Philip Sternheimer Wins $10,200 Dealers Choice for First PGT Title ($164,500)

Philip Sternheimer has claimed victory in the PokerGO Tour Mixed Games festival’s dealer’s choice event, triumphing over a competitive field to secure the title and a first prize of $164,500. The event, notable for its diverse selection of 20 poker games, attracted 47 players and concluded with Sternheimer outlasting renowned players, including six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu, to take home the top prize.

The $10,200 buy-in tournament featured a mix of commonly played games and rarer variants such as badeucy, badacy, and no-limit five-card draw high, offering a comprehensive test of the competitors’ poker skills. Sternheimer’s performance at the final table was particularly impressive, as he navigated through a field that included poker luminaries like Phil Hellmuth, Maxx Coleman, and Adam Friedman.

This win marked Sternheimer’s second cash of the festival and propelled him to eighth place in the series-long points race, as well as 28th in the overall standings for the 2024 season. With 185 PGT points to his name, Sternheimer has solidified his reputation as a formidable competitor in the poker world.

The final table saw Sternheimer overcoming a chip deficit to Daniel Negreanu in a dramatic heads-up battle. Despite Negreanu starting with a lead, Sternheimer managed to turn the tables and eventually secured the win in a round of stud eight-or-better. Negreanu, despite this setback, still achieved his sixth final table of the year and remains a significant contender in the poker circuit.

Following his recent win, Philip Sternheimer has made a significant leap into the top ten of the PGT Mixed Games leaderboard, securing the eighth position with 184 points. This achievement places him in close contention with notable players such as Daniel Negreanu, who has 196 points, Dan Zack with 195 points, and Adam Friedman at 192 points. Despite this progress, Sternheimer faces a challenging path ahead if he aims to surpass other leading contenders like Mori Eskandani, who holds 202 points, Jerry Wong with 231 points, John Hennigan at 256 points, and the current frontrunner, Max Hoffman, who leads with 263 points.