2026 Pure Poker Tour Series #2 – Event #2: $340 NLH/PLO Mixed

It was a grueling day of play totaling a little over 14 hours. Ross Wilson has ascended amongst the 95 player field to take down his first PPT trophy. He defeated Johnny Dalphond in heads-up play to take home $7,855 along with the trophy. The field combined for a total prize pool of $27,075.

Wesley Kruger, and DJ Sharma started the day hot finding overwhelming chip leads both sitting near 200,000 at the start of the day. Kruger continued to hold the lead with bubble approaching. Wilson also appeared for the same time in the chip counts with him and Andrew Watt sitting at 257,000. Wilson brought play into the money, turning a straight against Ming Ashing.

From there eliminations were rapid with as Justin Pennell and Richard Gilliard fell early. Wilson found a double elimination knocking out Kruger and Roger Manoll turning his wrap into the nut straight. Manoll survived longer than others expected as he was left short stacked calling off with the nut full house against a flopped straight flush. Dalphond also found an elimination fading Zhang’s overwhelming amount of outs to bring play 6-handed.

His hot streak would continue as he flopped the world against Watt’s pocket queens. He rivered trips to add another elimination to his record. Dalphond and Wilson emerged as the clear favourites and were set to battle shortly. John Donnelly found a double to earn a ladder up, as Leon Doublet hit the rail.

Dalphond eliminated Donnelly shortly after to set up the battle between the two titans. Wilson picked up hands and used relentless aggression to increase the difference in stacks. Dalphond managed to battle back, but through higher blinds was actively being blinded out.

He moved all in, and was called off by Wilson. Both players had double suit connectors, but Wilson flopped a full house. The turn sealed the deal to give Wilson his first PPT title.

Event #2: $340 NLH/PLO Mixed Results

Position	Player	Prize
1	Ross Wilson	$7,855
2	Johnny Dalphond	$5,415
3	John Donnelly	$3,520
4	Leon Doublet	$2,705
5	Andrew Watt	$2,085
6	Leo Zhang	$1,650
7	Roger Manoll	$1,300
8	Wesley Kruger	$1,030
9	Richard Guillon	$840
10	Justin Pennell	$675

Johnny Dalphond moved all in for 100,000, and Ross Wilson made the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

Johnny Dalphond: J♦8♠7♠4♦
Ross Wilson: K♥10♣5♣4♥

Dalphond was flopped nearly dead as it came the 4♣10♠10♥. Nothing changed as the board completed with the 9♠6♣.

No-Limit Hold’em

Action was caught after the flop of 6♦7♣6♣, and Johnny Dalphond was quick to check. John Donnelly fired for 75,000, and Dalphond went into the tank. He moved all in, and Donnelly called with less. The two players revealed their holdings.

John Donnelly: A♠Q♣
Johnny Dalphond: 6♥5♥

The board completed with the 9♦7♦ to send Donnelly to the rail.

Johnny Dalphond: 775,000

Leon Doublet moved all in from under the gun for 225,000, and Ross Wilson made the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

Leon Doublet: Q♣J♣
Ross Wilson: A♣J♠

The board ran out 2♦8♦4♥3♦4♣ for play to become three-handed.

Ross Wilson: 1,330,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Action was caught after the turn of A♥Q♠8♠3♥, and small blind was quick to check. Johnny Dalphond fired for 30,000 from the big blind, and John Donnelly raised to 93,000. Ross Wilson made the call, and Dalphond was quick to fold.

The river came the 5♠, and Donnelly moved all in for 50,000. Wilson folded and revealed K♥J♥J♣10♣.

John Donnelly: 455,000

No-Limit Hold’em

Johnny Dalphond opened to 30,000, and Andrew Watt moved all in for 140,000. Dalphond made the call, and both players revealed their holdings.

Andrew Watt: Q♦Q♠
Johnny Dalphond: 9♦8♦

The board ran out 6♥7♠9♣A♥9♥ to send Watt home.

Johnny Dalphond: 968,000

Action was caught after the flop of J♦10♦4♥, and Leo Zhang moved all in. Johnny Dalphond made the call, and both players revealed their holdings.

Leo Zhang: K♦Q♦A♠9♥
Johnny Dalphond: 9♠8♦7♠4♣

Zhang’s draw bricked out as the board completed with the 3♣2♠.

Johnny Dalphond: 957,000

Action was caught after the flop of 2♣8♦10♠, and Wesley Kruger moved all in for 50,000. Roger Manoll moved all in for 150,000, and Ross Wilson made the call. The three players revealed their holdings.

Wesley Kruger: J♥J♦9♠5♦
Roger Manoll: 7♦6♦2♦2♠
Ross Wilson: K♦Q♥J♣9♦

The board completed with the A♣K♥ for Wilson to find the double knockout.

Ross Wilson: 878,000

Richard Gilliard moved all in for 21,000, and Leo Zhang jammed for 50,000. The remaining players folded, and both players revealed their hands.

Richard Gilliard: Q♣J♥
Leo Zhang: A♥Q♠

The board ran out 10♠K♥J♠5♠A♠ for Zhang to take the pot.

Leo Zhang: 98,000

No-Limit Hold’em

Justin Pennell moved all in for 80,000, and Roger Manoll re-jammed for 207,000. The remaining players folded, and both players revealed their holdings.

Justin Pennell: A♥2♥
Roger Manoll: A♣Q♦

The board ran out J♠7♠7♥9♦10♦ for Pennell to hit the rail.

Roger Manoll: 307,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Action was caught after the turn of 9♣3♣7♦5♠, and Ming Ashing moved all in for 130,000. Ross Wilson made the call, and both players revealed their holdings.

Ming Ashing: 10♠7♠7♥3♦
Ross Wilson: Q♠Q♣8♦6♣

The board completed with the 6♦ for Wilson to take the pot.

Ross Wilson: 560,000

From the under the gun position, Ryan Strap announced “write this one down,” before shoving all in for 24,000. Action folded to the small blind who went into the tank. After careful consideration, they flicked in the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

Ryan Strap: 7♥7♠
Small Blind: A♥J♠

The board ran out 5♦5♠Q♥8♠6♥ for Strap to find the double.

Ryan Strap: 49,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

After 7 players limped to the flop, it came the 10♣K♥J♠. After action checked to him, John Donnelly bet for the pot of 1,600. The remaining players made the fold.

The following hand, action was caught after the flop of 6♠6♥2♥. Wesley Kruger checked from the small blind. John Donnelly fired for 4,000, and both players made the call.

After the turn peeled the 7♣, Kruger led out for 10,000. Donnelly moved all in for 17,200, and Kruger made the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

John Donelly: A♥K♣2♦2♣
Wesley Kruger: Q♦Q♥9♣6♦

The board completed with the K♠ to give Donnelly the double up.

John Donnelly: 48,900

Event #2: $340 NLH/PLO Mixed ($300 + $40)

The first chance for the full field to take their shot at a PPT #2 trophy comes at 4 PM on Thursday afternoon, with the mixed NLH/PLO game. Levels will alternate between two cards (Level 1 and all odd-numbered levels) and four cards (Level 2 and all even-numbered levels) for the entire evening.

Players start the day with 25k in chips, and levels are 30 minutes for the game, with heads-up action dropping to 20 minutes. Players have 8 levels to get into the game, with the final chance to buy in coming at about 8:30 PM. From there, they play down to a winner before the end of the day.

In the opening series this year, Jimmy Lee took down the game over a field of 118 entries for his share of $33,630 in prizes. He battled it out at the end with Adam Mill. Look for Lee to be in the mix again, but this format has a couple of regular crushers he’ll need to watch out for while trying to defend his title, like Stefan Maloney, Julius Roque, Skyler York, and Teo Sanchez.

Alek Gillies will be handling the reporting duties on opening day as I take some time to get my poker on. 50+ players will see me at the tables for sure, and if that goes badly, I just might jump into this one.

It was a grueling day of play totaling a little over 14 hours. Ross Wilson has ascended amongst the 95 player field to take down his first PPT trophy. He defeated Johnny Dalphond in heads-up play to take home $7,855 along with the trophy. The field combined for a total prize pool of $27,075.

Wesley Kruger, and DJ Sharma started the day hot finding overwhelming chip leads both sitting near 200,000 at the start of the day. Kruger continued to hold the lead with bubble approaching. Wilson also appeared for the same time in the chip counts with him and Andrew Watt sitting at 257,000. Wilson brought play into the money, turning a straight against Ming Ashing.

From there eliminations were rapid with as Justin Pennell and Richard Gilliard fell early. Wilson found a double elimination knocking out Kruger and Roger Manoll turning his wrap into the nut straight. Manoll survived longer than others expected as he was left short stacked calling off with the nut full house against a flopped straight flush. Dalphond also found an elimination fading Zhang’s overwhelming amount of outs to bring play 6-handed.

His hot streak would continue as he flopped the world against Watt’s pocket queens. He rivered trips to add another elimination to his record. Dalphond and Wilson emerged as the clear favourites and were set to battle shortly. John Donnelly found a double to earn a ladder up, as Leon Doublet hit the rail.

Dalphond eliminated Donnelly shortly after to set up the battle between the two titans. Wilson picked up hands and used relentless aggression to increase the difference in stacks. Dalphond managed to battle back, but through higher blinds was actively being blinded out.

He moved all in, and was called off by Wilson. Both players had double suit connectors, but Wilson flopped a full house. The turn sealed the deal to give Wilson his first PPT title.

Event #2: $340 NLH/PLO Mixed Results

Position	Player	Prize
1	Ross Wilson	$7,855
2	Johnny Dalphond	$5,415
3	John Donnelly	$3,520
4	Leon Doublet	$2,705
5	Andrew Watt	$2,085
6	Leo Zhang	$1,650
7	Roger Manoll	$1,300
8	Wesley Kruger	$1,030
9	Richard Guillon	$840
10	Justin Pennell	$675

Johnny Dalphond moved all in for 100,000, and Ross Wilson made the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

Johnny Dalphond: J♦8♠7♠4♦
Ross Wilson: K♥10♣5♣4♥

Dalphond was flopped nearly dead as it came the 4♣10♠10♥. Nothing changed as the board completed with the 9♠6♣.

No-Limit Hold’em

Action was caught after the flop of 6♦7♣6♣, and Johnny Dalphond was quick to check. John Donnelly fired for 75,000, and Dalphond went into the tank. He moved all in, and Donnelly called with less. The two players revealed their holdings.

John Donnelly: A♠Q♣
Johnny Dalphond: 6♥5♥

The board completed with the 9♦7♦ to send Donnelly to the rail.

Johnny Dalphond: 775,000

Leon Doublet moved all in from under the gun for 225,000, and Ross Wilson made the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

Leon Doublet: Q♣J♣
Ross Wilson: A♣J♠

The board ran out 2♦8♦4♥3♦4♣ for play to become three-handed.

Ross Wilson: 1,330,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Action was caught after the turn of A♥Q♠8♠3♥, and small blind was quick to check. Johnny Dalphond fired for 30,000 from the big blind, and John Donnelly raised to 93,000. Ross Wilson made the call, and Dalphond was quick to fold.

The river came the 5♠, and Donnelly moved all in for 50,000. Wilson folded and revealed K♥J♥J♣10♣.

John Donnelly: 455,000

No-Limit Hold’em

Johnny Dalphond opened to 30,000, and Andrew Watt moved all in for 140,000. Dalphond made the call, and both players revealed their holdings.

Andrew Watt: Q♦Q♠
Johnny Dalphond: 9♦8♦

The board ran out 6♥7♠9♣A♥9♥ to send Watt home.

Johnny Dalphond: 968,000

Action was caught after the flop of J♦10♦4♥, and Leo Zhang moved all in. Johnny Dalphond made the call, and both players revealed their holdings.

Leo Zhang: K♦Q♦A♠9♥
Johnny Dalphond: 9♠8♦7♠4♣

Zhang’s draw bricked out as the board completed with the 3♣2♠.

Johnny Dalphond: 957,000

Action was caught after the flop of 2♣8♦10♠, and Wesley Kruger moved all in for 50,000. Roger Manoll moved all in for 150,000, and Ross Wilson made the call. The three players revealed their holdings.

Wesley Kruger: J♥J♦9♠5♦
Roger Manoll: 7♦6♦2♦2♠
Ross Wilson: K♦Q♥J♣9♦

The board completed with the A♣K♥ for Wilson to find the double knockout.

Ross Wilson: 878,000

Richard Gilliard moved all in for 21,000, and Leo Zhang jammed for 50,000. The remaining players folded, and both players revealed their hands.

Richard Gilliard: Q♣J♥
Leo Zhang: A♥Q♠

The board ran out 10♠K♥J♠5♠A♠ for Zhang to take the pot.

Leo Zhang: 98,000

No-Limit Hold’em

Justin Pennell moved all in for 80,000, and Roger Manoll re-jammed for 207,000. The remaining players folded, and both players revealed their holdings.

Justin Pennell: A♥2♥
Roger Manoll: A♣Q♦

The board ran out J♠7♠7♥9♦10♦ for Pennell to hit the rail.

Roger Manoll: 307,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Action was caught after the turn of 9♣3♣7♦5♠, and Ming Ashing moved all in for 130,000. Ross Wilson made the call, and both players revealed their holdings.

Ming Ashing: 10♠7♠7♥3♦
Ross Wilson: Q♠Q♣8♦6♣

The board completed with the 6♦ for Wilson to take the pot.

Ross Wilson: 560,000

From the under the gun position, Ryan Strap announced “write this one down,” before shoving all in for 24,000. Action folded to the small blind who went into the tank. After careful consideration, they flicked in the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

Ryan Strap: 7♥7♠
Small Blind: A♥J♠

The board ran out 5♦5♠Q♥8♠6♥ for Strap to find the double.

Ryan Strap: 49,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

After 7 players limped to the flop, it came the 10♣K♥J♠. After action checked to him, John Donnelly bet for the pot of 1,600. The remaining players made the fold.

The following hand, action was caught after the flop of 6♠6♥2♥. Wesley Kruger checked from the small blind. John Donnelly fired for 4,000, and both players made the call.

After the turn peeled the 7♣, Kruger led out for 10,000. Donnelly moved all in for 17,200, and Kruger made the call. Both players revealed their holdings.

John Donelly: A♥K♣2♦2♣
Wesley Kruger: Q♦Q♥9♣6♦

The board completed with the K♠ to give Donnelly the double up.

John Donnelly: 48,900

Event #2: $340 NLH/PLO Mixed ($300 + $40)

The first chance for the full field to take their shot at a PPT #2 trophy comes at 4 PM on Thursday afternoon, with the mixed NLH/PLO game. Levels will alternate between two cards (Level 1 and all odd-numbered levels) and four cards (Level 2 and all even-numbered levels) for the entire evening.

Players start the day with 25k in chips, and levels are 30 minutes for the game, with heads-up action dropping to 20 minutes. Players have 8 levels to get into the game, with the final chance to buy in coming at about 8:30 PM. From there, they play down to a winner before the end of the day.

In the opening series this year, Jimmy Lee took down the game over a field of 118 entries for his share of $33,630 in prizes. He battled it out at the end with Adam Mill. Look for Lee to be in the mix again, but this format has a couple of regular crushers he’ll need to watch out for while trying to defend his title, like Stefan Maloney, Julius Roque, Skyler York, and Teo Sanchez.

Alek Gillies will be handling the reporting duties on opening day as I take some time to get my poker on. 50+ players will see me at the tables for sure, and if that goes badly, I just might jump into this one.