Day 4 of the 2013 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event blew by at breakneck speed. It is a stark contrast to past years in this tournament, where the final tables were marathon affairs, testing not only the poker prowess, but also the stamina of the participants.
This year, after four days of action, just six remain in the WSOPE Main Event. After beginning Day 4 play in the money with 24 players, the tournament not only made it to the official eight-handed final table, they breezed past it well ahead of schedule.
Leading the way at the final table is young Adrian Mateos, who held the chip lead throughout the day, even extending his lead along the way. He will begin televised final table play with an impressive 3,781,000 in chips while his next closest competitor, bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche, starts with 2,354,000.
Mateos, a Spanish poker player who is just 19 years old, helped to push the action along on Day 4. He started things off with a bang, picking up pocket kings to eliminate fellow big stack Ludovic Lacay in 24th place, then ended a day with a bang with another massive pot, this time eliminating Shannon Shorr in eighth place when he picked up pocket aces to Shorr's pocket kings, then knocking out Andrei Konopelko in seventh place just five hands later.
While Mateos was the one winning the big pots today, it won't be smooth sailing for him at this final table, which features two bracelet winners in Nitsche and Frenchman Fabrice Soulier, who ended Day 4 third in chips with 1,871,000. Throw in WSOP APAC Main Event final tablist Benny Spindler and successful American pro Ravi Raghavan, along with the lone amateur, Frenchman Jerome Huge, and you have quite the tough line-up.
Given the names that made it through to Day 4, it is no surprise the final table is so impressive. Lacay and Shorr were just two of the big names eliminated over the course of play today. Jordan Cristos (23rd), Adrien Allain (13th), and previous WSOPE Main Event final tablist Danny Steinberg (9th) also hit the rail, as did recent bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus (16th). Ausmus had a shot at the lead in the WSOP Player of the Year race if he managed to win the WSOPE Main Event. Instead, he has to hope he makes a run in the High Roller tournament.
While the High Roller event plays down to a bracelet winner on Thursday, the final six in this tournament will have a day to rest up before taking their seats in front of the ESPN cameras. The final six will be back in action on Friday starting at 2pm local time.
Here is a look at chip counts and seat assignments for Friday's TV final table:
Seat 1: Benny Spindler - 1,748,000
Seat 2: Fabrice Soulier - 1,871,000
Seat 3: Dominik Nitsche - 2,354,000
Seat 4: Adrian Mateos - 3,781,000
Seat 5: Ravi Raghavan - 898,000
Seat 6: Jerome Huge - 637,000