The Predator and the Prey: Adrian Mateos Takes Command in the $50,000 Super High Roller at EPT Cyprus

Poker is often a game of survival—a delicate dance where, on some days, you’re the predator basking in your conquest, while on others, you’re the unwitting prey to the more skillful players. Day 2 of the much-anticipated $50,000 Super High Roller at the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus exemplified this chess-like tension, where one player rose from the ashes to achieve an astonishing turnaround: Spain’s Adrian Mateos.

A Rocky Start

Mateos began Day 2 with one of the shortest stacks in a fierce field comprised of poker’s elite. His struggles on Day 1 led him to fire off three bullets in a desperate bid to stay alive, but he seemed to be playing the long game, understanding that patience and strategy could turn his fortunes around. This day would mark his metamorphosis from a downtrodden stack to a commanding presence at the table.

Navigating the Shark-Infested Waters

As the day unfolded, it became clear that Mateos had not only rebounded; he was now on a hunt of his own. Expertly navigating the highs and lows of intense competition, he began chipping away at his opponents. By the end of the day, Mateos managed to implement strategies that allowed him to catapult to the chip lead, closing the day with a staggering 5,175,000 chips, equivalent to 104 big blinds. He would now lead into the final table against a shiver of elite players, including Roman Hrabec, Mikalai Vaskaboinikau, Artur Martirosian, Alexander Zubov, and Jamil Wakil.

EPT Cyprus Super High Roller Seat Draw

In preparation for the final table, here’s how the players were seated:

Memorable Moments and Big Hands

The action on Day 2 was nothing short of poker theatre. The field, initially cropped down to 16 from the original 47 players, generated a whopping $2,279,970 prize pool. With play at a frenetic pace, notable players such as EPT Main Event winners Dimitar Danchev and Ognyan Dimov were sent to the rail, alongside defending champion Juan Pardo.

Spain’s Vicente Delgado, who proudly wore the chip lead at the start of Day 2, initially blazed through the early part of the day but was ultimately dethroned by Hrabec following a dramatic confrontation. As the big pots unfolded, one of the most explosive moments occurred when Hrabec turned pocket tens into quads in a three-way confrontation, dramatically shifting the momentum at the table.

Mateos’s ascent to the top included crucial moments: he first doubled through Delgado with a set of tens, then eliminated Manuel Fritz with a well-timed straight. His aggression proved fruitful as he eventually surpassed Delgado, and things heated up between the two Spaniards—culminating in a significant clash that would propel Mateos into an unassailable lead.

The Final Table Begins

As the final table commenced, the first hand of significance involved a showdown between Vaskaboinikau and Daniel Rezaei. Vaskaboinikau’s pocket nines stood against Rezaei’s Big Slick. The tension mounted as both players played aggressively, but Vaskaboinikau emerged victorious, effectively sealing Rezaei’s fate to a mere third of a big blind.

Bubble play intensified as the night wore on, culminating in dramatic folds and unexpected hands that provided an exhilarating atmosphere. Notable moments occurred when Thomas Eychenne, who had only four big blinds, quadrupled up dramatically, although he would later find himself eliminated by Martirosian.

Looking Ahead: Day 3 and Payouts

The final table is set to resume play at 12:30 p.m. local time with a thrilling finish on the horizon. Each of the six remaining players has secured at least $159,600, yet their eyes are undoubtedly on the grand prize—a whopping $786,570 that awaits the eventual champion. As the stakes rise alongside the blinds, players will face an intense battle not just for chips, but for supremacy in one of poker’s most prestigious fields.

As always, stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates and to keep up with the exhilarating developments from the EPT Cyprus, where every hand holds the promise of legacy and intrigue. Whether in the role of predator or prey, every player is woven into the fabric of this high-stakes drama that defines the essence of poker.