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After Three Bubbles, Adrian Mateos Leads Poker Masters Event #5 Final Table
Day 1 of Event #5: $10,500 No-Limit Hold’em at the 2026 Poker Masters has come to a close inside the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
The event attracted a total of 85 entries, with the top 13 players earning a share of the $850,000 prize pool. After a long day of action, just seven players remain and will return tomorrow to battle it out at the final table for the title and the $229,500 top prize.
Final Table Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | 3,020,000 | 60 |
| 2 | Nick Schulman | United States | 2,195,000 | 44 |
| 3 | Jeremy Becker | United States | 1,715,000 | 34 |
| 4 | Martin Zamani | United States | 1,540,000 | 31 |
| 5 | Robert French | United States | 1,140,000 | 23 |
| 6 | Keith Lehr | United States | 775,000 | 16 |
| 7 | Matthew Wantman | United States | 280,000 | 6 |
Day 1 Action
Adrian Mateos leads the final seven players into Day 2. It has been an up-and-down series for the Spaniard, who has bubbled three of the first four events but also recorded a runner-up finish in Event #2. Now, Mateos finds himself in prime position to capture his first title of the series and make a run at the Purple Jacket for the player of the series.
Right behind Mateos in second place is Poker Hall of Famer Nick Schulman, who will be looking to add another title to his impressive resume. Jeremy Becker rounds out the top three in the chip counts as he looks to capture his second Poker Masters title.
Also advancing to the Final table is Martin Zamani, Robert French, Keith Lehr, and the short stack Matthew Wantman.
The star-studded field featured plenty of familiar faces, but not everyone was able to make it into the money. Dan Smith, Chris Brewer, Chris Moorman, Erik Seidel, and Jeremy Ausmus were among the notable players who fell short of a payday.
McKeehen Falls on the Money Bubble
After an extended money bubble that lasted more than two levels and saw several short stacks find crucial double-ups, it was ultimately Joe McKeehen who fell just short of the money.
McKeehen found himself on the wrong side of a brutal cooler, running his pocket kings into the pocket aces of Jeremy Becker. An ace on the turn left McKeehen drawing dead, bringing the lengthy bubble to an end and guaranteeing the remaining 13 players a minimum cash of $21,250.
With the money bubble finally burst, eliminations began to follow as the field continued to narrow. Daniyal Gheba Sean Perry, Sam Soverel, Justin Zaki, Brandon Wilson and the final elimination of the night Victoria Livschitz were among those who secured a payday but fell short of advancing to the final day.
The final seven players will return tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. local time, with action resuming in Level 18 with 16 minutes remaining and blinds at 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 big blind ante.
The final table will be streamed on PokerGO and its YouTube channel beginning at 1 p.m. local time.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage of the 2026 Poker Masters.