Big Year Coming? Chino Rheem Is Already Five Final Tables Deep in 2026

Chino Rheem capped a career-best 2025 with $3,487,508 in reside event earnings, the very best single-year complete of his profession, and he has wasted no time carrying that type into 2026.

The Californian opened the brand new yr with 4 straight final-table appearances through the PokerGO Tour Final Probability sequence, adopted by three extra cashes contained in the PokerGO Studio. That scorching streak continued this week when Rheem captured his first title of the yr by profitable the $5,300 H.O.R.S.E occasion on the PGT Blended Video games.

Rheem topped a 101-entry subject, closing out the title after defeating Dylan Linde following a heads-up deal that locked up $100,000 apiece, with an additional $12,100 left to play for.

PGT Blended Video games $5,300 H.O.R.S.E Remaining Desk Outcomes

*Denotes a heads-up deal.

Rheem Pulls Off the Comeback

Rheem was down to simply two-thirds of a giant guess early within the finale, however a well timed triple-up, a sequence of well-timed steals, the elimination of Eli Elezra in sixth, and an important Stud pot taken from Brian Breck propelled him into the chip lead.

Momentum briefly swung Linde’s manner after he straightened out Breck in Stud and shortly eradicated Matt Vengrin in Maintain’em, organising three-handed play alongside Alex Livingston. Rheem then booked the heads-up showdown by dispatching Livingston in Stud.

Stud continued to favor Rheem throughout heads-up play, most notably when he folded out Linde in a 7.4 million-chip pot to grab a commanding 2:1 chip lead. Stud Hello-Lo would seal the deal, with Rheem’s full home besting journeys to assert each remaining chip.

One other Huge 12 months on the Playing cards for Rheem?

At this level, Rheem’s résumé barely wants sprucing. Three PGT Blended Video games titles and 9 PokerGO Tour wins now sit alongside three WPT titles and his 2019 PCA Principal Occasion victory. It’s a physique of labor that has seen money for nearly $20 million and one that almost all gamers would fortunately commerce their complete careers for.

And but, there’s nonetheless one apparent hole.

For all of the trophies and titles Rheem has collected, a World Sequence of Poker bracelet continues to evade him. Not for lack of probabilities both. He’s completed runner-up 4 occasions, and frustratingly, these near-misses have come throughout completely different codecs every time: Stud, PLO, PLO Hello-Lo and No-Restrict Maintain’em.

If something, that checklist says extra about Rheem than the lacking bracelet does. Few gamers are genuinely harmful throughout that many disciplines, and even fewer maintain placing themselves in place yr after yr. He’s not a one-game specialist by any stretch.

A WSOP bracelet would additionally full the set. Rheem already owns titles on each the World Poker Tour and European Poker Tour Principal Occasion (PCA Principal Occasion counts), which means one win beneath the WSOP umbrella would earn him a spot in poker’s unique Triple Crown membership, a listing that also solely consists of ten names. Mike Watson was the final to hitch in 2024, and Rheem feels just like the sort of participant who may quietly be subsequent with out a lot fuss.

With the way in which he’s began 2026, it’s not exhausting to think about this being the yr it lastly clicks. If the shape carries into the summer season, Rheem received’t simply be looking a bracelet. He may simply discover himself hanging across the WSOP Participant of the 12 months dialog too.

PGT Blended Video games & SHRB Blended Video games Schedule

With the opening occasion within the books, the PGT Blended Video games sequence rolls on towards its $25K 10-Sport Championship on February 10, earlier than handing straight over to the Tremendous Excessive Curler Bowl: Blended Video games from February 12–14.

The following reside stream airs Saturday, February 7 at 1 p.m. native time, with protection for the $10K 8-Sport out there on the PokerGO YouTube channel.

Calum has been part of the PokerNews group since September 2021 after working within the UK power sector. He performed his first hand of poker in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the sport.

Calum has written for numerous poker shops however discovered his dwelling at PokerNews, the place he has contributed to numerous articles and reside updates, offering insights and reporting on main poker occasions, together with the World Sequence of Poker (WSOP).