Over the summer of 2024, Landon Tice and Jeremy Becker battled it out in a highly publicized cross-book bet. Neither player found a victory over the course of that summer, but Tice bookended that stretch with two of his biggest career results in Florida.
Through three events at the PokerGO Tour Bounty Blitz, those players once again find their names linked. Becker kicked off the festival by winning the opening event, and a couple of days later, Tice followed suit.
Tice claimed his first ever PGT trophy on Thursday afternoon, defeating a field of 51 entries in event 3, a $5,300 Quattro bounty. After a final table with wild swings, Tice secured the title and a total payout of $79,500, including four $8,000 bounties.
Tice also earned himself some points in a couple of key leaderboards. His win was worth 240 points in the Card Player Player of the Year race, presented by Coin Poker. That pushed Tice up towards the top 50 overall. He also earned 79 points in the PGT season-long leaderboard, growing that total to 666 points.
An Afternoon Of Swings
When the Quattro bounty final table began, Tice found himself securely in the middle of the pack. The swings began early in the day and did not relent until the final card fell. Andrew Ostapchenko, who was ostensibly tied with Dan Shak for the shortest stack to start, doubled twice. After taking key chips from John Andress, Ostapchenko leapfrogged Sam Laskowitz into the chip lead. Ostapchenko flopped two pair, rivered a full house, and checked-called all the way down. When Laskowitz fired a third barrel with a shove on the river, Ostapchenko happily called.
Ostapchenko took the last of Andress’ chips in a coin flip. His 6♠6♥ held off Andress’ A♣J♣ on a 6♦5♠2♦5♣8♣ runout. Andress’ sixth-place finish marked his third consecutive PGT Bounty Blitz final table, having finished 3rd in the kickoff event and and 7th in the escalator tournament.
Tice made his first move shortly thereafter. He took a chunk of Ostapchenko’s newly found chips, doubling with 5♠5♦ against Ostapchenko’s A♥5♥.
Shak continued an ascent of his own by coolering Cherish Andrews out of the tournament in 5th. On a board of A♣6♣5♦2♦, Shak check-raised all in. His A♠A♥ had Andrews’ A♦K♣ drawing stone dead.
The shifting sands continued as Shak doubled through Tice into the chip lead. On the river of an A♥K♥6♣8♠9♠ board, Shak shoved with A♦6♠ and Tice eventually called with A♣3♦.
As The Cards Turn
Shak continued to dish out the coolers, as Ostapchenko became the next victim. The chips got in on the turn of a 4♥4♠3♦J♥ board, and Shak’s A♠4♣ dwarfed Ostapchenko’s 5♦4♦. There would be no miracle on the 8♥, and Ostapchenko fell out in fourth.
Tice, once again the short stack, staged a massive comeback. He flopped two-pair, queens and sevens, to take from Laskowitz. Then, his A♦2♥ held off Shak’s J♣10♦. Finally, in what was far and away his most fortunate outcome, Tice turned two-pair with 9♠7♠ to crack Shak’s pocket jacks.
.@LandonTice BANGS the turn!!!
Watch the @PokerGOTour Bounty Blitz on https://t.co/2RQh5RNM18. pic.twitter.com/7LNQirjnn7
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) September 4, 2025
Tice’s surge to the chip lead continued as he put Laskowitz at risk. Tice had the best of it, with A♠J♦ to Laskowitz’s Q♦10♦. The board ran out 7♥6♥4♣K♦J♠, and Tice eliminated Laskowitz in third. Despite starting the final table with a solid chip lead, Laskowitz ultimately walked away with none of the $8,000 bounties.
Shak regained the chip lead from Tice early in heads-up play with yet another double. His K♦10♥ found a K♣ on the flop to beat Tice’s A♣J♠. Tice quickly regained the lead, though. After calling a raise from Shak with 10♥9♥, Tice flopped two pair and held off Shak’s A♠K♠ to double back.
Shak would draw back to a 2-to-1 deficit when his J♣8♥ beat Tice’s pocket deuces. But Tice would ultimately win the final showdown. Shak shoved with K♣3♥, and Tice called with A♦Q♥. The final board ran out 6♠4♣4♦7♣9♠, and ace-high was good enough for Tice to secure the victory.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | Bounties | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Landon Tice | $47,500 | $32,000 | 240 | 79 |
| 2 | Dan Shak | $32,200 | $16,000 | 200 | 53 |
| 3 | Sam Laskowitz | $21,400 | $0 | 160 | 36 |
| 4 | Andrew Ostapchenko | $15,300 | $16,000 | 120 | 25 |
| 5 | Cherish Andrews | $12,200 | $14,000 | 100 | 20 |
| 6 | John Andress | $9,200 | $16,000 | 80 | 15 |
Photo credit: PokerGO Tour / Antonio Abrego.
