Winter is coming. And that means big decisions for poker players around the world. Bracelets in The Bahamas? WPT’s World Championship in Vegas? Or snow with the EPT in Prague? In this daily series, we’ll find out what the players are up to and, more importantly, why.
The legendary Spaniard, Adrian Mateos, heads into December just sixty-two points behind the surging Jesse Lonis for the Global Poker Index Player of the Year title.
During the third week of October, Adrian posted an exuberant message on X stating that he was the new sheriff in town as the GPI leader. It was a short-lived celebration, as Lonis would win a huge Triton event for $1.5 million a mere sixteen days later.
It’s now a toss-up between Lonis, Mateos and David Coleman for the title. Who have you got your money on?
It's a tight race for the GPI Player of the Year. Where are you playing this December?
I will attend WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas. Last year, I went to both the Bahamas and then Vegas for the WPT events. But this year, the tournaments in Vegas are smaller, and the buy-ins are smaller. The Bahamas events are getting bigger.
I will only play Paradise because the events conflict at the same time. I plan to focus only there and do my best to win my fifth bracelet. That would be amazing.
What events are you looking forward to in Paradise?
There is one huge one, the $500K Invitational. It's one of the biggest buy-ins of this year. I’m pretty excited to play it. I always like these big tournaments because everyone is so hyped and extra motivated.
What do you think about this three-way competition between the tours?
I would love to play all of them. The EPT is an amazing circuit. I usually play all of them. I cannot play in Prague, though, because it’s invariably the same time as The Bahamas or Vegas.
How do you go about deciding where to play?
I normally choose the one that has the biggest stakes. This year, it’s the WSOP Paradise festival.
Let's see what happens next year. It will be nice for them not to conflict with each other, but it's also good for poker to have some rivalry between the big brands. They can give us an excellent product to attend by making an event the biggest of the year, making a reduced rake, or qualifying people with different promotions.
You travel a lot for the game. Where are you right now?
I’m in London. I spend most of my time in London when I'm not traveling, but also when it's summertime and the weather is better.
Where will you go after the WSOP events?
After The Bahamas, it's Christmas time. I plan to go to Madrid for a few weeks. I want to enjoy spending time with my family and friends there. Life in Spain is the high life. I enjoy my time there. I would love to live there but I can't until I change my job. For the moment, I enjoy playing poker, so it's tough to go back to Spain permanently.
You are also an ambassador for a big poker brand.
Yes. I have been an ambassador for Winamax for seven years. I'm very happy working with them. They understand my needs. When we started negotiating the contract, I always told them, this is my second job. My first job is to be the best player I can be. They understand this and help me in my high-stakes poker career. My goal is to be one of the best poker players in the world. I think that goal of mine is great for them also. I'm happy working with them and trying to make a lot of content with them in the future.
What have you created lately?
I just finished recording a big show called Inside the Mind of the Pro in English. It's a pretty big show. We just recorded for four days and many episodes. It will cover my Main Event at the WSOP this past summer.
We start from the beginning; from day one, I will explain every hand I play and why I played it that way. Players and fans will be right there with me, feeling my emotions, etc. I think people will love it. I’m excited about this, and it's coming out soon.
Were you a child who gravitated toward competitions growing up?
Yes. From a young age, my parents have always taught me and showed me the importance of sports. I started playing football and tennis when I was a kid.
At one point, I decided football sucked because we would only play one match per weekend. What I enjoyed the most was the match day more than the training. What motivated me was the competition, the match. So, I changed football to tennis because I can compete in several tournaments over a weekend and two or three matches daily.
During my childhood, I quickly realized that competing against others is something I love. It prepares you for the real world, where everyone fights for the same things and tries to overcome obstacles. I think it’s really important.
Who would win today in a tennis match with Patrik Antonius?
(Laughs) I’ve played with him. But it’s been a long time. And I haven’t played tennis that much over the last few years because of my poker schedule. He’s a good player.
It sounds like you’re a bit hesitant to challenge him.
I don’t want to say who would win, I’m too competitive. Right now, I’ll focus on my poker career and the GPI PoY.
Follow Adrian on X.
