Less than a week ago, Jonas Kronwitter’s first PokerGO Tour title was within a fingertip’s reach in event no. 1 of the PGT PLO Series. With the majority of the chips in play at risk against Sam Soverel, Kronwitter’s multi-way draw failed to get there against pocket aces, and he settled for second place.
After reaching the money in both the second and fourth event on the schedule, Kronwitter was back in event no. 5 with a mission in mind. This time around, he would not be denied. Kronwitter outlasted a field of 63 entries from some of the best PLO tournament players in the world to secure his debut PGT title and a $201,600 first-place prize. Kronwitter now has nearly $4.3 million in career earnings to his name after adding $308,000 across his four cashes at this stop.
The Austrian player defeated Richard Gryko heads-up to close out the tournament. The loss marked back-to-back runner-up finishes for Gryko, a World Series of Poker bracelet winner and multi-time Triton Super High Roller champion. Gryko added $126,000 to the $100,400 he earned a day earlier in the $10,000 quattro bounty event.
This victory earned Kronwitter 360 Card Player Player of the Year points, increasing his total for the year to 1,808 POY points. That puts him just outside the top 250 in the 2026 POY standings, which are presented by CoinPoker. Gryko’s second-place finish puts him in 82nd place. Fifth-place finisher Youness Barakat is 55th in the standings now, while seventh-place finisher Chino Rheem is up to 33rd.
Kronwitter and Gryko also sit in first and second place, respectively, in the 2026 PGT PLO Series player of the series standings. The player of the series winner will be awarded a $10,000 PGT passport towards future events on the high-stakes tour.
PLO Crushers Battle It Out
As the PGT PLO Series builds towards its finale in the coming days, event no. 5 continued a run of exciting action, with $630,000 in prize money up for grabs. It took nearly 15 levels of poker to reach the money bubble, which burst as Jeremy Druckman eliminated Kevin Appleyard in 10th place with just a pair of eights. Before the night was over, 2026 Onyx PLO millionaire Nino Pansier (9th – $18,900), recent Triton Invitational winner Joao Simao (8th – $25,200), and Rheem (7th – $25,200) each went out at the hands of Kronwitter.
Richard Gryko then picked up the last of a short-stacked Dylan Linde’s chips, hitting a runner-runner diamond flush to knock the three-time bracelet winner out in sixth place ($34,650). Gryko managed a double through Kronwitter just before the end of the night, though Kronwitter still held a significant chip lead heading into day 2 with five players left.
Gryko continued his climb by eliminating Barakat after play resumed on the final day. He turned an unbeatable ace-high straight to send Barakat out in fifth place ($47,250). For Barakat, this was his third cash and second final-table appearance of the series.
Can’t Stop Kronwitter
Despite Gryko’s charge, Kronwitter was simply not to be denied on this day. Jiyang Gan doubled through Gryko, giving Kronwitter an even bigger advantage over his three remaining opponents.
Kronwitter soon dispatched each, in quick succession. His set of eights beat Druckman’s top two pair, jacks and nines, to send him packing in fourth place ($63,000). Gan was the next player in Kronwitter’s sights. The chips went in on an A♠Q♣6♣ board, with Kronwitter significantly ahead, holding A♣9♠9♥4♣ for top pair and the nut flush draw. Gan had J♠10♣9♦3♣, meaning he needed to find a non-club king or other running outs to hang on.
The turn was the K♥, immediately giving Gan his three-outer. But the 8♣ river gave Kronwitter his flush, eliminating Gan in third place ($88,200).
With blinds at 40,000-80,000, there was some play left in the stacks, but it wouldn’t take long for one final, massive clash. Gryko made a pot-sized raise, and Kronwitter called, bringing a J♦8♥5♥ flop. Kronwitter checked, Gryko bet 275,000, and Kronwitter announced a pot-sized raise. Gryko re-raised all-in, and Kronwitter called. Gryko showed A♠J♠8♣4♣, and he was technically tied with Kronwitter, who tabled K♥J♥8♠7♣ for the same two pair.
Kronwitter did, however, hold the massive advantage of a heart flush draw, which came in on the A♥ turn. Gryko had two aces to win, as well as one eight and one jack to chop. But the 2♦ river secured the victory for Kronwitter.
Gryko’s lifetime tournament haul now sits at over $10.6 million after his back-to-back second-place showings at this festival.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Jonas Kronwitter | $201,600 | 360 | 202 |
| 2 | Richard Gryko | $126,000 | 300 | 126 |
| 3 | Jiyang Gan | $88,200 | 240 | 88 |
| 4 | Jeremy Druckman | $63,000 | 180 | 63 |
| 5 | Youness Barakat | $47,250 | 150 | 47 |
| 6 | Dylan Linde | $34,650 | 120 | 35 |
| 7 | Chino Rheem | $25,200 | 90 | 25 |
Photo credit: PGT / Antonio Abrego.
