to Aaron Kupin. John Riordan followed, losing a cooler to Eveslage when both flopped trips but Eveslage’s higher kicker prevailed. Lichtenberger eliminated Kupin next, setting the stage for the final three.
As the tournament progressed, Wang briefly regained momentum with a straight against Lichtenberger’s top two pair, while Negreanu fell to Eveslage’s pocket jacks. Lichtenberger doubled twice through Eveslage but ultimately gave away crucial chips, setting up the heads-up confrontation. Wang was eliminated when a board runout favored Eveslage, leaving Eveslage and Lichtenberger for the final showdown.
Heads-Up Showdown
The heads-up battle was short and decisive. Lichtenberger moved all-in preflop with 6♣ 8♣, but Eveslage’s J♠ J♦ held firm. The board ran 2♠ Q♥ 4♠ J♥ 3♣, giving Eveslage a set and sealing his victory for $500,000. Lichtenberger earned $200,000 for second place, while Michael Wang, Negreanu, Aaron Kupin, and John Riordan rounded out the payouts.
Eveslage reflected on his win:
“It feels great. I don’t feel super confident in my No-Limit game, and battling against all these guys (and winning), it feels great. Ten out of ten. It feels awesome.”
PGT Championship Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Chad Eveslage | $500,000 |
| 2nd | Andrew Lichtenberger | $200,000 |
| 3rd | Michael Wang | $120,000 |
| 4th | Daniel Negreanu | $80,000 |
| 5th | Aaron Kupin | $60,000 |
| 6th | John Riordan | $40,000 |
Chad Eveslage’s victory in such a competitive freeroll solidifies his reputation as a formidable mixed-game specialist and bodes well for his upcoming high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em pursuits.
