Posted by New York poker powerhouse Nicholas “Nicky P” Palma captured his first PokerGO Tour title at the 2026 Poker Masters Event #2: $10,500 NLH, navigating a elite 84-entry field at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas to collect $235,200 and cement his status among the game’s high-stakes elite after defeating poker legend Adrian Mateos heads-up.
“There Was Never a Doubt in My Mind”
Rocking a trademark Scarface T-shirt throughout his championship run, Palma channeled his inner Tony Montana with a loud, brash, and relentlessly confident style of play. While his larger-than-life personality and animated table talk often turn heads, Palma backed up every word under the bright lights of the PokerGO Studio.
Facing off against one of the most decorated tournament players in poker history during heads-up play, Palma never blinked. “They weren’t going to take it from me this time,” he stated. “In poker, you take bad beats and everything, but this time I wasn’t going to allow them to take it from me. I was going to do whatever I had to do, and there was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to beat him.”
“We’re both competitors. He’s obviously a legend, but I’m a great player in my own right. I just have the confidence, and I knew I was going to win,” Palma added, remaining gracious toward Mateos despite the fierce battle.
Final Day Action and Key Hand Breakdowns
The final table action kicked off with a steady opening level before exploding into chaos once the blinds increased. David Coleman initiated the fireworks with an audacious four-bet bluff on the flop holding , forcing Michael Berk to lay down big slick. Nicholas Seward then seized the chip lead after doubling through Palma with pocket aces against ace-king, though Palma quickly rebounded by picking up pocket aces of his own to double through Mateos.
As the table shrunk, pressure mounted. Seward found himself crippled after mistiming a bluff against Berk’s second-nut flush, eventually busting in fifth place when a confrontation with Mateos left him on a single chip, which Coleman swept up immediately. Coleman—who serves as a close friend and mentor to Seward—followed his protege out the door in fourth place when his queen-ten failed to improve against Berk’s ace-ten.
During three-handed play, Palma seized control in a massive clash against Berk. Understanding optimal tournament dynamics and ICM poker tournament strategy, Palma trapped Berk when his opponent turned two pair into a hefty river bluff. Palma held the absolute nuts and jammed, forcing Berk to surrender a massive share of his stack. Berk busted moments later, shoving his remaining 17 big blinds with straight into Mateos’ .
Heads-up play between Mateos and Palma was a marathon battle of momentum swings. Mateos briefly threatened a comeback, doubling with aces against sixes, but Palma instantly reclaimed control by laying a trap with . Mateos shoved with a weaker ace, shipping a massive 9.4 million chip pot to Palma, who ultimately closed out the victory.
“I Come From Nothing”
Beneath the bravado and table chat lies a deeply personal drive. Palma credits his New York roots and early childhood losses as the primary fuel behind his relentless poker grind.
“One, I’m a New Yorker, and two, I just come from nothing,” Palma explained. “I lost a lot of my family when I was younger, and I just want to have my family name live on forever. I’m going to work as hard as I possibly can.”
Palma’s immediate career ambitions match his hard-work philosophy. Having recently turned 37, he has set his sights on cracking the top 20 of the Global Poker Index and locking down a top-ten spot in the Player of the Year race for the next decade to come. “I just play poker, sleep, play poker and sleep. You don’t just wake up and do that. You have to put the work in, and I’m just going to keep working.”
The Purple Jacket Is Next on Nicky P’s List
With his first PGT trophy safely secured, Palma barely paused to celebrate before pivoting his focus toward the remainder of the series. Event #3: $10,500 NLH was already underway, and Nicky P made it clear he has his eyes locked on the coveted Poker Masters Purple Jacket.
“I’ve had my eyes on this jacket for the last few months. I’ve been looking forward to this series, and I plan on winning another tournament, getting another top two or three, and I plan on wearing the jacket,” Palma said. He even joked about his victory celebration: “I’ll go to the bar one time with it. Only one time, though.”
As American poker enthusiasts looking for soft action and legal options explore best online poker sites for real money, high-roller professionals like Palma continue to showcase elite dedication in Las Vegas. If Nicky P maintains his current trajectory, the PokerGO Studio will likely hear plenty more from him before the series concludes.
Source: PokerNews Online
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