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Ryan Riess, who won the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event, has shared his thoughts on how the tournament’s final table break has evolved over the years. His victory came during the era of the November Nine, a format introduced in 2008 that delayed the final table by roughly four months to build anticipation for ESPN’s broadcast.

The November Nine format was retired after 2016, giving way to much shorter breaks of just one or two days in recent years. In 2026, the WSOP shifted to a three-week gap between the end of the Main Event and its final table, a change Riess says strikes the right balance.

Speaking with PokerNews, Riess recalled his excitement and disbelief at reaching the final table in his first-ever WSOP Main Event appearance. He described making the November Nine as a dream come true for any player competing at the time.

Rather than intensively studying strategy during his own break, Riess said he simply kept playing live tournaments, including a 68th-place finish at the Borgata Poker Open Main Event, to stay sharp. He noted that solver technology and ICM tools, now standard in high-level preparation, barely existed in 2013.

Looking back, Riess admitted he didn’t specifically prepare for the seating dynamics he faced at his final table, where he was surrounded by short stacks and strong opponents alike, including chip leader JC Tran. He credited his win largely to fortunate card runs rather than technical study.

With the 2026 Main Event’s ESPN broadcast now underway, Riess said he’s looking forward to watching this year’s final table, highlighting chip leader Lucas Jumalon as a player to watch, while cautioning that anything can happen in poker.