Quick answer: Spanish poker pro Adrian Mateos tells Chance Kornuth on Chip Leader Coaching that he had only about 1.5K when he turned 18. He built it up at NL25 and NL50 online, then in live tournaments and cash games, moved to London to go pro, and won "a million" in his first 10K buy-in at the World Series of Poker Europe. Records confirm he won the 2013 WSOP Europe Main Event for €1,000,000 at 19.
Source: Chip Leader Coaching, clipped as a YouTube Short.
What Adrian Mateos said
"I don't have a lot of money," Mateos says of being 18. He played "no limit 25 or no limit 50" online, then small live tournaments at a casino, where "in one month I won like four live tournaments." He moved into live cash games and says "I won maybe 20K in three months." After a few more wins he decided "I will try to be a pro" and moved to London.
The payoff: "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
WSOP.com lists Adrian Mateos as the winner of the 2013 WSOP Europe €10,450 Main Event in Cannes, for €1,000,000. PokerNews reported he was 19 and beat Fabrice Soulier heads-up. The early bankroll figures are his own recollection in the episode, published Oct. 28, 2026 (YouTube).
Real-name note
Adrian Mateos's full name is Adrián Mateos Díaz. He plays online as Amadi_017 and is nicknamed "The Closer" (Wikipedia).
Want to practice the same step-by-step climb? Superintelligencepoker.com looks at Adrian Mateos's bankroll lessons.
More on RealNameOf: - Learn More About Adrian Mateos - Adrian Mateos, "The Closer," wins his ninth PGT title - Jerrad Pawar: $125K bankroll, $600K in debt
FAQ
What is Adrian Mateos's real name? Adrián Mateos Díaz.
How much did Adrian Mateos start with? About 1.5K at 18, by his account.
What was his first million-dollar win? The 2013 WSOP Europe Main Event, €1,000,000, his first 10K buy-in.