Final Four Players Square off on PokerGO for Heads Up Bracelet

Day 3 of the World Series of Poker $10,000 Heads Up Event returns with four players with the goal of winning two consecutive matches to win the bracelet and $336,656. Two returning WSOP Main Event champs, an up-and-coming high roller and a Vietnam Veteran that finished runner-up in the event last year.

The first semi-final match has 2013 Main Event Champ Ryan Riess against two-time Heads-Up Championship casher and Purple Heart winner John Smith. Riess and Smith and are scheduled to play at 3 pm PT (6 pm ET) with a 30-minute delay for hole cards exclusively on PokerGO.

“It might be my turn this year,” Smith said. “It’s not very often people get back to the same final table a second year in a row.”

“I’m an older person and they don’t think I can play like I do,” Smith said. “It’s deceiving and that’s why I’m lucky. It doesn’t bother me a bit who I’m playing – just another player.”

“I feel great – I’m exhausted honestly,” said Riess. The match with Dan Smith wiped me out honestly. I took my own 20-minute break, other people weren’t happy– I needed it.”

Ryan Riess’ match against Dan Smith took the full three hours to complete. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
“I won a key pot against Olivier and the whole match came down to that one hand,” Riess added. “The guys I played against were so good, I honestly don’t know how I won. I’ve had a good amount of heads-up experience this year, not lifetime, and I was on the good side of cards today – hopefully I can say that Friday night.”

The second match features 2013 WSOP Europe Main Event Champ Adrian Mateos squaring off against Charlie Carrel – one of the younger entrants to the world of High Rollers recently. Their match is set to kick off at 6 pm PT (9 pm ET), also with the same 30-minute delay on PokerGO.

Charlie Carrel’s game is as loud as his shirts. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
“It feels pretty good , the day’s been super long and everyone has been a low energy, so it hasn’t been to exciting yet,” Carrel said. “I think momentum is quite a big thing – even though some pros joke about its existence. I was already on heater, with a million-dollar score.”

“It would be a cool milestone to get – kind of reminiscing experience of when I used to watch poker on TV,” Carrel continued. “It would be a cool grounding experience to see how far I’ve come.”

Mateos was the final player to join the semi-finals. “I’m very excited about the score and I will try to win,” Mateos said. “I’m ready for any opponent, I’ve got Charlie (Carrel) and he will be a tough match.”

“We play a lot online and live, but never heads-up,” Mateos said about Carrel. “I already have two bracelets and I’m pretty ambitious so I like to win every tournament I play.”

Adrian Mateos is one of two ME champs returning. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
The two players that fall in the semi-final round earn $112,379 for making to Day 3. The runner-up earns $208,154 and the winner walks with $336.656.

The gold bracelet matchup is slated for 9 pm PT ( Midnight ET) for the two finalists to play down to a winner on PokerGO.