Eveslage clawed his way from being one of the shortstacks to capture the victory
Chad Eveslage claimed one of the biggest wins of his career by capturing the PokerGO Tour $1 million Championship Freeroll. The victory earned him $500,000 and added a major No-Limit Hold’em result to a résumé already known for elite mixed-game success.
The event brought together an exclusive field made up of the top 40 players from the PGT leaderboard, along with 14 Dream Seat qualifiers. Eveslage entered the final day as one of the shorter stacks, but quickly found momentum as play tightened and pressure increased.
Eveslage, a four-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, has long been respected as a mixed-game specialist. This win helped silence any doubt about his ability to compete against the best hold’em players on a big stage. He previously won the $100,000 Super High Roller Bowl Mixed Games earlier in the season.
The final table featured several high-profile names, including Daniel Negreanu, Michael Wang, and Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger. Lichtenberger held a strong lead for much of the event, but Eveslage stayed patient and waited for the right spots to apply pressure.
Negreanu’s run ended in fourth place after losing a key hand to Eveslage, marking his first tournament appearance of the new season. With that elimination, Eveslage gained crucial chips that carried him into heads-up play.
The tournament ended when Eveslage’s pocket jacks held against Lichtenberger, closing out a short but decisive final duel. His timely calls and successful bluffs proved decisive down the stretch.
For Eveslage, the win represented more than just the money. He said it reaffirmed his confidence in No-Limit Hold’em and highlighted his versatility across formats.
