Jared Hyman began the final day of event no. 7 at the 2025 Poker Masters with a substantial chip lead. His 4.42 million chips dwarfed four of his five remaining competitors, who each had less than 1 million. Only Cary Katz, with 1.785 million, was seemingly within reach.
It was not surprising, then, that Hyman and Katz would ultimately battle heads-up for the trophy in this $10,100 no-limit hold’em event inside the PokerGO Studio on Monday, Sept. 29. Katz fought back to close the chip deficit, and then, as is often the case in tournaments, the fate of the winner came down to a crucial coin flip. On this particular day, that key race went Katz’s direction.
The PokerGO founder earned $223,300, his seventh career PokerGO Tour trophy, first ever Poker Masters win, and 223 crucial PGT leaderboard points in the race for the purple jacket as the champion. He currently sits eighth on the series leaderboard.
Katz’s win also netted him 420 points in the Card Player Player of the Year race presented by CoinPoker. It’s the second POY-qualifying result of the year for Katz, who also broke through for his first career World Series of Poker bracelet back in July.
This victory grew Katz’s career tournament earnings to more than $41.2 million.
Hyman Controls The Early Final Table Action
This event attracted 77 total entries at $10,000 a piece, creating a $770,000 prize pool that was split amongst the top 11 finishers. Just six moved on to day 2, with Hyman leading and Catz in second chip position.
Early on at this final table, Hyman took advantage of his formidable stack and started picking off opponents, one by one.
2023 World Poker Tour World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas winner Dan Sepiol struck an early blow that might well have knocked Hyman off his game. With A♦10♠, Sepiol bested Hyman’s K♣Q♦ without connecting with the board for an early double. But Hyman’s persistent aggression allowed him to quickly recoup those losses.
Hyman got another opportunity to pick off a player in short order. With blinds at 20,000-40,000 and a big blind ante of 40,000, Matthew McEwan shoved on the button with A♠J♣. Hyman re-shoved in the small blind with 9♠9♥, and it was off to the races. The board offered no help to McEwan, and he’d be the first person out at this final table in sixth place.
Despite an early push, Sepiol’s luck would run out. In a battle of the blinds, Sepiol limped with pocket jacks, and Hyman raised with pocket queens in the big blind. Sepiol inevitably shoved, Hyman obliged with a call, and the cards were turned onto their backs. Pocket queens held up for Hyman, and Sepiol was sent packing in fifth place.
Hyman’s Grip Tightens
Masato Yokosawa then stepped in to do a little bit of the dirty work. Yokosawa had been making some big calls in thin spots to keep himself in the tournament, and then picked up a key spot against John Riordan. Yokosawa raised on the button with K♣3♣ and Riordan called with 10♠9♠. The flop came K♥10♥3♦, Riordan checked, Yokosawa shoved and Riordan called all in. Yokosawa made a boat on the 3♥ turn, and there was no two-outer to save Riordan on the river.
Riordan, who made a pair of final tables earlier on in this Poker Masters series settled for fourth place.
Yokosawa was still the short stack after eliminating Riordan, but he had a chance to further improve his position. He got all in with 9♠9♣ and Hyman eventually called with K♥7♥. The K♠10♥8♥ flop delivered terrible news, putting Hyman well ahead and leaving Yokosawa one clean out. The 7♣ turn added six outs with an open-ended straight draw, but the 9♥ delivered Yokosawa a poisonous set, completing Hyman’s heart flush to send the Japanese streaming star out in third.
Pocket nines for @MasatoYokosawa and his tournament life is on the line.
Watch the 2025 Poker Masters on https://t.co/2RQh5RNM18. pic.twitter.com/Mbor7iR7QA
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) September 29, 2025
Katz Comes Back
Hyman started his heads-up match with Katz holding a 2:1 advantage, but Katz chipped away until he had edged ahead without putting himself at serious risk. Hyman pulled back the chip lead shortly before the hand that would ultimately determine the outcome of this event.
Hyman’s Q♠Q♣ went to war with Katz’s A♦K♠, until all but a few of the total chips in play were in the middle. Hyman got a clean 9♠7♦6♣ flop, but the A♠ on the turn flipped everything in Katz’s favor. The 2♣ river kept Katz best, and the end was near.
Clash of hands during heads-up play! https://t.co/2RQh5RNM18 is your home to watch the 2025 Poker Masters, live and on demand. pic.twitter.com/8pAOwOZuH9
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) September 29, 2025
While Hyman managed one double, with K♦6♦ against 8♦6♠, that’s as close as he’d get to a miracle comeback. Hyman shoved with K♠4♠ in the final hand and Katz called with Q♥J♠. The board ran out A♣Q♦3♥A♥9♣, and Katz sealed his victory.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Cary Katz | $223,000 | 420 | 223 |
| 2 | Jared Hyman | $146,500 | 350 | 147 |
| 3 | Masato Yokosawa | $104,000 | 280 | 104 |
| 4 | John Riordan | $73,000 | 210 | 73 |
| 5 | Dan Sepiol | $53,800 | 140 | 54 |
| 6 | Matthew McEwan | $38,500 | 105 | 39 |
