2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Profile: Hossein Ensan

5 min read
2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Profile: Hossein Ensan

Brought to you by the WSOP-C Playground, hosted by Playground Poker Club and partypoker LIVE. Last year's long-awaited return to Canada of the WSOP Circuit smashed attendance records. The $1,100 Main Event with a huge $2,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and the $330 Colossus with a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool of its own are two of the seven events on tap for this year's edition, which is expected to attract even larger fields than last year's record-breaking series.


Final Table Profile Hossein Ensan

Seat:1
Chip Count:177,000,000 (1/9)
Big Blinds:177
Age:55
Hometown:M��nster, Germany

Hossein Ensan's Main Event Story

Born in Iran, 55-year-old Hossein Ensan moved to Germany at the age of 25 and has been crushing the poker scene since 2013, although he started playing when he was just 18 years old.

Ensan started with mixed game variants when he was a kid, eventually honing his hold'em skills and going on a tear in Europe. "I love poker," smiled Ensan. He has accumulated over $2.6 million in earnings and earned a World Series of Poker Circuit ring in 2017 in Rozvadov in Event #11: �1,650 No Limit Hold'em Main Event for �184,812.

He finished in third place in the 2014 European Poker Tour (EPT) � 5,300 Main Event in Barcelona for �652,667. Since Ensan came just short of winning his first EPT title in that year, he decided to give it another shot in 2015 in the �5,300 EPT Prague Main Event and took the whole thing down for �754,510, making it his most significant career score.

"Experience is more important than books. Poker is from skill, luck, good run, and strategy. So, this is the point."

Now, Ensan is on poker's biggest stage and looks to add a WSOP bracelet to his decorated resume.

When asked if he is nervous, Ensan told PokerNews: "I am experienced since 2002 in hold'em. Experience is more important than books. Poker is from skill, luck, good run, and strategy. So, this is the point."

Winning the entire Main Event generally comes with the added pressure of being an ambassador, and Ensan is undoubtedly capable of this. The current chip leader mingling with everyone, and enjoying the short breaks is a bit of a rare sight these days.

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Ensan also mentioned that winning the Main Event would be validation for the hard work he has put in this last year. "This confirms my game, and I know I can play poker. This is nice!" exclaimed Ensan.

How Hossein Ensan Got to the Final Table

DayEnd-of-Day Chip CountRank
1c180,000137/3,647
2c209,000531/1,793
3336,000603/1,084
43,250,00014/354
57,100,00024/106
634,500,0002/35
7177,000,0001/9

Hossein Ensan's Key Hands

A massive hand on Day 7 went down against Nick Marchington to bring Ensan over 100 million in chips. During Level 34: 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 big blind ante, Ensan raised to 1 million from the cutoff and Marchington defended his big blind.

The flop came A?8?5?, and Marchington checked. Ensan continued with the aggression and bet 1 million again. Marchington check-raised to 4 million, and Ensan thought about it before tossing in a call. The turn was the 2?, and Marchington led out for 9.5 million. Ensan decided to call, swelling the pot to almost 30 million in chips.

The dealer completed the board with the 6? and Marchington decided to fire out a bet of 25 million this time. Ensan wasted no time and snap-called, tabling A?5? for aces up. Marchington mucked, but the live stream revealed he had 10?2? for bottom pair.

"I have history with [Marchington]," explained Ensan. "I played two days with him, so I know how he plays - with pressure and aggressive. He just called and no three-bet. If he three-bet, maybe I fold before the flop. Eights, maybe. But fives, I have a five blocker. I am deep, and I have two pair," explained Ensan.

His gut was right, and the call put him squarely out front of the pack with the final table getting closer.

What to Watch For

Based on his intuition in the vital hand above, Ensan's experience is going to be what allows him to rise to the top in this event. Between his deep EPT runs for close to a million dollars, and the number of years he has been on the felt, it's likely Ensan will be calm and focused while playing for $10 million.

"Money is very important for everyone. My plan is to continue my game."

"Money is very important for everyone. My plan is to continue my game. After tomorrow I have to work. I have 10 million, maybe 1 million, maybe 4 million," said Ensan.

Breaking down hands is another skill of Ensan's, as he was able to correctly call against Marchington's three streets of aggression to take a massive lead on Day 7. Reading his opponents and figuring out why they are betting in certain spots will be critical skills that Ensan will put to use as he tries to navigate his way to a victory in the 2019 WSOP Main Event.

Ensan commented on his prediction for his result in this event: "My chance for top three is [good]. Ninth, never. Eighth, I think also. [I'm hoping for] five to first."

Hossein Ensan

2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Seating

SeatPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Hossein EnsanGermany177,000,000177
2Nick MarchingtonUnited Kingdom20,100,00020
3Dario SammartinoItaly33,400,00033
4Kevin MaahsUnited States43,000,00043
5Timothy SuUnited States20,200,00020
6Zhen CaiUnited States60,600,00061
7Garry GatesUnited States99,300,00099
8Milos SkrbicSerbia23,400,00023
9Alex LivingstonCanada37,800,00038

There is 1:31:35 remaining in Level 37 (500,000/1,000,000, with a 1,000,000-big blind ante).

2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Payout

PositionPrize
1$10,000,000
2$6,000,000
3$4,000,000
4$3,000,000
5$2,200,000
6$1,850,000
7$1,525,000
8$1,250,000
9$1,000,000

2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Player Stats

PlayerFirst CashWSOP CashesCareer EarningsBiggst CashGPI Ranking
Zhen Cai200821$213,995$46,90012,632
Hossein Ensan20133$2,673,206$860,0917,331
Garry Gates201015$243,129$64,53025,386
Alex Livingston200917$732,874$451,3983,866
Kevin Maahs20161$61,213$20,6257,005
Nick Marchington20191$12,415$12,41530,643
Dario Sammartino200838$8,044,479$1,608,29578
Milos Skrbic20116$1,670,572$1,087,603457
Timothy Su20181$2,467$1,08059,081

Stats courtesy of WSOP.com and HendonMob.com.

2019 World Series of Poker Main Event infographic depicting the chip counts of the final nine

The 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event returns to action Sunday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m. local time. A Main Event Day 7 recap can be found here. You can follow the action via the PokerNews Live Reporting Blog where we'll detail all the hands in our exclusive WSOP Main Event Live Updates.

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