2021 WSOP Main Event Final Table Profile: Koray Aldemir

Final Table Profile Koray Aldemir

Koray Aldemir's Main Event Story

"It feels crazy; I can't believe it still. It feels pretty good though."

The words of Koray Aldemir upon not only making the 2021 WSOP Main Event final table, but as the overwhelming chip leader.

Born in Berlin, Germany in 1990, Koray Aldemir is one of the more notable names to make the 2021 WSOP Main Event Final Table. His first recorded live result came back in January 2012, and he has since amassed over $12 million in lifetime earnings.

Aldemir has 32 career WSOP cashes, including several in what was a breakout year at the 2016 World Series of Poker. He finished second in Event #33: $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Summer Solstice for $252,805 before notching his highest ever live cash in Event #67: $111,111 No Limit Hold'em High Roller for One Drop. His third-place finish in that event netted him his first-ever seven-figure score of $2,154,265.

Aldemir would continue to crush the poker tournament scene and secure another payday that eclipsed $1 million just seven months later, winning the HK$1,000,000 No Limit Hold'em - Main Event for HK$10,032,869 ($1,292,653) at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Manilla.

Despite all his success, Aldemir is still chasing his maiden WSOP gold bracelet but all that could change for the player in the upcoming days as he heads into the WSOP final table as the chip leader. The accomplished player has proven in his career, that should he win the Main Event, he has a head strong enough to wear the crown.

How Koray Aldemir Got to the Final Table

Koray Aldemir's Key Hands

Aldemir started the day with a healthy chip stack and continued to build in the early goings of Day 7. He would go on to put his stack to use knocking out Jesse Lonis and Robert Mitchell for back-to-back eliminations. Aldemir would then get three more eliminations, sending Jung Woo, Ark Onikul and Demosthenes Kiriopoulos to the rail.

The hand that put Aldemir firmly in the chip lead came at the expense of Onikul. The action folded to Onikul in the small blind who made it 2,000,000 to go. Aldemir called from the big blind and they saw a flop of q♣️

The turn brought the 7♠️

The river was the q♠️

Aldemir then hit the 140 million chip mark on the final hand of the day to create the official final table of the Main Event. Aldemir opened to 1,600,000 from under the gun and Demosthenes Kiriopoulos three-bet to 3,800,000 from middle position with just 100,000 behind. Kiriopoulos raised to put Kiriopoulos all-in and at risk of busting on the final table bubble and missing a massive pay jump. Kiriopoulos called.

Kiriopoulos was ahead with a♠️3♠️ but his opponent had two live cards in q♦️10♣️. The flop of q♠️9♠️5♥️ gave Aldemir a pair of queens but also gave Kiriopoulos a flush draw.

"Red deuce!" someone on Aldemir's rail screamed heading to the turn.

The turn brought a red card with the 7♥️ and Kiriopoulos needed a spade or an ace to stay alive.

"Pair the board!" the rail of Aldemir screamed.

The j♣️ locked up the pot for Aldemir to send Kiriopoulos out in 10th place on the final table bubble for a payday of $585,000.

What to Watch for

Aldemir will no doubt have an edge when final table play gets underway, he's no stranger to big pay jumps and playing for millions of dollars. Now the big stack, Aldemir will surely be putting the pressure on the short stacks throughout Day 8 to build on his emphatic lead.

"I'll try to play this [Main Event] like any other final table."

Despite the $8 million first-place prize, which would fluster many a person, Aldemir after Day 7 said "I'll try to play this [Main Event] like any other final table."

Aldemir will be hoping his Day 7 run good continues and he even acknowledged "he got super lucky," and wryly mentioned that "sometimes poker is super easy when you hit a lot of hands."

2021 WSOP Main Event Final Table Seating

2021 WSOP Main Event Final Table Payout

2021 WSOP Main Event Final Table Player Stats

^{Stats courtesy of WSOP.com and HendonMob.com.}