WSOP 2023: Steven Jones, Daniel Weinman and Adam Walton Final Three of Main Event

With just three days of action remaining at the 2023 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris casinos in Las Vegas, it was time for arguably the most exciting day on the poker calendar for fans of the game. The Main Event final table kicked off with the first of two days of play, and the final nine were whittled down to three in swift order, setting the stage for a deep-stacked final day in the quest for the title of Main Event champion and a record-setting $12.1 million payday.

Jones Claims Lead in Main Event; All-American Trio Remains

At the start of the two-day final table of the 2023 WSOP Main Event, a triumvirate of Americans stood tall atop the leaderboard. The order changed slightly, but Steven Jones (238 million), Daniel Weinman (199 million) and Adam Walton (165.5 million) were able to outlast the six other international players in a brisk 116-hand Day 9, locking up a guaranteed payday of $4 million and keeping their hopes of a record $12.1 million payout alive.

Italy’s Daniel Holzner came into the final table eighth in chips, and fell to last after getting his aces cracked by Jan-Peter Jachtmann’s top set. Holzner was able to secure one short stack double, but a few hands later, the Italian three-bet shoved for his last 11 big blinds with , and Jones made the call with . A dry board spelled the end of Holzner’s run, and he exited the Thunderdome as the last player to earn a six-figure score.

Without a "One Time!" left to cash in, Daniel Holzner is the 9th place finisher in the 2023 @WSOP Main Event.

Holzner had some luck to stay alive in the event, but it has finally run out and he'll take home $900,000 for his run.

? – Watch live here: https://t.co/C7kNr4UgiN pic.twitter.com/wvA3HUg6YM

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 17, 2023

It took just two hands to go from eight to seven, as Day 7 chip leader Juan Maceiras ripped his last 11 big blinds in with from middle position, and Toby Lewis woke up with in the big blind and put Maceiras at risk with a call. There was even less drama in the second elimination of the day, as a flop left Maceiras looking for running cards to survive. No such luck would come on the turn, and the meaningless river fell to officially end the Spaniard’s run in eighth for $1.125 million.

From Day 8 chip leader to an 8th place finish.

Juan Maceiras' run in the 2023 @WSOP Main Event comes to an end at the hands of @810ofclubs.

He'll take home $1,125,000 for his run.

? – Watch live here: https://t.co/C7kNr4UgiN. pic.twitter.com/MJg6XIeFHM

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 17, 2023

Despite the elimination, Lewis still resided in the bottom of the chip counts, and seven hands later, found his Main Event life on the line. Jones opened the action with a min-raise from the hijack with , the exact same hand he eliminated Holzner with. After Walton called in the cutoff with , Lewis three-bet shoved for his last 22 big blinds with . Jones called, and Walton got out of the way. The tens once again faced no adversity on a clean runout, and the most accomplished player remaining at the final table had to settle for a career-high $1.425 million consolation prize for his seventh-place performance.

Toby Lewis (@810ofclubs) is the 7th place finisher in the 2023 @WSOP Main Event.

Lewis began the day as the shortest stack, but was able to earn a couple of pay jumps at least before his elimination.

Lewis earned $1,425,000 for his run.

? – Watch here: https://t.co/C7kNr4UgiN pic.twitter.com/Ppm0rYtMZz

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 17, 2023

Level 39 had one more victim left to claim on the final hand, which saw the UK’s Dean Hutchinson get his last 14 big blinds in from the button with , only to run into the of Jachtmann in the big blind. Another drama-free board felted Hutchinson in sixth for $1.85 million.

The field is down to five in the 2023 @WSOP Main Event.

Dean Hutchinson moves in with fives and @jpjachtmann wakes up with sevens behind.

Hutchinson fails to improve and he'll take home $1,850,000 for his 6th place finish.

? – Watch Live Here: https://t.co/C7kNr4UgiN pic.twitter.com/ccL4d7EFCG

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 17, 2023

Ruslan Prydryk was left as the short stack of the five remaining players, but managed a quick double through Jones to earn some breathing room. The big stacks started leaning on the Ukrainian, however, and he was ground down to just twelve big blinds when he ripped in from the hijack. Weinman woke up with in the cutoff and called, and binked top two pair on a flop. Prydryk still had hope with a gutshot, and added some outs with the turn, but his tournament came to an end on the river, leaving him with fifth-place and $2.4 million for his efforts.

The 2023 @WSOP Main Event is down to the final four.

Ruslan Prydryk gets short and moves in with queen-ten. @notontilt09 calls with ace-jack and flops two pair, holding on to eliminate Prydryk.

Prydryk earns $2,400,000 for his run.

? – Watch Here: https://t.co/C7kNr4UgiN pic.twitter.com/jjh6FXc8ff

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 17, 2023

The day was originally supposed to come to a close when four players remained, but due to the speed at which the final four was reached, play continued on. Jachtmann lost a chunk of his stack after min-raising the on the button and being called by Jones and his in the big blind. Jones check-called 5 million on a innocuous flop, and hit the on the turn. Jones checked again, setting the trap for Jachtmann, who stepped in and fired 20.5 million of his remaining 74.5 million. Jones check-raised all in, prompting a swift fold from the now short-stacked Jachtmann.

Two hands later, Jachtmann three-bet shoved for his last 27 big blinds with over an open from Jones and a call from Walton. Unfortunately for the German, Walton was trapping with , and Jachtmann was dead by the turn of a board, leaving the former WSOP gold bracelet winner as the final elimination of Day 9.

The final three is set.

Jan-Peter Jachtmann (@jpjachtmann) runs into the aces of Adam Walton and drops in 4th place, collecting $3,000,000.

Walton, Steven Jones, and Daniel Weinman will return Monday where they will play to a winner.

? – Event Replay: https://t.co/C7kNr4UgiN pic.twitter.com/tYOK1wGWQj

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 17, 2023

The final three will return for Monday’s final day of play with plenty of play, as Jones (119 big blinds), Weinman (99.5 big blinds) and Walton (83 big blinds) all command massive stacks. Jones and Walton will be looking for their maiden bracelets, while Weinman will hope to add his second bit of WSOP gold to his coffers on Tuesday night.

Smith Denies Pupillo Second Bracelet in Mixed Omaha/Stud Hi-Lo

A trio of talented mixed game aficionados returned for a bonus day of play in Event #87: $2,500 Mixed Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better, and despite returning as the short stack, Canada’s Bradley Smith went on a tear to earn his first WSOP gold bracelet and $221,733, outlasting Nick Pupillo, who already earned his first WSOP gold bracelet this summer in the $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw event, and Nghia “3 Putts” Le, who notched his second podium finish in the 2023 WSOP. 

Shum Speeds to Victory in The Closer

Day 2 of Event #88: $1,500 The Closer saw a field of 258 players return, and it took thirteen hours for Pierre Shum to emerge victorious over a stacked final table, defeating the accomplished Missouri native Peter Nigh in heads-up play to earn his first WSOP bracelet and $606,810. Lisa Hamilton (10th – $47,160), Preston McEwen (11th – $47,160), Chris Moorman (15th – $29,910) and Dan Sindelar (26th – $24,060) all managed to make deep runs in the turbo format.

Reard in Command in Six-Max Championship

Event #90: $10,000 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em Championship couldn’t find a winner after three days of play, and four hopefuls will return for an extended Day 4 tomorrow to crown a champion. Alexandre Reard (18.45 million) has the other three players covered with his monster stack, meaning Stephen Chidwick (6.95 million), AJ Kelsall (4.5 million) and Justin Liberto (3.1 million) have their work cut out for them. Eric Baldwin (6th – $155,809), Phil Hellmuth (9th – $86,118), Felipe Ramos (13th – $51,951) and Taylor Paur (19th – $41,748) all managed nice paydays for their three days of play.

Eighteen Remain in $3k H.O.R.S.E.

Day 2 of Event #91: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. saw a field of 195 returning players play all the way down to just 18 after a full day of action, with Leonard August (1,926,000) holding a slim lead over Nick Guagenti (1,700,000). Plenty of familiar mixed game names remain on the leaderboard, including Todd Brunson (1,285,000), Barbara Enright (1,040,000), Kevin Gerhart (966,000) and Chad Eveslage (785,000), while Ari Engel (38th – $5,330), Mike Matusow (39th – $5,330), and Jen Harman (41st – $5,330) had to settle for a small cash.

Steinman Stays Hot in $1k Freezeout

The final freezeout on the 2023 WSOP schedule kicked off with Event #92: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout, and 1,710 players entered the fray in hopes of securing one of the last bracelets of the summer. Ian Steinman is no stranger to accumulating stacks, and did so again with a chip-leading bag of 883,000. Dylan Wilkerson (691,000), Bin Weng (611,000), Mustapha Kanit (393,000), and Benny Glaser (266,000) also survived among the 124 who will return for Day 2.

Nakanishi Looks to Defend $10k Short Deck Title

Day 1 of Event #93: $10,000 Short Deck Championship saw a small field of just 84 players take to the felt for the 36-card deck fun, and just 31 were able to secure a bag. Ivan Ermin (411,000) earned the chip lead, but all eyes will be on returning champ Shota Nakanishi (346,000), who needed two bullets to spin up his impressive stack. Other notables remaining include John Juanda (240,900), Chris Brewer (213,700), Sam Soverel (157,000) and Brian Rast (128,900).

Jason Clarke has 30 years of Main Event grinds in his future after winning the WSOP Main Event for Life drawing:

Jason Clarke of Ontario, Canada is the winner of the WSOP Main Event for Life drawing! We're excited to see you in the years to come. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/JpNfCC0uFf

— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 16, 2023

Phil Hellmuth has two more chances to pad his WSOP bracelet record, and seems up to the task:

I had a great feeling I was going to win my 18th @WSOP Bracelet before end of WSOP. Now, there are only 2 tourns left. Both No Limit Hold’em, both end Tues night: a 1 day and a 2 day. Hoping I can rest/recover enough to give myself a great shot: I am in the zone, so let us see.. pic.twitter.com/8DxaxxqJtX

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) July 17, 2023

We have a hunch who Matt Glantz is rooting for at the Main Event Final Table:

Two types of people in this world.
The Weineys and everyone else.

Are you a Weiney? Are you with us?@WSOP pic.twitter.com/5KzJT22rPl

— Matt Glantz (@MattGlantz) July 16, 2023

Truer words have never been said about the WSOP:

Before/during/after WSOP pic.twitter.com/nqOhbuwi51

— Melissa Schubert (@poodawgmelissa) July 16, 2023

Nick Schulman’s smooth voice for commentary was missed by Rob Kuhn:

It's a crime against poker that we don't get Shulman the whole FT, give the people what they want

— Pokerguru740 (@RobKuhn_) July 16, 2023

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