Even though he spends 99% of his poker career playing PLO (mainly cash games), this year his plans during the WSOP were radically changed. After several unsuccessful games, he got an illness, which caused him to miss the tournament he was looking forward to the most - the $25k PLO High roller. So he chose the Main Event itself as a substitute, but the rest is history. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Jan-Peter Jachtmann and the ride of his life!

Before the start of DAY 8

How did you sleep, what's your mood and how do you feel in general? Are you nervous?

"I'll admit, yes, tonight was pretty stressful. Because of my deeprun, I had to rebook flights, I had a lot of trouble with that, and I also had to leave my hotel and look for another apartment, which is quite difficult since most are fully booked. So last night I was already sleeping in another apartment, so when I woke up in the night, the lights were off and the curtains were drawn, it was pitch black and I was disoriented and didn't know where I was for a few seconds.

But after a while I realized what was happening and what was waiting for me today, and luckily I managed to fall asleep for a few hours. I'm trying to be relaxed and in a good mood, but I'll admit that today I'm a little more restless than before. Now my goal is to advance to the final table, the rest will be as it should be."

Break during day 8

How do you evaluate this challenging 8th day so far?

"Well, what I was a bit worried about happened, I didn't start well at all, but luckily I won an important pot after that, which brought me back to normal. There are many quality opponents, Dean Hutchinson, who is new to the table, opens very often. In one hand, I ran TT straight into his AA and lost 15 million there. But in my opinion, Walton is the most active at the table, he plays literally everything possible. He plays very creatively and I have to watch out for him, we've already played two huge hands together, I won one but unfortunately lost a lot in the second one.

I had A3 and hit a straight nuts flush on the Q75 flop. He hit a set with a pair of 77. We went check/check, the turn was blank 4 and he bet 5 million. I was hoping he also had a flush, or maybe he was bluffing, so I called, a Q came on the river and he instantly bet 18 million. At that time I already had the feeling that he was really strong, he kept saying something, he asked me what I had under my hand. I should have seen these signs, but I had such a strong hand that I couldn't fold and lost a really big chunk of my stack there, it was over 23 million. I fell below average and had to gradually work my way back up, but now I have an average stack, so I have more room to breathe."

The official final table is near, what is your strategy now?

"I mainly have to be responsible, folding low aces and not getting unnecessarily involved in speculative spots. There are 12 of us in the game and everyone wants to make it to the unofficial 10-max final table. The Spaniard is short, that's fine. Now my goal is to survive this phase, but if I succeed, then tomorrow at the final table I can relax a little and allow myself more. Now I have to be disciplined.'

End of day 8

You have achieved what every poker player dreams of - the final table of the WSOP Main Event! How does it feel?

"It's simply amazing! It was always my dream in the past, although the situation gradually changed. I went to Vegas mainly with the intention of playing PLO tournaments, especially the big ones, be it the $25,000 PLO Highroller or the various formats of three, five or ten card omaha. I guess fate wanted it that way, but it happened that many times I didn't focus, I didn't play what I wanted, I even had to miss the $25k PLO event due to illness. My family and friends have already flown home and many have asked me if I actually want to play the Main Event at the end of the WSOP.

Well, I said to myself, yes, come on, I'll try it, it's a nice event. It wasn't until sometime during day 2 that I realized all this and thought, wow, why not now? The initial days are very exhausting, intense, but often boring. When we got into the money it got more interesting, but then, I think it was on day four, I won a big double against AK with the kings, and I went up. The next days were nothing special, the biggest bomb was day 7, I already knew it was going to be tough and I gave it my all."

Is there someone here with you who is rooting for you?

"Yes, I'm very glad that there are already so many Americans, Spaniards and Englishmen here, so that I also have my friends and family from Germany here. I am looking forward to the day off when we will go somewhere in the sun together. It's crazy here, we've all been locked up in these dark, cold halls for eight days. We'll go to the pool, relax, maybe go out to eat and play, we'll see."

I have to tell you a funny story, around day 3 I had a dream that I was talking to Knossi and I told him that I knew someone with gray hair would win the Main Event. Well, as I look at the players, you have the most gray hair!

"I am in contact with Knossi once in a while, he is a positive person, always in a good mood. I don't know if this funny dream of yours will come true, but of course it would be a good story if it did! I like such things, they always give me a little energy, vigor or belief in something magical and supernatural."

Anyway, we'll keep our fingers crossed for you, we've extended the hotel and we'll be here with you until the end, be it bitter or sweet!

"Let's hope there will be something to celebrate! Even though I have already made the biggest money of my poker career, it will be very variable from now on how it all turns out. This long deeprun is definitely worth it, I feel very good, as good as I haven't felt in the last 34 days. I'm not short, I can't think negatively - anything is possible, keep your fingers crossed!"

Before the start of the final table

The final table is here, how was your day off? Are you ready for today?

"Yesterday I really enjoyed myself, I was at the pool for a while, but because it was very hot, I didn't stay there for long. Then I had to come here for a TV interview with CBS. In the evening, we went out to eat with friends, but I didn't sleep much at night. Many friends from the poker community wrote to me, almost from all German cities, it was really nice, I was really looking forward to it and I tried to answer everyone.

But I fell asleep very restlessly. When that didn't work, I took my laptop and went back to the last day's stream, still having two hands in my head that I wanted to look at and analyze. But there's a lot of material, I couldn't find it, but it doesn't matter anyway, because most of those players will analyze it and try to play some lines differently."

Do you have a ritual that you did this morning?

"I did something for luck - I have my son's lucky charm here - a wooden heart that says 'daddy we love you'. This is very important to me, everything else goes by the wayside. Other than that, I just naturally try to be fully focused and composed and calm. And above all, I remind myself that at the first failure, when there is a bad beat, a bad decision, then it is important to take a deep breath and reset. It is important to have a good mindset and not to tilt. I've actually been doing quite well lately. Unfortunately, I didn't succeed in the past, but now I do.''

We know very well that you already have one WSOP final table to your credit, which included a bracelet. Is it similar now?

"At that time I was very excited about the whole thing, it was a new situation for me. But in any case, it can be compared. Today I am even more excited because this tournament is of course even more important and there is even more at stake. I'm not only happy to have already won more than in the previous final, but I'm also full of confidence and well-being."

Have other friends and family come to see you?

"Yes, many do, but unfortunately, not all of them are here, after all, not all of them managed to fly to Las Vegas for two days. Of course I understand that, but I know that everyone is watching me and keeping their fingers crossed. So it's all good, now three more people have flown in, some don't land until the afternoon, and they've asked me to stay in the game for at least two hours until they arrive. Of course, I can't do that to them, that I'd be out by then."

Unfortunately, as you are all well aware, Jachtmann's journey through the tournament ended in fourth place, for which he collected exactly $3 million. He expressed his mixed feelings in the last interview shortly after his elimination:

"What to add to the last hand, you saw it. I had KQ, but in front of me was an open raise from Jones and a call from Walton on BTN. So I sent it there, even though it was 27bb. Jones folded, and after the snap call, Walton immediately began yelling "I've got aces, aces." There was no help on the flop, but I was already drawing dead on the turn. Anyway, I can only wish I could throw those cards away, but there's nothing I can do about it now.

I have to admit that I have mixed feelings, it all happened so terribly fast. At first I was disappointed for about 20 minutes, but now I realize that overall I can be satisfied and very happy. It's a mega result, I think I'll be even happier tomorrow, I just have to get it all. Still, it's the biggest hit of my career, and I think the best performance of my life - I can't fault my game. It was a great ride and I thank everyone who cheered me on for their support!”

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