Jason Mercier Wins PGT Mixed Games Event #7 for $367,500

Jason Mercier only played one event during the first-ever PGT Mixed Games, but he definitely made it count by winning the biggest event of the series. Mercier topped the field in Event #7: $25,500 10-Game Championship and took home $367,500 after a heads-up deal with Dan Zack.

The two-day event drew 57 entries and generated a prize pool of $1,425,000. Entering the second day, Zack was the chip leader, and Mercier was third, but there wasn't much of a gap between their two stacks. Mercier and Zack reached heads-up play after Zack busted David "ODB" Baker in third. After Baker went out, Mercier and zack agreed to a deal that saw first take $367,500 and second take $345,000. The two did a series of pot-limit Omaha flips after the deal to see who won the trophy, and it was Mercier coming out on top.

Mercier hasn't been playing much poker in recent years, at least as much as he used to play before starting a family that has grown into raising four kids, but every time he pops into an event he seems to fare pretty well. Last year, in the few tournaments that Mercier played, he recorded cashes of $18,153, $141,865, and $260,815, but he was quick to point out that he hadn't won a poker tournament since August 2019.

For Zack, reaching heads-up play with Mercier gave him the needed points to finish atop the PGT Mixed Games series leaderboard. Although Event #8: $5,300 NL 2-7 Single Draw is still wrapping up, no one remaining in the field is able to catch Zack so will be crowned series champion and win the $25,000 championship bonus.

PGT Mixed Games Event #7 Results

*Deal was made.

The top nine players were set to reach the money in Event #7, and it was Craig Chait who was eliminated as the tournament's "bubble boy" when David "ODB" Baker busted him in a hand of 2-7 triple draw.

After the money was reached, Mike Wattel busted in ninth place, then Nacho Barbero, who was fresh off his fourth-place finish in the PokerStars Players Championship, busted in eighth place.

Andrew Kelsall was knocked out next, falling in seventh place at the hands of Daniel Negreanu. Negreanu couldn't ladder up anymore, though, and went out in sixth place to Jeremy Ausmus. On Negreanu's final hand, he called all in on the river during a hand of no-limit hold'em. Ausmus had a full house and Negreanu couldn't beat it.

Ausmus busted next in fifth place, then Maxx Coleman went out in fourth place. Ausmus picked up $114,000, and Coleman earned $142,500.

Mercier was in the lead to start three-handed play, and it proved to be he and Zack pulling away as Baker slid to the bottom. Eventually, Baker was all in during a hand of razz, but his ace-two-three-five draw couldn't materialize to beat Zack who had made a seven-low and he was out in third place for $199,500.

Mercier and Zack quickly made a deal and then flipped for the trophy, with Mercier winning it all after four flips.

PGT Mixed Games Series Leaderboard Top 10

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