The last eighteen months have transformed Daniel Maor from an aspiring grinder into a major force in the poker world. Maor cemented his breakout status by topping a field of 161 entrants to win the inaugural PGT True Classic Rags to Riches event. The victory earned him the $110,000 top prize and secured his third major title of the year, adding to a trophy case that already includes a 2024 BetMGM Classic victory and a 2024 WSOP gold bracelet.
Maor entered the final table of the $3,300 No-Limit Hold’em event sitting fourth in chips. He had to overcome a significant deficit, trailing leaders Jared Jaffee, Calvin Anderson, and Terry Fleischer by over two million chips when the day began.
Early Final Table Action
The opening level saw the short stacks clash immediately. Jack Hardcastle was the first to fall in seventh place for $15,000. The UK native got his chips in with queen-nine but was outkicked by Anthony Hu who held king-queen.
Hu utilized those chips to survive one pay jump as Michael Wang exited next. Wang ran pocket sixes into the pocket eights of Fleischer to bust in sixth place for $20,000. Hu could not climb any further. In a blind-versus-blind battle, his king-ten was dominated by Anderson’s ace-ten. Hu was eliminated in fifth place for $25,000.
Maor Survives a Scare to Turn the Tide
With four players remaining, the pace intensified. Maor found his tournament life on the line in a critical confrontation. He moved all-in for his last three million chips with ace-ten from the big blind, only to discover Anderson waiting in the small blind with ace-queen.
Drawing to just three outs, Maor looked destined for a fourth-place finish until the flop delivered a ten. The lucky card secured him a vital double-up into second place.
While Maor surged, Jared Jaffee collapsed. Jaffee started four-handed play as the chip leader but could not find any momentum. He eventually committed his final million chips with jack-nine against Anderson’s ace-six. A jack on the flop gave Jaffee a temporary lead, but an ace on the river sent “The Big Tuna” to the rail in fourth place for $35,000.
A Wild Three-Handed Battle
The three-handed segment between Maor, Anderson, and Fleischer was a volatile affair with chips flying across the felt. Anderson initially reclaimed the lead in a massive spot. After Maor folded a three-bet, Fleischer called Anderson’s jam with pocket fives. Anderson revealed pocket kings and held up to take command.
Anderson’s time at the top was brief. In the very next hand, Anderson made a full house on the river only to run into a cooler as Maor had flopped a superior full house. The pot swung the momentum back to Maor. Shortly after, Maor extended his lead by sniffing out a river bluff where Anderson tried to represent a hand on a flush board with a missed straight draw. Maor made the correct call with just second pair.
The rivalry ended in a pre-flop collision. Anderson four-bet jammed just over five million with ace-ten suited, but Maor woke up with pocket kings in the small blind. Anderson flopped a broadway draw and turned a flush draw to keep things interesting, but the river bricked. Anderson was eliminated in third place for $50,000.
Heads-Up and PGT Leaderboard Implications
Entering heads-up play with over 70% of the chips, Maor wasted no time closing it out. The match lasted only two hands. Terry Fleischer moved all-in for 6.5 million with ace-king, and Maor called with pocket nines. The board ran out queen-high, allowing Maor’s pair to hold. Fleischer finished as the runner-up for $74,000.
The event also impacted the lower end of the PGT leaderboard. Sam Laskowitz finished 21st for six PGT points. While a small gain, it broke his tie with Dennis Weiss and moved him into sole possession of the 48th spot. With several players ahead of him ineligible for the season-ending championship, Laskowitz is effectively inside the top 40 cutoff. Meanwhile, Michael Wang picked up 20 points to jump Dylan Linde, moving into 17th place with 1,283 total points.
PGT True Classic Rags to Riches Results
| Place | Name | Country | PGT Points | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Maor | United States | 110 | $110,000 |
| 2 | Terry Fleischer | United States | 74 | $74,000 |
| 3 | Calvin Anderson | United States | 50 | $50,000 |
| 4 | Jared Jaffee | United States | 35 | $35,000 |
| 5 | Anthony Hu | United States | 25 | $25,000 |
| 6 | Michael Wang | United States | 20 | $20,000 |
| 7 | Jack Hardcastle | United Kingdom | 15 | $15,000 |
