The final table of the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe Main Event has been determined and it is Anthony Zinno sitting in the top spot with 16.845 million chips. Just six players remain from the original 541 entries to compete for the €1,133,678 first prize.
Just one person is within realistic striking distance of Zinno: Alexandros Kolonias with 12.150 chips. After Kolonias is Anh Do with 8.725 million, only about half of what Zinno holds. Dario Sammartino is in fourth place withi 7.100 million chips, followed by Claas Segebrecht with 6.400 million and Rifat Palevic with 2.915 million.
And though I said Kolonias is the only one within “realistic striking distance” of Zinno, this is poker and it only takes a hand or two to chance the final table landscape.
Zinno is as familiar as anyone with how to navigate the final table of a major poker tournament. He won the World Poker Tour (WPT) Season XIII Player of the Year title thanks to consecutive titles – WPT L.A. Poker Classic and the Fallsview Poker Classic – and seven total cashes. He has also won two WSOP bracelets: once this year in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better event and once in the $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha event in 2015.
“My final day was a blast, a real blast,” Zinno told WSOP.com afterward. “I started the day feeling optimistic about the outcome, this is how I play every tournament, always focused on winning. I lost a preflop all-in during the final table with ace-jack versus ace-queen, but I tried to remain calm. I realized that I still have a big stack and there is no reason to be disappointed.”
He added, “It is very important to run well in these spots, and this is exactly what happened to me today. I ran pure.”
As often happens in these types of tournaments, the chip leader’s biggest hand came late. In fact, it happened on the last hand of the night. Julien Martini, the chip leader earlier in the tournament, raised to 450,000 pre-flop with Queens. Anh Do called with T-9 suited hearts, and Zinno three-bet to 1.700 million. Martini then shoved for 5.870 million, Do folded, and Zinno quickly called.
And no wonder he did. Zinno had Aces. Nothing on the board ended up helping Martini and he was eliminated in seventh place. Zinno, already in good shape, suddenly elevated to the chip lead as the final table was set.
Also of note for Thursday is Dario Sammartino, who finished as the runner-up in the World Series of Poker Main Event this summer in Las Vegas. He is now the fourth player to make both the WSOP and WSOP Europe final tables in the same year, following Ivan Demidov (2008), James Akenhead (2009), and Antoine Saout (2009).
The final table will commence at 2:00pm local time on Thursday.
2019 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event – Final Table Chip Counts
- Anthony Zinno – 16,845,000
- Alexandros Kolonias – 12,150,000
- Anh Do – 8,725,000
- Dario Sammartino – 7,100,000
- Claas Segebrecht – 6,400,000
- Rifat Palevic – 2,915,000
