WPTSA Main Event Final Table Preview

The final table is set at the WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic and one player is chasing history in South Africa…

HISTORY IN THE MAKING?

A total of 19 players have won two or more events on the World Poker Tour including Carlos Mortensen (GPI#246) and Gus Hansen (GPI#3039) each of which have won three times.

What Mortensen, Hansen or any of the other 17 2x or 3x winners have never done? Win the same event twice. That’s exactly what German star Dominik Nitsche (GPI#54) is about to attempt to do. Nitsche, who won his very first WPT event right here at the Emperors Palace Poker Classic. On Monday, Nitsche will try to make it two for two in South Africa.

Nitsche will start the day third in chips and although there are two big stacks ahead of him at the final table, the three stacks below him are fairly short and someone with Nitsche’s experience and results on the live tournament circuit, despite his very young age, you can expect that he will try to take advantage of those small stacked individuals early during final table play on Monday.

DU PLESSIS’ BIG STACK

Day 1 chip leader Eugene Du Plessis (GPI#2475) has been contending throughout this event, so its no surprise that the South African will be the chip leader once final table play starts. Du Plessis will take 45% of the total chips in play with him on Monday.

The day wasn’t so kind to the 21 other players who entered Day 3 play with the hopes of making their way to the WPT Final Table but notables Tom Koral (GPI#571), Gaëlle Baumann (GPI#1005), Jason Strauss (GPI#3451) and the others will have to settle with secondary prizes here in Johannesburg.

Here is a closer look at the final table participants:

[table id=537 /]

›› Final tabled the WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic in Season XI (finished fourth)
›› WPTSA result remains only cash on live tournament circuit
›› WPT Career: 1 cash, $56,321 USD in earnings

[table id=538 /]

›› Won WSOP Circuit South Africa High Roller event in 2012 ($97,000)
›› Finished 45th at this year’s Aussie Millions Main Event
›› WPT Career: First cash on the World Poker Tour

[table id=539 /]

›› Final table chip leader
›› Five WSOP cashes in the past three years
›› WPT Career: First cash on the World Poker Tour

[table id=540 /]

›› Recently finished third in WSOP Europe Main Event (€400,000)
›› Won WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic last season ($206,153)
›› Won WSOP bracelet (1K NLH) in 2012 at the age of 21
›› First cash on the circuit came when he won LAPT Grand Final in 2009
›› Will cross the $3,000,000 in earnings mark with a fourth-or-better finish
›› WPT Career: 1 win, 4 cashes, $280,863 USD in earnings

[table id=541 /]

›› Finished ninth at a APPT Macau prelim event this past June (6,600 HKD)
›› This marks the third career of his career, first in a major tournament
›› WPT Career: First cash on the World Poker Tour

[table id=542 /]

›› Recently earned two Top 10 finishes in EPT London prelim events
›› Cashed at WPT Borgata Poker Open in September
›› Won the Seminole Hard Rock Winter Open in 2011 ($53,951)
›› WPT Career: 1 cash, $8,828 USD in earnings

The WPT Live Updates team will keep you posted over at WPT.com as we play down to a winner on Monday … will history be made at the WPT Emperors Palace Poker Classic? We’ll soon find out!

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