Michael ‘Texas Mike’ Moncek Wins PokerGO Cup Kickoff Event, Sets New Record

The 2025 PokerGO Cup kicked off with a bang, drawing a record-breaking field of 177 entries. This marked the largest turnout for a PokerGO Tour (PGT) owned and operated no-limit hold’em event held inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. With a $5,000 buy-in, the prize pool swelled to $885,000, ensuring a hefty payday for the top 27 finishers. But in the end, it was Michael ‘Texas Mike’ Moncek who claimed the biggest prize of all.

The two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner added another title to his growing résumé, taking home $185,850 for the win. With this victory, Moncek’s career earnings are closing in on $4.2 million, and his total tournament wins now stand at seven.

A Strong Start and a Dominant Finish

Moncek entered the final day of play with a commanding chip lead. Holding 37% of the total chips in play among the final seven players, he was in prime position to make a deep run.

Eric Baldwin, a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, was the first player eliminated on Day 2. He suffered a tough beat when his top two pair with A♠ K♦ fell to Moncek’s rivered flush with 9♣ 8♣. Baldwin had min-raised preflop to 200,000 and continued betting through the hand, only to see Moncek complete his flush on the river with the 10♣. Baldwin made the call for his tournament life but was sent to the rail in seventh place, collecting $35,400.

Danny Qutami was the next to exit. His flopped middle pair with K♣ 4♠ was ahead against Michael Brinkenhoff’s 7♦ 5♦ on a Q♦ 4♦ 3♥ board. But a 2♣ on the river completed Brinkenhoff’s straight, sending Qutami home in sixth place with $44,250.

A Battle of Bracelet Winners

With five players left, Cherish Andrews scored a key double-up early in the session, getting her chips in with pocket aces. That left European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona champion Stephen Song as the clear short stack.

Song managed to double up but was soon eliminated in fifth place ($53,100). His run ended in two big hands—first losing a chunk of his stack with K♠ 10♠ against Moncek’s two pair, and then busting when his A♦ 6♦ failed to improve against Andrews’ K♦ Q♠.

At this point, Andrews, Moncek, and Brinkenhoff were virtually tied in chips. The battle was heating up.

Moncek’s Clutch Play Seals the Deal

Andrews surged into the chip lead at one point after winning a huge hand against Moncek. Holding pocket jacks, she hit a full house on a board that gave Moncek a jack-high straight. That double-up put her in prime position to make a serious run for the title.

However, Moncek regained momentum with a series of well-timed plays. He eliminated Brinkenhoff in third place ($85,000) before entering heads-up play against Andrews with a solid chip lead.

Andrews fought hard but ultimately fell short. On the final hand, she moved all-in with A♠ 8♠, only to run into Moncek’s K♣ K♥. The board ran clean for Moncek, securing his victory and the $185,850 top prize.

Points and Rankings Shake-Up

This win wasn’t just about the money. It also carried significant rankings implications. Moncek earned 624 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points, catapulting him to 84th place in the 2025 standings presented by Global Poker. Additionally, he gained 186 points in the PGT race, placing him in 12th overall.

Perhaps most importantly, he’s now leading the PokerGO Cup series rankings after just one event.

Final Table Payouts and Prizes

Here’s a look at how the final table payouts shaped up:

With the first event in the books, the PokerGO Cup is off to an electric start. With several more high-stakes tournaments on the schedule, the battle for the overall series title is just beginning. But for now, ‘Texas Mike’ Moncek is the man to beat.