Jonathan Tamayo, a pro from Humble, Texas, won $10 million by moving from third to first at a relatively rapid WSOP Main Event final table. (Image: WSOP)

It started at a breakneck pace, but it would finish with a thrilling back-and-forth fight between two unlikely contenders. In the end, the 2024 World Series of Poker $10,000 Main Event World Championship saw a stunning comeback from the man who started heads-up play at a severe disadvantage, Jonathan Tamayo. Along the way, some other surprises will make the 2024 tournament one to remember. 

Two Americans, One Swede … Only One Bracelet

Three men were left from the original nine-player final table, and each man had a unique story that would make them memorable. The chip leader was Sweden’s Niklas Astedt, who was the only player with over 200 million in chips with 231 million. 

Astedt was by far the most decorated of the trio of players, with over $48 million in online winnings and sixty cashes at the WSOP. 

Behind Astedt were two US players who were remarkably close together in the chip count. Tamayo would start the day in the second slot with 197 million in chips, and he had some experience at the WSOP Main Event with a 21st-place finish in 2009 in the bank. The short stack – if you can call 187 million chips a “short stack” – was held by Jordan Griff, a relative neophyte compared to his two opponents with his largest tournament cash of only $18,104.

Astedt came out of the gate looking to put away his opposition quickly, but it only would succeed in his lead going over to Griff after a few missed hands. That would result in a stunning elimination that many in the Horseshoe in Las Vegas were not expecting. 

Six hands into Wednesday’s play, Astedt raised the betting and called a three-bet out of Griff to see a 10-9-3 flop. First to act, Griff powered out another 28 million chip bet, which Astedt called, to see a Jack come on the turn. With two potential flush draws on the table with the three to the straight, Griff felt it was time to defend his hand and moved all in for 159 million in chips. 

It was an agonizing five minutes for Griff as Astedt rolled the hand over in his mind. After his deliberations, Astedt settled on the fact that he thought Griff was bluffing and made a hero call against the amateur. Griff was far from bluffing; he had flopped a set with his pocket 9s. Astedt could only muster a K-J for top pair and a gutshot straight draw. 

A King on the river gave Astedt two pair, but it wasn’t enough as Griff’s set ruled the day; after the chips were counted, it was Astedt who was the player at risk and out of the tournament in third place in stunning fashion. 

The Grind for a World Championship

Now stacked with 432.5 million in chips, Griff was in a dominant position over Tamayo (174.5 million), and it was looking like it would be a quick night in “The Thunderdome.” 

Tamayo was not ready for the party to conclude, however, and in the span of four heads-up hands had pulled into the lead. For the next ninety minutes, the two men would push the chips between each other, with neither able to find the coup de grace to eliminate his opponent. 

After 35 hands of play, Tamayo was finally able to take a lead that he would not relinquish. After a bet of 12 million from Griff, Tamayo would call with only a 9♠ 7♠ for battle. 

Any time you can flop a pair in heads-up play you have an advantage, and that’s exactly what happened for Tamayo, hitting on the 9-8-3 flop. They would both check that flop, but after a four came on the turn, Tamayo fired out a thirty million chip bet that Griff called. A five hit the river and Tamayo fired another bullet, this time for 62 million, which was a bit rich for Griff’s blood as he slid his (beaten) 10-4 to the muck.

That hand put Tamayo into the lead and Tamayo would keep the pressure on Griff throughout the rest of the tournament. Although Griff was able to slip into the lead at one point, Tamayo quickly claimed it back and, 30 hands after he had originally taken control of the tournament, Tamayo would end the party. 

On Hand #235, Tamayo pushed out a bet that was called by Griff to see a 9-8-3 flop. That flop looked innocent, but Tamayo’s ten million chip bet saw Griff pop it to forty million. Tamayo would move all in, Griff would make the call for less, and the cards went to their backs:

Griff: 9-6 (top pair)
Tamayo: 8-3 (bottom two pair)

Tamayo had several cards to dodge, but the A♣ was not one of them. Griff was looking for a six or another Ace that would make a better two pair, and neither would come on the river five. With that, Jonathan Tamayo became poker’s latest World Champion and picked up the massive WSOP Main Event bracelet -- this year with a detachable face that can be used as a card protector -- and the $10 million first-place prize: 

1. Jonathan Tamayo (USA), $10 million
2. Jordan Griff (USA), $6 million
3. Niklas Astedt (Sweden), $4 million
4. Jason Sagle (Canada), $3 million
5. Boris Angelov (Bulgaria), $2.5 million
6. Andres Gonzalez (Spain), $2 million
7. Brian Kim (USA), $1.5 million
8. Joe Serock (USA) $1.25 million
9. Malo Latinois (France), $1 million