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Since it’s inception in 2017, the Poker Masters has thrilled viewers on PokerGO. From the crowning of German professional Steffen Sontheimer as the inaugural winner to Ali Imsirovic’s victory in 2018, every top player wants to fill the sleeves of the famous Purple Jacket.

Here are 10 of the very best hands from the Poker Masters story so far, with five spectacular situations from 2017 followed by five more historic hands from 2018.

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1. Hellmuth Steams after Sontheimer’s 4-Bet

Phil Hellmuth can usually be relied on for three things in no limit hold’em – action, drama and success. In this classic hand against the eventual 2017 Poker Masters winner, Steffen Sontheimer, he achieves two out of those three.

2. Negreanu Straightens Out Aldemir

Koray Aldemir has won $12 million in live tournaments alone, but his winnings in the 2017 Poker Masters event were curtailed at just $153,000 when Daniel ‘Kid Poker’ Negreanu managed to river a straight on the river to top Aldemir’s flopped middle set.

3. Sontheimer Bluffs Kid Poker

If you’re going to bluff on the river against one of the best poker players of all time, then the story you’re going to have to tell has to be so good, J.K. Rowling gives up her pen. Step forward, Steffen Sontheimer.

4. The Time Extension Tell

Phil Hellmuth may sometimes adopt his alter-ego, a.k.a. The Poker Brat, but he was on his best behavior here, despite facing an all-in from Steffen Sontheimer that he called “either a nightmare or a dream”. But could Hellmuth work it out, or would he lose almost all of his chips?

5. Lamb Cases Out Cary Katz

There’s running hot, there’s running so hot you need to wear asbestos gloves to take off your jogging shoes and then there’s Ben Lamb in this hand against Cary Katz. Warning: fire hazard.

6. Dr. Octagon is a Smooth Operator

If Daniel Negreanu was in contention before this hand, it didn’t last long. Two over-pairs to the board and by the river, it was all over for Kid Poker courtesy of Brandon ‘Dr. Octagon’ Adams.

7. Haxton Topples Hawkins

After a grueling heads-up to and fro, it was Isaac ‘Ike’ Haxton who managed to get the better of Maurice Hawkins to win the first Poker Masters Short Deck title when his ace-queen rode home in style in the final hand.

8. Chidwick Busts Kempe and Imsirovic

Stephen Chidwick goes on a tear and manages to bust both German high Roller Rainer Kempe and Bosnian phenom Ali Imsirovic in the Poker Masters 2018 Main Event.

9. Lehr Comes Back to Win

Keith Lehr took home $333,000 when he toppled Jonathan Depa heads-up, but it was nearly all over the other way round. Watch how Lehr went ‘from zero to hero’!

10. Peters and Kempe Go to War

David Peters and Rainer Kempe get all the chips in before the flop as a raising war ends up with both big guns committed all the way to the river.


Will YOU be watching this year’s Poker Masters? You can check out the upcoming live events right here and make sure that you subscribe in time for Bonfire Night when there’s sure to be fireworks on PokerGO!

PokerGO, Stephen Chidwick, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, David Peters, Ben Lamb, Koray Aldemir, Ali Imsirovic, Cary Katz, Keith Lehr, Brandon Adams, Jonathan Depa, Rainer Kempe, Maurice Hawkins, Steffen Sontheimer, Isaac Haxton