World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table stage and participants for pokers biggest 2023 … [+]
The cards are in the air and the betting and raising has begun at the WSOP Final Table for the Main Event. The World Series of Poker World Championship “Main Event” has played down from a record-breaking 10,043 entries to the final table of nine players in the WSOP Main Event at Horseshoe Las Vegas.
None of the gladiators or legends of the game made the final table, but some interesting storylines have continued through the Main Event. I was able to talk with some of the final table participants at the Horseshoe on Saturday.
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WSOP Main Event Final Table Players and Chips
Follow some of the players links to more insight, bio and poker news. Additional updates as the four players advance to Monday’s playdown and payoffs of $3 million, $4 million, $6.5 million for runner-up and $12.1 million to the 2023 WSOP Main Event champion.
Final Table action starts with blinds at 600,000/1,200,000 and a 1,200,000 big blind.
Adam Walton (Henderson, NV) – 143,800,000 Chips
The WSOP Final Table chip leader is originally from Seattle, and moved to Thousand Oaks after college before making the leap to Las Vegas six years ago.
Walton told me he started playing in the early 2000’s due to watching Chris Moneymaker win the 2004 WSOP Main Event which created the Moneymaker Effect in poker. He started playing low-stakes poker and smaller tournaments while teaching and then tech recruiting. He’s now a sports bettor as well as a poker player
“I spend alot of my time sports betting and handicapping, and play No-Limit Hold ‘em cash games and tournaments in Las Vegas.”
In the six year’s he’s played in the World Series of Poker, Walton has 19 career cashes including a 42nd place finish in the 2021 WSOP Main Event. He’s cashed three times at this year’s WSOP with the Main Event set to make him a millionaire as he shoots for the top prize of $12.1 million and the coveted WSOP golf bracelet.
“I mean, honestly, it feels like a dream,” he told PokerNews at the end of Day 8. “It feels fake. I went from randomly playing the Main, I had like 12,000 chips in the beginning, and (now) this is happening. It’s been like the time of my life. It’s crazy.”
Steven Jones (Phoenix) – 90,300,000 Chips
Based in Scottsdale but also in Las Vegas approximately 30-35% of the time, Jones is a residential real estate agent and also plays poker more in Las Vegas. He grew up in Michigan and moved for college at Arizona State. He too will be making his biggest ever score in the Main Event. Jones cashed in this year’s WSOP Monster Stack and placed second in the 2019 WSOPC $400 Double Stack in the circuit event.
Jones was all-in and doubled-through in Day 7 when his Ace-King (AK) beat Ace-Jack (AJ) after a jack hit the flop, but a king spiked on the turn. He won another big pot when his QQ held vs AK all-in pre-flop.
“I used to play more cash games, but I enjoy tournament poker more and feel I can be more patient if I’m commiting a day to play,” Jones said.
Daniel Weinman (Atlanta) – 81,700,000 Chips
With more than $3.7 million in career earnings, Daniel Weinman is one of two WSOP bracelet holders at the final table having captured the 2015 WSOP Circuit Cherokee Main Event domestically. He’s also won tournaments in Spain and Australia. This is his 16th straight year playing in the WSOP after turning 21, and while not a no-limit specialist, he’s sure to play more after this year’s score in the Main Event.
“I enjoy mixed gamed games more, and my favorite tournament is the $50,000 Poker Players Championship,” Weinman told me a day before playing in the WSOP Main Event.
Weinman surged to the WSOP Main Event final table when he captured a huge pot with less than 15 players remaining. He was also a huge underdog on the hand as three players got all their chips in the middle pre-flop with pocket kings (KK), pocket queens (QQ) and Jones’ pocket jacks (JJ). Jones was at risk of being eliminated, but caught a jack on the turn for a set (3 of a kind) to stay alive and advance.
“At the time, it was just so much emotion and so much adrenaline,” Jones said. “I had trouble for the next hour trying to regain my composure.”
Unfortunately, he told me won the big pot at the expense of his friend Josh Payne, a “really good player” from Atlanta who Daniel plays poker with a few times a week at home.
“One one hand, I’m thrilled to hit the jack on the turn, but I know how much equity I just stole from my friend.”
Weinman started playing poker as a student at Georgia Tech, and his WSOP Main Event run will add significantly to his $3.7 million in career live tournament earnings. Prior to this year’s WSOP, Weinman took a step back from poker the past year while working on an interactive technology poker startup. The company is sure to have a major financial boost if he can capture the 2023 WSOP Main Event.
Jan-Peter Jachtmann (Hamburg, Germany) – 74,600,000 Chips
Semi-professional poker player and marketing CEO who is one of two WSOP gold bracelet holders in the Main Event. In 2012, Jachtmann took home his first WSOP bracelet after winning the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event, earning himself the moniker “Mr. Omaha.”
Juan Maceiras (La Coruna, Spain) – 68,000,000 Chips
Following seven years of tough finishes, high-stakes poker pro Juan Maceiras is making a mark in this year’s WSOP Main Event. He entered Day 7 as the chip leader. The Spaniard will at least double his career live earnings total of $1 million, according to the Hendon Mob poker database.
Ruslan Prydryk (Ukraine) – 50,700,000 Chips
With four wins in European tournaments, Ukrainian poker pro Ruslan Prydryk now shoots for his first victory in the United States. Before this year’s Main Event, Prydryk’s only cash under the WSOP umbrella was in 2011, where he finished in 79th place in the 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em event.
Dean Hutchison (Glasgow, Scotland) – 41,700,00031, Chips
Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, Dean Hutchison is one of two finalists from the United Kingdom. He comes into the tournament after winning the $1,100 online Mega Satellite and boasts career total of $721,376 in live poker earnings. So far, he has cashed in four events in this summer’s WSOP.
Daniel Holzner (Italy) – 31,900,000 Chips
After some success in European tournaments, Daniel Holzner is making an impressive United States appearance as he enters the Final Table at the WSOP. Holzner currently has $25,517 in total live poker earnings, which includes two cashes in this year’s WSOP. He’s been playing poker online for 10 years.
I spoke with Holzner ahead of the Main Event, and he has the most interesting story beyond his small stakes rise to poker’s most presigious and richest tournament. Holzner lives in the northern Italy town of South Tyrol near the Austria border. He works on his family’s apple farm with his dad and speaks mostly German along with Italian and English. He told me of his journey to Las Vegas for the WSOP Main Event.
Apple Farmer makes WSOP Main Event Final Table
Holzer was gifted his WSOP Main Event seat by family and friends, who pooled together the $10,000 as his 30th birthday presant.
“I was crying when I got the present last year,” he said. “It was very emotional for me.”
“It’s unbelievable. It’s magic,” he said of his run to the final table.
After cashing-in for $1 million or more, Holzner will be returning to Italy for an extended three months of work on the family farm during its busiest season.
“It’s the most important period of the year, and I’ll be working most days for three months picking apples and working on our apple farm.”
WSOP Final Table Update: Holzner got crippled but not busted as his pocket aces (AA) lost to pocket tens (10-10) when a ten hit the flop and was completed by a full house.
Toby Lewis (United Kingdom) – 19,800,000 Chips
A pro both online and on the felt, British multi-table specialist Toby Lewis is best known for his success in international poker tournaments, earning victories in multiple high-profile events. Lewis has already cashed in two online WSOP events this year and has netted more than $8 million in live poker winnings.
Based on record-breaking entries, prize pools and the positive comments from the WSOP poker players and staff for this 54th annual event, the second edition of the World Series of Poker on the Las Vegas Strip has been a most memorable one. Even more players from around the world will be looking forward to traveling or returning to the Horseshoe and Paris Hotel & Casino for next year’s WSOP.
You can bet on it.