The PGT Blended Video games sequence has advanced right into a must-play cease on the high-stakes calendar for blended sport lovers. The upcoming fifth iteration of PGT Blended Video games, scheduled to happen between February 3-11, demonstrates how area of interest poker choices can thrive when they’re constructed intentionally, and with gamers firmly on the heart of the dialog.
To raised perceive the considering behind the 2026 version of the sequence, I spoke with PokerGO Tour Commissioner Tim Duckworth. Tim shared some candid perception into how the PGT makes use of historic information and participant suggestions to form the sequence, why February has turn into its everlasting slot on the yearly calendar, what in the end drives livestream selections for blended video games, and the place duty lies for rising the mixed-game ecosystem. Our dialog additionally touched on satellites, viewership realities, and extra.
That is now the fifth iteration of PGT Blended Video games. How do you go about populating the event schedule? What information do you have a look at from years previous? What objectives are you attempting to hit? What “metrics” are you attempting to maximise from the PGT perspective and for the gamers?
The explanation we began PGT Blended Video games was to present blended sport loyalists a possibility to play their very own devoted blended sport sequence – one thing nobody else was doing. Being a part of the PGT, it was at all times going to be for high-stakes, so the schedule has at all times been crafted by the gamers.
The primary, in February 2023, concerned in depth discussions with gamers to create a schedule that may entice giant numbers whereas providing a wide range of occasions. Since then, every PGT Blended Video games sequence has undergone minor changes to maximise turnout or accommodate participant requests. In 2024, we dropped the opening occasions buy-ins to $5,000. In 2025, we shortened the sequence and experimented with Mori’s Combine (six restrict one-winner video games). For 2026, attributable to participant requests, we’re bringing again Massive Wager Combine to interchange Mori’s Combine.
In the end, I view all our PGT occasions because the gamers who’re placing up the cash. We have to create schedules that enchantment to them and foster the need to play.
When it began out, the sequence befell twice a yr, however now it’s simply annually, in February. Why no more typically, and why that point of yr?
It was really by no means deliberate to be twice a yr. The recognition of the primary prompted gamers to request a second, so we did a second in October 2023. Sadly, that was a mistake. It stretched the gamers’ bankrolls too skinny as a result of they now had three high-stakes sequence (two PGT Blended Video games and the WSOP), and we noticed a major drop in numbers.
I made a decision, heading into the 2024 PGT season, that PGT Blended Video games could be held annually. My purpose was to ship a single, high-impact sequence with robust attendance. I knew 2024 wouldn’t see an enormous improve as a result of 2023 was so packed, however I knew 2025 would rebound strongly. And it did. We set information for PGT Blended Video games in each the $5k and $10k variants of H.O.R.S.E. and 8-Recreation, with a whopping 148 entrants within the $5k 8-Recreation – fairly loopy numbers for a turbo blended sport occasion … one thing that blended sport gamers usually hate.
What elements govern which Blended Recreation Collection get streamed for followers on PokerGO, and what kind of viewing targets are you hoping to realize, on condition that it’s clearly not a NLHE sequence of occasions?
We will probably be reside streaming the next 5 occasions:
Occasion #1: $5,100 H.O.R.S.E.Occasion #4: $10,200 8-GameEvent #5: $15,200 Massive Wager MixEvent #7: $25,300 10-Recreation Championship
Sadly, blended video games have by no means had excessive viewership. Even after we livestreamed the WSOP $50k Poker Gamers Championship with Phil Ivey because the headlining participant, it carried out worse than a $500 or $1,000 buy-in No-Restrict Maintain’em occasion.
Initially, for 2026, we weren’t planning on livestreaming PGT Blended Video games. However the blended sport neighborhood is tremendous engaged and rallied collectively to offer us with sufficient suggestions that we known as an audible and determined to livestream 4 of the ultimate tables.
Be a part of us on the @PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas for the following version of the PGT Blended Video games sequence! 🏆
Seven tournaments from February 3-11, buy-ins $5,300 to $26,000, and rake low cost for on-time registration.
➡️ https://t.co/5h9xtQBQNN pic.twitter.com/4DNiyPKplF
— PGT (@PokerGOTour) January 29, 2026
The 4 remaining tables we selected supplied a wide range of poker variants that may enchantment to the viewers. H.O.R.S.E. is clearly a staple of the PGT Blended Video games sequence, and the $5k value level opens the door to seeing a couple of new faces on the remaining desk. The stakes get bumped for the $10k 8-Recreation, so we’ll hopefully see a number of the blended sport stalwarts attain that remaining desk.
The Massive Wager Combine will probably be a high-action remaining desk that includes distinctive video games you don’t see typically. Lastly, if there was just one remaining desk to livestream, you’ll clearly choose the sequence finale of the $25k 10-Recreation Championship. Massive names, large cash, and sure the decider to see who’s topped the 2026 PGT Blended Video games champion!
Blended video games are clearly area of interest inside poker and aren’t watched by as many individuals as NLHE and PLO occasions. However there’s additionally a “rooster and egg” argument, that if extra blended video games have been televised and streamed, extra individuals would be taught them, need to play them, and so they’d develop in recognition. Loads of individuals need to see extra blended video games being broadcast, and that features most of the excessive rolling gamers who play within the PGT Blended Recreation sequence. That stated, there’s a excessive price ticket to supply reside streams. How, in your view, can that hole be breached in an effort to additional assist facilitate the expansion of blended video games on the entire?
Livestreaming is pricey and firms will at all times have a look at the ROI when making a call on whether or not or not one thing ought to be livestreamed. Blended video games are considerably extra area of interest than No-Restrict Maintain’em or Pot-Restrict Omaha, however they clearly do belong within the poker world.
The issue with livestreaming blended video games is that they don’t enchantment to the overall poker fan. The video games are complicated, and most of the people perceive and solely actually care about No-Restrict Maintain’em.
I don’t assume rising blended video games ought to fall on the shoulders of PokerGO or some other livestreaming firm. It’s additionally onerous for operators such because the WSOP to supply a $1,500 Vendor’s Selection over a $1,500 No-Restrict Maintain’em. They know their income is capped with the Vendor’s Selection, however as an operator, they perceive that the well being of their tour relies on providing a well-rounded product.
Rising blended video games stems from the grassroots: low-stakes video games and Blended Recreation Festivals like those you host. I’ve seen this occur for years. You’re sitting in a $4/8 or $6/12 blended sport, and a random participant walks over to take a look at the video games. They perceive the essential ones, however once they see plaques for Dramadugi and Badeucey, and so on., they’re instantly turned off and go play one thing else. Personally, I like a few of these video games, however they’ll at all times be a barrier to new gamers.
Satellites are key to populating higher-buy-in tournaments the world over. Provided that there’s a full yr’s value of lead time into every PGT Blended Recreation Collection, do you assume we would see extra satellites popping up all year long (on-line, reside, multi-seat, and so on.) that might probably improve area sizes?
Now we have at all times put an emphasis on satellites for PGT occasions – from 2023 onwards, we now have awarded 250 seats in PGT occasions and had 2,599 members in these satellites. Nonetheless, the information doesn’t help working satellites even a number of days out from the sequence. So we’re principally all-in on satellites previous to the occasion. Even working them all through the sequence hasn’t labored for us.
We might like to have an internet companion to assist satellite tv for pc gamers qualify for PGT occasions, however we want a couple of issues to fall our manner for that to turn into a staple of the tour.
I’ve heard there’s a new trophy for this yr’s PGT Blended Video games. What are you able to inform me concerning the resolution behind the brand new trophy and the way you go about that course of?
We had a considerably lackluster trophy for the primary 4 PGT Blended Video games sequence, however about this time final yr, I used to be empowered to deal with PGT trophies – in all probability attributable to our World Poker Award-winning Texas Poker Open belt buckle. My purpose was to scale back prices whereas creating higher trophies.
The PGT PLO Collection and PGT Blended Video games have at all times used the identical trophy. For PLO, we labored with a European 3D printing firm that designed a trophy with 4 playing cards fanned out from the bottom. For PGT Blended Video games, we used an identical design however with 5 playing cards. Clearly, with blended video games, there are such a lot of sport variants, so we picked an possibility that was synonymous with blended video games – 5 playing cards with completely different fits. It represents a wheel in 2-7 or nut-nut in Badeucey.
I hope the gamers like the brand new trophy and that it offers them just a little further motivation to attempt to win one. It simply wants a cool nickname … perhaps ‘The Mori’.
