Just three players are left in the WSOP Main Event: Jordan Griff, Jonathan Tamayo and Niklas Astedt. If we were playing these three online, it would be tempting to tag them with some convenient player notes: Tamayo the ‘live grinder’, Astedt the ‘online GOAT’, Griff the ‘plucky amateur’.
But player notes only ever tell the briefest of stories. Every online player has come unstuck at some point against someone they’ve underestimated, and the same goes in the live arena.
Case in point: Jordan Griff may have come into this final table bearing the ‘amateur’ tag, with just a handful of results on his Hendon Mob page and most of his cashes worth less than the Main Event’s entry fee, but there are just three left, the stacks are fairly even, and the bracelet is within reach. The next note we put against his name might just read ‘World Champion’.
Jordan Griff is rolling with the punches
PokerOrg spoke with Griff after the end of a tough day’s play on Tuesday, in which the final table of nine was reduced to the three still in contention.
“I can’t even describe it,” he told us, “It’s amazing. It’s been such a long day, such a long week, such a long nine days. Just trying to play one hand at a time, trying to continue on and just trying to survive every day.”
It was doubtless one of the toughest days he’s had to survive so far, with nine battle-hardened players laser-focused on the $10 million up top and pulling out all the stops to build a stack big enough for that final push. Astedt set a trap with pocket queens to eliminate Joe Serock, Tamayo spiked a three-outer to beat Griff’s big slick, and throughout the day six players shoved all-in and lost. The texture of the table was constantly changing, but Griff - chip leader at the start of play - was prepared to adapt.
“There were a lot of changes in table dynamics throughout the day and a lot of adjustments I needed to make,” Griff explained. “Trying to understand everyone’s stack sizes and how everyone’s playing. It felt like it was rapidly changing, how the game was playing, and I was just trying to keep up with it.”
Those rapidly changing table dynamics can partly be ascribed to the unique styles of the players involved. If we were tagging these guys using online player notes we’d probably need nine different colors, as no two of the final nine played alike.
“Everyone’s got a different playstyle, everyone plays a different amount of hands. You may have an opinion of someone when they have a short stack, and then they get a big stack and you really have to take away those preconceived notions you have of someone.
“You have to try to make the best decisions in the moment with the information you have available.”
He may not have the resume of his rivals, but Griff is showing he has all the moves and awareness to take it down, should the cards fall his way. He comes into the final day third in chips, but not by much. With blinds at 1.5M/3M/3M, Astedt has around 74 big blinds, Tamayo 66 and Griff 62.
We know what can happen when an amateur beats the pros to the WSOP Main Event title. Forget the Moneymaker Effect, could we be in for ‘the Griff Effect’? We’ll know for sure by Wednesday night.
Jonathan Tamayo is ready to take his shot
Tamayo is currently second in this three-way stand-off, and knows how lucky he is. All-in and at risk at the final table with 
preflop, Tamayo had a tough task to outrun Griff’s 
, but that’s exactly what happened.
“I couldn’t believe I hit a three-outer at the final table of the Main,” Tamayo told us. “It doesn’t feel like real life. I knew what the realistic expectation was, and this exceeds it right now.”
With that lucky break behind him, Tamayo clearly appreciates the position he’s in.
“I really shouldn’t be here three-handed, but I’m here, there’s a shot.”
Niklas Astedt is using his instincts
And how about the man with more than $48 million in lifetime online tournament winnings? Niklas Astedt seems to be as comfortable under the lights of the TV table as he is grinding 20 tables at a time online.
“You have way more information when you’re sitting looking at the guy across the table,” Astedt told us. But even this titan of the poker world has to take it step-by-step at this most precarious of final tables, where a single slip-up could potentially cost you $6,000,000 in prize money - the difference between first and third.
“One hand at a time and try to play well, that’s all I’m trying to think about,” Astedt told PokerOrg, “Pay attention, and trust your gut.”
The final day of action is due to begin at 2pm. Stay tuned to PokerOrg Instant Live for updates from the rail, all day until poker’s new World Champion is crowned.
