Adrian Mateos: From a $1.5K Bankroll at 18 to a Million in His First 10K Buy-In
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Quick answer: On Chip Leader Coaching, Spanish poker pro Adrian Mateos tells Chance Kornuth that when he turned 18 he had only about 1.5K. He played NL25 and NL50 online, won several live tournaments at his local casino, climbed the live cash games, moved to London to play as a pro, and then had his biggest score in "the 10K World Series Europe," his first 10K buy-in, which he "won for a million." The records match: Mateos won the 2013 WSOP Europe €10,450 Main Event in Cannes for €1,000,000 at age 19 (WSOP.com, PokerNews, Hendon Mob).
What Adrian Mateos said on Chip Leader Coaching
The clip comes from the episode "Adrian Mateos on High-Stakes Poker, Crushing Downswings & GTO Solvers," published by Chip Leader Coaching on Oct. 28, 2026 (YouTube).
"I don't have a lot of money," Mateos says of the start. With about 1.5K, he chose to play "no limit 25 or no limit 50" online. He then went to a casino to play small live tournaments, and "in one month I won like four live tournaments or something like that."
He took that money into the casino's live cash games and moved up step by step. "I beat all these games super fast," he says, "and I won maybe 20K in three months." With that bankroll he played his first 500 tournament and "won for 30K," then kept building. A few months later he decided "I will try to be a pro" and moved to London to play online and start traveling the circuit.
Then came the big one: "the biggest score in the 10K World Series Europe. That was my first 10K buy-in, too, and I won for a million."
How the story checks out
The official WSOP results list Adrian Mateos of Spain as the winner of the 2013 WSOP Europe Event #7, the €10,450 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event at Casino Barrière in Cannes, for €1,000,000 (WSOP.com). PokerNews reported he was 19 and beat France's Fabrice Soulier after a heads-up match of nearly five hours (PokerNews). The "million" was in euros. The early steps, from 1.5K to his first pro year, are his own account in the episode.
The bankroll lessons in his climb
Mateos's path is a textbook case of moving up only when the results back it:
- Start where your bankroll says, not where your ego says. With 1.5K he played NL25 and NL50, small stakes that could survive a bad run.
- Move up in steps. In the live cash games he went level by level. Each jump came after he was beating the stake below.
- Let wins fund the next shot. His bigger tournaments were paid for with money he'd already won, not money he needed for rent.
- Commit once the evidence is in. He only decided to go pro after months of results, then moved to London to play and travel.
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Not every story ends with a bracelet, and most players who take shots don't win a million. The useful part is the process, not the payday.
Build your own climb, free
You can practice the same discipline without risking a cent. On Superintelligencepoker.com you can play poker for free at 6-max tables using Dojo Coin, a play currency with no cash value. Set yourself a "stake," track your sessions, and only move up when your results earn it.
Want tougher competition? Play vs poker bots and sharpen the No-Limit game Mateos made his name in with our Texas Hold'em strategy guide. Branch out with PLO strategy or Greek Hold'em strategy, and read how a bankroll can go the other way in Jerrad Pawar's $125K bankroll vs. $600K debt. Ready? Join Now and grab a free seat.
If gambling is causing stress for you or your family, the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER) is free and confidential.
FAQ
How did Adrian Mateos start in poker?
By his account, with about 1.5K at 18, playing NL25 and NL50 online, then small live tournaments and live cash games at his local casino.
What was Adrian Mateos's first 10K buy-in?
He says it was the World Series of Poker Europe 10K, which he won. Records show the 2013 WSOP Europe €10,450 Main Event in Cannes.
How much did Adrian Mateos win at the 2013 WSOP Europe Main Event?
€1,000,000, at age 19, beating Fabrice Soulier heads-up.
What's Adrian Mateos's real name?
Adrián Mateos Díaz. He's from Spain.
Can I practice poker on Superintelligencepoker.com for free?
Yes. Games use Dojo Coin, which has no cash value. All tables are 6-max.
Sources
1. Chip Leader Coaching: "Adrian Mateos on High-Stakes Poker, Crushing Downswings & GTO Solvers" (Oct. 28, 2026), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k9mHa7ax_A
2. Viral Podcast Shorts clip: https://youtube.com/shorts/tiEabprXOrU
3. WSOP.com, 2013 WSOP Europe Event #7 results: https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/result/4166/
4. PokerNews, "19-Year-Old Adrian Mateos Wins WSOP Europe Main Event for €1M": https://www.pokernews.com/news/2013/10/2013-wsop-europe-day-15-16620.htm
5. The Hendon Mob, Adrian Mateos: https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=257618
Names covered
- Adrian Mateos (Adrián Mateos Díaz)
- Chance Kornuth (Chip Leader Coaching)
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