The first month of 2026 is complete, and the PokerGO Tour has been busy on both sides of the calendar. The PGT closed out its 2025 season by crowning Chad Eveslage as its PGT World Champion, but more importantly the first series is in the books for the circuit. The PGT Kickoff took place last week, crowning six champions and getting the race for the 2026 PGT Championship Invitational off to a flying start.
Veterans, Newcomers Enter the Fray
An array of players came to the felt for the six tournaments comprising the 2026 PGT Kickoff Series. The first four tournaments had $5,000 buy-ins, but two tournaments, including the Main Event, raised the price of poker to $10,000 (a one-day turbo held during the Main Event final table was the other). The tournaments would see a few veterans getting the year off to a good start and some newcomers announce their arrival.
Getting off on the right foot in Event #1 was tournament veteran Andrew Lichtenberger, who has long competed on the PGT. How long has Lichtenberger taken part? It was his eighth PGT championship, knocking off Jeremy Eyer in heads-up play to take the first PGT title for 2026 and a decent $162,000 payday.
Making his first appearance in the Winner’s Circle was Brian Battistone, who emerged as the winner of Event #2. Although he has cashed four times previously in PGT competition, Battistone had never captured the brass ring. He would achieve that by beating a 151-entry field and topping start-of-day chip leader Dan Smith for the title.
A couple more veterans earned the gold in the subsequent two events. Andrew Moreno picked up his third PGT title in Event #3, while Taylor Paur earned his (surprising) first PGT in Event #4. This set up for the $10,000 Main Event, and it would be a bit of a runaway.
Michael Berk is another competitor with extensive experience in PGT events, but he has never been the “last man standing.” Not only would he storm to the lead in Day One of the Main Event, he would smash the final table, defeating Daniel Maor in heads-up play to take the Main Event title (side note: Kristen Foxen was looking for a three-peat in this tournament, but would fall in seventh place). The tournament series would conclude with the final turbo event, won by first-time winner Ariel Mantel.
Off To a Good Start for 2026
Naturally, with only one tournament series in the books for the PGT, the players who did the best in the 2026 PGT Kickoff are going to be at the top. What is notable is that it was a close fight for the series’ overall champion.
Lichtenberger not only won Event #1, but he also added two more final table performances (including both the Main Event and the turbo) to scoop up 531 points (and $265,500 in prize money) to get his 2026 season off to a roaring start. Right behind him was Berk, whose solo cash in the 2026 PGT Kickoff Main Event racked up 525 points. Moreno would also put himself atop the standings, with his win in Event #3 and a final table in Event #4 adding up to 518 points.
Here is how the 2026 PGT Championship Invitational leaderboard lines up as we kick off 2026:
1. Andrew Lichtenberger, 531 points
2. Michael Berk, 525
3. Andrew Moreno, 518
4. Dan Smith, 427
5. Clemen Deng, 423
6. Daniel Maor, 386
7. Ariel Mantel, 379
8. Taylor Paur, 348
9. Brian Battistone, 347
10. Ethan ‘Rampage’ Yau, 291
We may see NONE of these players at the top of the standings by the end of 2026. The PGT typically has around 100 tournaments that award points toward the PGT Championship Invitational, so there will be significant movement as the year progresses. You cannot get to the Invitational without a good start, however, and these men have etched their names atop the Leaderboard to get their poker-playing year off to a great start.
(Photo courtesy of PokerGO)
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