Keith Lehr Wins $277K After Heads-Up Cooler at Poker Masters

Keith Lehr won Event #8 of the 2026 Poker Masters, taking home $277,200 after defeating Vitalijs Zavorotnijs in a dramatic heads-up battle. The veteran poker pro came from behind to capture the $15,700 No-Limit Hold’em title, with a decisive river card turning the final hand in his favor.

The tournament attracted 56 entries and generated an $840,000 prize pool at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. The victory marked Lehr’s second PokerGO Tour (PGT) title and his first tournament win since 2024.

Keith Lehr Comes From Behind to Win the Title

Vitalijs Zavorotnijs began the final day as the chip leader, while Lehr started in fourth place among the remaining players. Lehr gradually built momentum as the field narrowed, eventually taking control of the heads-up match.

Sam Soverel was eliminated in fifth place for $67,200 after moving all-in with K♦ Q♥ against Lehr’s A♥ K♠. Neither player connected with the 10-high runout, and Lehr’s ace-high held to send the 17-time PGT champion to the rail.

Nicholas Seward finished fourth for $84,000. In a blind-versus-blind confrontation, Seward moved in with K♣ 10♥ against Justin Vaysman’s A♠ A♦. The flop gave Seward top pair and a gutshot straight draw, but the turn and river failed to improve his hand.

Justin Vaysman Falls Short of Another Poker Masters Title

Justin Vaysman entered three-handed play with a chance to strengthen his position in the race for the Poker Masters Purple Jacket. Instead, his run ended with a third-place finish for $117,600.

Vaysman limped from the small blind with A♠ 6♦, and Zavorotnijs raised from the big blind with 10♥ 10♣. Vaysman then shoved for around 30 big blinds, and Zavorotnijs quickly called.

The flop came 9♦ 8♣ 4♦, giving Vaysman an open-ended straight draw. The 7♠ on the turn added more outs, but the J♦ river was not enough to beat Zavorotnijs’s pocket tens.

The elimination set up a heads-up battle between Zavorotnijs and Keith Lehr. Zavorotnijs started with 5,445,000 chips against Lehr’s 2,995,000, giving him almost a 2:1 advantage.

A Brutal River Cooler Decides the Poker Masters Event #8

Lehr quickly turned the match around when his pocket kings held against Zavorotnijs’s pocket fours in an all-in confrontation. The double-up gave Lehr the momentum he needed to challenge the chip leader.

The tournament’s decisive hand came in a three-bet pot. Zavorotnijs opened on the button with A♠ J♣, and Lehr three-bet from the big blind with K♣ Q♠. Zavorotnijs called, and the flop came Q♣ 10♠ 5♠.

Lehr bet 400,000, and Zavorotnijs called. The K♠ on the turn gave Lehr two pair, kings and queens, while Zavorotnijs made Broadway with the nut straight and also picked up a flush draw. Lehr bet 800,000, and Zavorotnijs moved all-in for 2,220,000. Lehr quickly called, setting up a classic cooler with both players holding exceptionally strong hands.

The river brought the Q♥, giving Lehr a full house and securing the title. Zavorotnijs was left with a straight and had to settle for second place.

Lehr collected $277,200 for the victory, while Zavorotnijs earned $176,400 as the runner-up. The win marked Lehr’s second PGT title. The two-time WSOP bracelet winner has competed at the highest levels of poker for more than two decades.

Poker Masters Event #8 Final Table Results

The $15,700 event attracted 56 entries and paid the top seven finishers. Keith Lehr claimed the $277,200 first-place prize, with Vitalijs Zavorotnijs and Justin Vaysman completing the podium.

Adrian Mateos Leads the Purple Jacket Race

Zavorotnijs’s runner-up finish moved him into third place in the series standings, but live and online poker star Adrian Mateos remained at the top with 451 points. Nick Palma sits second on 407, while the final events could still change the race for the Purple Jacket.

Current Poker Masters Purple Jacket Standings

With the series approaching its conclusion, the remaining events offer players a final chance to climb the leaderboard and claim the Purple Jacket.