WSOP Main Event final table down to 3; Swedish online pro leads

Niklas Astedt looked as if he was going to steamroll the final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event.

The professional poker player settled for the chip lead when action in the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship at Horseshoe Las Vegas was halted Tuesday with three players remaining.

The Main Event continues at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Horseshoe Las Vegas and is scheduled to play down to a winner.

The remaining players from the record field of 10,112 entrants are guaranteed at least $4 million with $10 million up top for the winner.

Astedt eliminated Jason Sagle of Canada in fourth place late Tuesday and is sitting on 223 million chips, while professional poker player Jonathan Tamayo of Humble, Texas, was second with 197 million chips. Jordan Griff of Schaumburg, Illinois, will have 187 million.

“I’m just proud that I’ve been able to stay composed, to play my game,” Astedt said. “Today I enjoyed a lot. It was so much fun. I’m so happy everyone came.”

Astedt, known by the username “Lena900,” is regarded as one of the best online tournament poker players in history with more than $48.6 million in documented winnings. He was voted the best online player in history in a 2021 poll conducted by PocketFives.

The 33-year-old from Gothenburg, Sweden, was by far the most active player at the final table and raced to a commanding chip lead, then briefly fell behind Griff before regaining the top spot later in the evening.

Martin Jacobson in 2014 is the only Swedish player to win the Main Event.

The biggest pot for Astedt came against Brian Kim, who was eliminated in seventh place to put Astedt in firm control. After Kim three-bet to 11.8 million with king-six of clubs, Astedt re-raised to 18 million from the big blind with pocket 10s.

Boris Angelov got out of the way before Kim jammed his remaining stack of 53.9 million into the middle. Astedt made a crying call after asking how much Kim was all-in for and flopped a set to put a stranglehold on the hand. Kim turned a flush draw, but the six of spades on the river was no help.

“My instinct was that Niklas considered folding after he peeled his cards and then he four-bet. And just something about it didn’t feel like he had the (pocket aces),” Kim said in an interview with PokerGO after he was eliminated. “I just thought I could clear out some of the ace-x bluffs. Sometimes you go for it and it doesn’t work out. Obviously he did a good job adjusting and four-betting 10s. It’s just how it goes.”

Kim earned $1.5 million for his run. He topped his 23rd-place finish in the 2022 Main Event.

“I’m a bit sad because it’s a bit of a punt, right?” Kim said. “In this lineup you just kind of have to battle. You can’t just sit there and wait around. So I don’t think my play was completely tragic. I feel good about it, and I think it was a great run.”

Tamayo is an experienced pro with four WSOP Circuit event wins. He was 21st in the 2009 Main Event and is roommates with 2015 Main Event champion Joe McKeehen.

Griff is a recreational player who now resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. He came into the final table with the chip lead and managed to stay out of harm’s way while maintaining one of the big stacks.

Joe Serock finished in eighth place when his ace-jack was bested by the pocket queens of Astedt. Serock earned $1.25 million.

Malo Latinois of France was ninth for $1 million after being knocked out by Griff.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.