WSOP Paradise Super Main Event Down to Final Eight After Action-Packed Day 4

Day 4 of the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise Super Main Event delivered a little of everything as the $25,000 buy-in event raced its way down to the final eight contenders.

Only 24 players returned to the tables at Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas , from a record-setting field of 2,891 entries, a turnout that generated a massive USD 72,275,000 prize pool with USD 10,000,000 reserved for the eventual champion. By the end of a fast and decisive day, the final table was set and the stage prepared for a blockbuster finale.

It took less than seven hours of play to reach the final table, and only a short while longer to trim the field to eight before bags were packed for the final day.

Leading the way once again is Jean Noel Thorel . The 78-year-old French businessman and biologist continued his remarkable run, finishing Day 4 with a commanding chip lead after scoring the final elimination of the night. Thorel enters the final day holding nearly 40 percent of the chips in play.

The decisive hand saw Thorel’s pocket aces hold against the kings of Leonard Maue, sending the German pro out in ninth place and bringing a dramatic close to the penultimate day.

Final Table Seat Draw & Chip Counts

Familiar Faces and Final Table Storylines

Thorel’s closest challenger heading into the final day is Bernhard Binder, who briefly pulled even in chips during the last level before losing a key pot late in the session. Sitting third in chips is Natasha Mercier, the final woman remaining in the field, who will return with a healthy 41 big blinds.

Mercier is aiming to surpass Liv Boeree ’s fourth-place finish from last year’s WSOP Paradise Super Main Event. She closed Day 4 strongly, highlighted by a crucial double-up with a full house that propelled her into the top three.

The remaining final table lineup includes bracelet winners Eric Wasserson and Franco Spitale, with Spitale returning as the short stack on eight big blinds. They are joined by Belarmino De Souza, Terrance Reid, and Peter Chien, all of whom will be looking to mount a comeback against Thorel’s overwhelming chip advantage.

How Day 4 Unfolded

The eliminations came quickly from the outset. Among the early exits was GG Poker ambassador Felipe Ramos, whose run ended in 23rd place after a brutal river card denied him another deep run and a shot at his first WSOP bracelet.

From a regional perspective, Day 4 also marked the end of the Asia-Pacific challenge. The last remaining player from the region, Luke Martinelli , saw his run come to an end in 17th place.

Martinelli’s exit came in a pivotal confrontation with Bernhard Binder. Binder opened to 6,000,000 from the cutoff before Martinelli responded with a three-bet to 46,500,000 from the small blind. Binder quickly escalated the situation by moving all in, and after using several time bank cards while monitoring action at another table, Martinelli called off his remaining 10,500,000.

Martinelli tabled ace-ten, but Binder held king-queen. The board ran out with a queen on the turn, which paired Binder and eliminated Martinelli as the final Asia-Pacific representative in the field.

Several other notable Asia-Pacific players also fell earlier in the day. Ren Lin exited in 28th place, Ryuta Nakai bowed out in 34th, Khoi Le Nguyen finished 39th, and Santhosh Suvarna was eliminated in 42nd, closing the book on the region’s presence in this historic Super Main Event.

Thorel continued to apply pressure throughout the day, personally accounting for several eliminations. One of them was Charles Hook, who bowed out in 14th place after losing a flip. The result came just days after Hook claimed his first career bracelet in the USD 50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller.

Faraz Jaka followed soon after in 13th place when his turned set of nines was overtaken by a bigger set on the river, earning him USD 520,000.

The final table bubble burst when eight-time bracelet winner Benny Glaser moved all in and ran into pocket aces held by Wasserson, ending Glaser’s run just one spot short of the final table.

With nine players remaining, attention turned to one last elimination before bagging for the night. De Souza appeared in danger after starting the final table with only four big blinds, but the Brazilian staged a timely comeback, doubling up and then winning a significant pot against Binder to secure his place on the final day.

What’s Next

Play resumes at 12:00 p.m. local time with 10:51 remaining in Level 34. Blinds will restart at 2,000,000/4,000,000 with a 4,000,000 big blind ante. Levels will continue at 90 minutes each until a champion is crowned.

All eight remaining players have locked up $1,100,000, but the focus is firmly on the USD 10,000,000 top prize and the WSOP Super Main Event bracelet.

Final Table Payouts

Eight players remain, all guaranteed seven figures, with one final day standing between them and a USD 10,000,000 payday. With the largest non-Main Event prize pool in poker history on the line, the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event is set for a defining finish.

All photos and hand information courtesy of PokerNews.