The Astonishing Steven Jones came 3rd in Squid Game

Imagine staring down a giant, murderous doll instead of a poker opponent. For poker pro Steven Jones, that was just another day at the office!

The 2023 WSOP Main Event runner-up recently traded his chips for a green tracksuit to compete in the second season of Netflix’s smash hit, Squid Game: The Challenge. Competing against 455 other players for a life-changing $4.56 million, Steven proved that poker skills aren’t just for the cardroom – they’re for survival.

Steven Jones trades the poker table for the Squid Game arena.

Steven Jones: A High-Stakes Strategy

Steven didn’t get on the show by accident. He pitched himself to Netflix as the ultimate competitor.

“I told the Netflix people all about my poker background and winnings,” shared Jones. “Then I submitted a video on why I thought I would win the game. I pretty much said, ’This is basically a big poker tournament. This is what I do. I’m going to win.’ I think that helped me to be one of 456 challengers.”

His poker background gave him a massive edge, but it also came with a big question: Should he tell people he’s a millionaire?

Initially, Steven kept his $6 million poker winnings a secret to avoid becoming a target. He only trusted his closest ally, Kevin (Player #402), with the truth. Eventually, as the field thinned, the word got out. While it made some players feel he was “undeserving,” Steven’s strategic play carried him all the way to the final five.

Mental Warfare and Revenge

If you watched the show, you saw a more intense side of Steven during the “Slides & Ladders” game. After his friend was eliminated, Steven went into full “revenge mode.”

“I was ticked off because that was my homie,” – he explained.

While the show edited him to look a bit like a villain, Steven says he was simply playing with a “free mind” and less pressure than others. To him, it was all about the next move: just like a high-stakes bluff.

Surviving the “Pre-Game” Grind

Before the cameras even started rolling in London, the contestants faced a different kind of challenge: De-stimulation.

• No phones or laptops for weeks.
• No leaving hotel rooms; hall monitors keep watch.
• Total isolation so players get used to the game’s intense environment.

Steven noted that this “mental warfare” was designed to make the players go a little crazy, but his experience with the long, grueling hours of live poker tournaments helped him stay calm.

The Final Verdict

While Steven finished an incredible 3rd out of 456 players, his journey proved that the “poker mindset” – calculating risks, reading people, and staying calm under pressure – is a superpower in the real world.

Whether it’s a $1.4 million pot or a $4.5 million game of “Red Light, Green Light,” Steven Jones has shown he’s a force to be reckoned with.