From the 8,659 players that started the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event eight days ago, just nine still remain and Germany’s Hossein Ensan stands high above the rest as the chip leader. Now all that stands between him and the $10,000,000 first place prize money is eight other players all hoping to do the same.

Another German, Robert Heidorn, was eliminated in tenth place in the very early hours of Saturday morning pausing the clock on the second-largest WSOP Main Event in history until Sunday evening.

Ensan ended play with 177,000,000 and is well ahead of the rest of the field with 34.3% of the chips in play. The 55-year-old former European Poker Tour Prague champion was responsible for only one elimination after just three tables remained. Ensan busted Marcelo Cudos in 23rd place to put his stack at 57,500,000. He more than tripled that stack over the next eight hours without eliminating another opponent.

Garry Gates bagged up 99,300,000 for the second biggest stack. Gates eliminated two players, Mihai Manole in 18th and Henry Lu in 11th, on his way to the final table.

Zhen Cai sits third with 60,600,000 and is the only other player with a stack bigger than the 57,200,000 stack. The Florida native, and best friend of 2018 Main Event runner-up Tony Miles, picked up just one elimination, sending Preben Stokkan out in 21st.

The three players in the middle of the chip counts include Kevin Maahs with 43,000,000, Alex Livingston (37,800,000), and Dario Sammartino (33,400,000).

The three shortest stacks are separated by just 3.3 big blinds. Milos Skrbic finished with 23,400,000, start of day chip leader Timothy Su ended with 20,200,000 and Nick Marchington has 20,100,000 in the bag.

Marchington, just 21 years old, could become the youngest player to win the Main Event should he manage to rise from the shortest stack still in play. Marchington is a few months younger than current record holder Joe Cada.

When play resumes on Sunday night there will be just over 90 minutes remaining in the 500,000/1,000,000 (1,000,000 BBA) level. No player will have less than 20 big blinds when action resumes.

Main Event Final Table Chip Counts

1. Hossein Ensan – 177,000,000
2. Garry Gates – 99,300,000
3. Zhen Cai – 60,600,000
4. Kevin Maahs – 43,000,000
5. Alex Livingston – 37,800,000
6. Dario Sammartino – 33,400,000
7. Milos Skrbic – 23,400,000
8. Timothy Su – 20,200,000
9. Nick Marchington – 20,100,000

Final Table Has International Flavor

The nine players at the final table represent six different countries. Ensan is from Germany, Livingston is Canadian, Sammartino is Italian, Skrbic is Serbian, and Marchington is from England. The remaining four players, Gates, Cai, Maahs, and Su, are all American.

Yuri Dzivielevski Last #1 Standing

Brazilain Yuri Dzivielevski narrowly missed out on making the final three tables but still earned the best finish by a former #1-ranked PocketFiver. Dzivielevski finished 28th for $261,430.

WSOP Main Event Final Table Broadcast Schedule

Sunday, July 14 – 7 PM on ESPN2
Monday, July 15 – 7 PM on ESPN
Tuesday, July 16 – 6 PM on ESPN

All times Pacific