Who Are the 2022 WSOP Main Event Finalists?  

This weekend, the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event will conclude with ten players battling it out for the $10 million top prize and famous bracelet that comes with the title of world champion. The Thunderdome at Bally’s – soon to become the Horseshoe Las Vegas – in Sin City will play host to the dramatic conclusion of this year’s version of the world’s greatest poker tournament.

This year, in an unprecedented situation taken after 17 hours at the felt on the build-up to the final, there will be ten rather than nine finalists. But who are those players and which player will win the $10 million? We’ve taken a look into our crystal ball and come up with some answers.

The blinds will begin at 600,000/1,200,000, with a 1,200,000 ante. Let the games begin.

Seat 1: Philippe Souki (11 Big Blinds)

The first of two British players at the table, Souki just survived after a late double-up saw him sneak into the final ten with just 11 big blinds. Souki is a much-loved London-based pro, who has the rowdiest rail who will support him all the way as he battles for victory. Souki has won over $830,000 in his poker career but although he has four ranking wins on The Hendon Mob, none of his wins have come in results with a buy-in higher than $1,000. He comes into this final table in great form, however, with the $102,214 he earned for finishing fourth in last month’s Wynn Summer Classic the best result of his career to date.

Verdict: Impressive to the last, but the shallow average stacks could go either way for him. Needs an early double to shoot for the big one.

Seat 2: Adrian Attenborough (42 Big Blinds)

Australian Attenborough is bidding to become the first Main Event winner from his home country since Joe Hachem conquered the poker world in 2005. Attenborough has won $1.4 million in poker tournaments to date, with his best result a third-place finish in the Bellagio Cup five years ago last month. His best ranking win came in Macau in the Macau Poker Cup for over $193,000 and his ability to travel the world making money has never been better proven than in this event, where the Aussie is already guaranteed by far his biggest score.

Verdict: Sure to go on the attack, Attenborough looks like he feels every win or loss. An early hit to his stack would be costly, but the reverse is true if he climbs quickly.

Seat 3: Matija Dobric (57 Big Blinds)

The charismatic Croat has the third-largest stack at the final table and with the average stack being fairly shallow, could be a real threat. Dobric’s aggression at the felt is an appealing trait at the Main Event final table where history shows it can be profitable. Dobric has only $239,167 in lifetime tournament winnings, but if any player at the final table takes him for being less experienced, they are wrong to do so. Dobric has cashed an incredible 11 times at the World Series – including two online cashes – in the past 10 months alone and came 32^nd in last November’s WSOP Main Event for his biggest cash of $198,550. He’s already guaranteed to win three times that even if he is the first player to leave the final table.

Verdict: The Croatian is going to bring fireworks, whether he wins or loses. Could decide the destiny of the bracelet with one major hand.

Seat 4: Michael Duek (41 Big Blinds)

Duek is one of the most deceptively dangerous players at the final table. Winning his biggest-ever live result of $548,015 in Event #69 of this year’s World Series, Argentinian player Duek was only denied his first bracelet by second-place Shiva Dudani and eventual winner Sean Troha. Duek now has the chance to win the biggest event of all and carve his name in history, and has cashed five times during the 2022 World Series, including in this Main Event.

Verdict: One to be watched. If others don’t take him seriously, he might just surprise them.

Seat 5: Matthew Su (69 Big Blinds)

One of the two chip leaders at the final table, Su is joint-highest with 69 big blinds. Su has really impressed on his run to the WSOP Main Event final table, but incredibly only has just under $50,000 in lifetime tournament with three recorded ranking cashes. He built his stack with a series of steady, solid plays on Day 7, however, and Su looks to have no fear in pressing opponents into making mistakes as he has displayed throughout the Main Event.

Verdict: Capable of some really steady play, will be interesting to see if his temperament holds to the very end.

Seat 6: John Eames (46 Big Blinds)

British hopes aren’t just pinned on Souki this year, with John Eames making the final in great shape chips-wise. Eames is known by everyone in the UK as part of the ‘Brit Pack’ that includes Jake Cody, James Akenhead, Charles Chattha, Toby Lewis and more. Eames has some serious old school skills, a fearless nature and a superb temperament. He’s cashed for $2.1 million in his career, including a WSOP Circuit win in 2014 in Las Vegas. Eames has the chance of adding a bracelet win eight years on, proving that despite him going quiet in terms of playing live poker, no-one should forget about his skills at the felt.

Verdict: A sleeper hit. If he makes the latter stages, he could end up being the favorite.

Seat 7: Jeffrey Farnes (29 Big Blinds)

Jeffrey Farnes is a home-grown U.S. hero with a huge local backing and fans from his native Blackfoot. Farnes has a wealth of cashes in WSOP Events and while he has only cashed in his native America, he has a tournament pedigree that stands up, with previous cashes in the Mini Main Event and Main Event itself. Whatever he cashes for now will be the biggest result of his career. Farnes has had some amazing hands already in this Main Event. Can he continue the run good and take the title?

Verdict: There has to be an early casualty and we think it could be Farnes. So near and yet so far.

Seat 8: Aaron Duczak (47 Big Blinds)

The intriguing Duczak is Canada’s last hope for the title and their first Main Event winner since Jonathan Duhamel in 2010. Duczak has a good stack and although he sits between both chip leaders and has one to his direct left, will have no fear. Duczak has over $423,000 in live poker tournament results, with a consistent record of success since his first tournament cash way back in 2006. Duczak could be hampered by his position but with WSOP Cashes around the world, will be guaranteed to top a million in live earnings wherever he finishes.

Verdict: Any early trouble might handcuff his ability to fight out of it and could become a victim of position.

Seat 9: Espen Jørstad (69 Big Blinds)

The Norwegian joint chip leader has shown his mettle over the course of a WSOP series where he has made his name. Full of enthusiasm on his social media and at the felt, he is the walking, talking example of positivity bringing success. It’s hard not to see him starring given that he has already won a bracelet this series and consistently shown his prowess in this year’s Main Event. Jørstad, who has $271,000 in cashes in his career to date, will be one of the favorites to run deep and we can’t see him missing out on the final day of action.

Verdict: Certainly capable of victory, a nagging feeling that he’ll fall just short.

Seat 10: Asher Coniff (21 Big Blinds)

A stack misread initially told fans that he’d have 25 big blinds to fight with, but the super-talented Coniff only has 21 big blinds to his name. In the rarified atmosphere of Day 7 of the WSOP Main Event, he looked as comfortable as if he was playing a home game, and with $2.8m in tournament winnings alone, no player at the final table has cashed for more in their careers. Coniff has all the skills and the poker personality to become an incredible world champion – a little like Koray Aldemir has been this past year – but the Main Event is a strange beast and sometimes the best player at the table doesn’t get the breaks. Has a decent starting position, though.

Verdict: So tough to call, because with chips, Coniff might be favorite, but without them, every player faces an uphill battle. Out in sixth place.

Official photographs courtesy of PokerGO, the home of live-streamed action throughout the 2022 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.