Some of the best poker players – or maybe it is players with deep pockets? – have been mixing it up over the past few days at ARIA Resort Casino in Las Vegas. The 2026 PokerGO Cup has crowned four more champions over the past few days, but there is still a lot to play for. The Main Event of the 2026 PokerGO Cup, a $15,000 buy-in tournament, is in action, with this event potentially deciding who takes the overall championship.
Wilson Wins Second, Gregg Makes Comeback
In Event #5, Brock Wilson struck again as he took his second title of the 2026 PokerGO Cup schedule. After winning one of the $5,000 single-day tournaments last weekend, Wilson decided he wanted a $10K title, too, and he would defeat a stacked final table that featured Qinghai Pan, Darren Elias, and Chris Hunichen. In the end, Wilson topped Shannon Shorr for the Event #5 title, booking a $210,000 win and particularly important PGT Points towards the Player of the Series race.
1. Brock Wilson, $210,000
2. Shannon Shorr, $136,500
3. Chris Hunichen, $94,500
4. Nicholas Seward, $70,000
5. Darren Elias, $52,500
6. Qinghai Pan, $38,500
7. Brandon Wilson, $28,000
The dulcet tones of John Sebastian must have been wafting through ARIA on Thursday as the poker world said “Welcome Back” to a blast from the past. Tony Gregg, who has taken a bit of a sabbatical from the game since his championship in the WSOP $111,111 One Drop High Roller event in 2013, found that poker was like riding a bike. He stepped to the felt in Event #6 of the 2026 PokerGO Cup and rang up a victory over some familiar faces.
Hunichen, Pan, and Elias all would jump into the game after their eliminations in Event #5, and they would all notch another final table. Elias was the one who went the deepest, however, managing to get an ICM chop against Gregg before falling as the runner-up.
1. Tony Gregg, $173,075*
2. Darren Elias, $158,575
3. Qinghai Pan, $90,450
4. Neil Warren, $67,000
5. Landon Tice, $50,250
6. Chris Hunichen, $26,850
7. Jeremy Ausmus, $26,800
(* – indicates deal made by ICM chop)
Khavin Joins Wilson as Double Winner, Sean Winter Steps Up
On Friday night, Wilson got some company in the double winner club at this year’s PokerGO Cup. Khavin, who was also the champion in Event #2, had to deal with the likes of John Riordan, Jeremy Becker, Nicholas Seward, and Andrew Lictenberger. But it was Darren Elias’s visage as the chip leader that perhaps worried the table the most.
Elias, however, was hampered by a cold streak, as he saw his chips slide through his fingers to finish in fifth place. Khavin would consistently chip up, using a defeat of Lichtenberger to build a massive edge over Ben Grise. There would be no discussion of a chop, and Khavin would make sure it ended in his favor, as he picked up his second PokerGO Cup of the year in Event #8.
1. Filipp Khavin, $210,000
2. Ben Grise, $136,500
3. Andrew Lichtenberger, $94,500
4. Nicholas Seward, $70,000
5. Darren Elias, $52,500
6. Jeremy Becker, $38,500
7. John Riordan, $28,000
Early Saturday night, Sean Winter announced his arrival on the 2026 PokerGO Cup scene, taking the Event #9 title and a $210,000 payday. Grise surprisingly would take second place for the second consecutive tournament, and he had the chance to get back into the event. On the final hand, Grise’s 9♦ 7♦ would pick up a flush draw against Winter’s A-5 on a 2♦ 4x K♦ flop, but another diamond would not come on the turn or river to end the tournament.
1. Sean Winter, $210,000
2. Ben Grise, $136,500
3. Myles Mullaly, $94,500
4. Jeremy Ausmus, $70,000
5. Brandon Wilson, $52,500
6. Justin Zaki, $38,500
7. Aram Zobian, $28,000
The Fight’s Not Done…
With so many players performing at elite levels during the 2026 PokerGO Cup, to say that it is anyone’s cup to take is not an understatement. Currently, the two double winners, Khavin and Wilson, are vying for the top of the overall leaderboard, with only thirteen points separating them. Winter’s win in Event #9 was his fourth cash of the series, but he has some work to do if he is going to be in the mix for the overall championship. Heading into the final event of the 2026 PokerGO Cup, here is how the standings look:
1. Filipp Khavin, 443 points
2. Brock Wilson, 430
3. Sean Winter, 347
4. Myles Mullaly, 335
5. Kent Stephens, 280
6. Ben Grise, 274
7. Darren Elias, 261
8. Michael Berk, 240
9. Chris Hunichen, 218
(tie) Qinghai Pan, 218
Event #10, the $15,000 Main Event, will be the determinant for this year’s overall champion. Currently, there are 45 entries in the cage for the event, with Pan, Wilson, Berk, Winter, and Elias all in the Top Fifteen with a long evening ahead. We will know more about who is in contention for not only the Main Event title but also the overall PokerGO Cup championship once the final table is determined.
(Photo courtesy of PokerGO)