Sean Rafael Claims Wins 2026 Super High Roller Bowl PLO VI Title

The only American player to make the final table of the 2026 PGT Super High Roller Bowl PLO VI took down the tournament in Las Vegas last night, with Sean Rafael beating Brazilian poker legend Joao Simao heads-up. At a final table packed with star quality, others such as Talal Shakerchi and Richard Gryko also busted as Rafael took the title in Sin City.

Barakat Tops Day 1 Entries

A total of 27 entries filled the books on Day 1 of the 2026 PGT Super High Roller Bowl PLO VI, with the Italian player Youness Barakat topping the leaderboard by the close of play. The only player to end the day with over a million chips, Barakat’s stack of 1,229,000 sat above the 991,000 amassed by PGT PLO Series star Sam Soverel and that of the British mixed game specialist Richard Gryko (903,000).

A three-way hand defined the opening day’s play as Rafael got the better of Lautaro Guerra’s pocket aces and Richard Gryko in the same hand, the Italian’s pocket kings making a set to eventually make a full house of kings over queens to vault up the leaderboard and damage Bryko’s chances in the process.

Plenty of big names missed out on making the Day 1 chipcounts, as stars such as Jared Bleznick, Ben Tollerene, Eelis Parssinen, and Alex Foxen, all busted two $103,000 buy-ins to mean they couldn’t re-enter the action on Day 2. Others such as Jeremy Ausmus, Sean Winter, Dylan Weisman, Jesse Lonis, Ben Lamb, and Jason Mercier lost one bullet but would be allowed to try against the next day.

Day 2 Sees Barakat Go from Hero to Zero

An extra five players were added to the 11 survivors from Day 1 to make a field of 16 on the penultimate day of action in the event. The remaining two tables would play down to just six players and while the Italian Youness Barakat led the way when the cards went in the air, he was to bookend the drama by bubbling the money in seventh place.

Sean Rafael was at danger of busting outside the money places, but survived in thrilling circumstances. Heading into a three-way all-in with Jesse Lonis and Barakat with just pocket tens to hand his hat on, Rafael not only hit another ten for trips, but also two threes to make a full house and grab some well-needed momentum. Lonis busted before the money and Barakat busted in seventh place, meaning everyone still in seats could count their profits at a minimum of $90,000 on their entry fees, with sixth place earning anyone $190,000.

Rafael had a huge lead by the time he reached the six-handed final table, having piled up 4.9 million chips, more than three times as many as anyone else. Brazilian poker legend Joao Simao was closest on 1.4m, with the Spanish PLO expert Lautaro Guerra on 1.1m.  British hedge fund manager Talal Shakerchi (850,000), Richard Gryko (740,000) and PGT PLO Series Event #8 winner Cesar Garcia (555,000) were left hoping they could start the final in fine fashion to double up.

Rafael Takes the Title

The final six resumed action on the third and final day of drama in the event and Sean Rafael started as he had ended the previous day. Committing all of his chips, he took out the PGT PLO Series Championship winner Cesar Garcia as the Spanish player left for a score of $190,000. Soon, Garcia’s countryman Lautaro Guerra also departed, cashing in fifth for $255,000 when Rafael’s ace-high flush took out the dangerous PLO specialist.

Rafael then took out the first of two British players to bust in quick succession. First, the hedge fund manager Talal Shakerchi busted to Rafael when the American made a Broadway straight to eliminate the English player in fourth place for $350,000. Then, Joao Simao took out Shakerchi’s compatriot Richard Gryko for $480,000 in third. Gryko lost to the Brazilian’s nut flush, but while Simao was delighted to eliminate his opponent, it only made a marginal difference to his chances, as he still faced a 4:1 chip deficit heads-up.

The final duel was the story of two hands, one which went in each man’s favor. Joao Simao lost them both but his fold some way into the action was a brilliant one. Taking seven minutes to make the fold, Simao then bounced off the metaphorical canvas to come back in the match, collecting 35% of the chips in play. Sadly for him, they all disappeared when he was all-in with trip fours, and couldn’t hold against Rafael’s two pairs with a flush draw. A nine on the river fulfilled the American’s flush and gave Sean Rafael the title and $1,150,000 top prize, with Simao claiming $775,000 as runner-up.