button in SafariAdrian Mateos Completes Unwanted Hat Trick of Poker Masters Bubbles
Table Of Contents
Spanish superstar Adrian Mateos is widely considered to be one of the best No-Limit Hold'em tournament players to have ever picked up cards. With six World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and over $70 million in live earnings, it is easy to see why Mateos is so highly thought of.
When you look at the Spaniard's results, it would be easy to assume that he sun-runs whenever he buys into a tournament. If you need evidence to the contrary, look at PokerNews' live updates from the 2026 Poker Masters.
Three of the 10 scheduled 2026 Poker Masters events are done and dusted, with a fourth down to only five players. As you would expect, Mateos has been present and correct in all four of those events. But what if we told you that the man known online as "Amadi_017" has finished on the stone bubble in three of those events.
Aces Cracked
Mateos' first bubble came in Event #1: $10,500 No-Limit Hold'em. He got his chips into the middle with pocket aces against the pocket nines of Craig Mason, and a nine on the flop sent the Spaniard home in 13th place on the pure bubble.
Big Slick Gets Out-Flopped
On the bubble in Event #3: $10,500 No-Limit Hold'em, Mateos was all-in from the small blind with ace-king against the suited jack-nine of Michael Rossitto. The latter flopped two pair, and Mateos was drawing dead on the turn, and another 13th-place finish and bubble was his.
Third Bubble in Four Events
Amazingly, a day later, Mateos popped the bubble in Event #4: $10,500 No-Limit Hold'em. This time, Mateos was all-in and at-risk holding ace-seven of clubs against Chris Hunichen's red pocket nines. A queen-high board sent Mateos to the rail in 13th place and on the bubble for the third time in four events!
The only tournament Mateos hasn't finished on the bubble was Event #2: $10,500 No-Limit Hold'em, where he finished second to Nicholas Palma. Even then, he got the last of his chips in good with ace-nine against Palma's dominated ace-six of hearts. However, the board ultimately gifted Palma an unlikely seven-high straight, thereby resigning Mateos to a $151,200 consolation prize.
There's no doubt that Mateos will dust himself down and return to the action on October 16 inEvent #5: $10,500 No-Limit Hold'em. Keep an eye on PokerNews' live updates when the money bubble approaches and see if Mateos can push through it again.
