So this year's November Nine have been decided. But who are they and what can we expect to happen in the lead up to the Big One November 7.
As usual, there's a disparate and colourful selection of characters coming back to the Vegas felt. In the lead with over 30% of the chips is Darvin Moon, a self-employed logger from Oakland. This was Moon's first trip to Vegas and it's not surprising that an amateur leads the field.
What is a break from the norm is his competition. Full Tilt Poker's Phil Ivey needs no introduction. Already the winner of two bracelets at this year's WSOP, and with a WPT win behind him earlier this year, Ivey is a renowned cash/mixed games player, but until 2009 his tournament wins were sporadic. It has long been thought that Ivey considers tournaments a distraction compared to what he can win playing cash (or making prop bets). If Ivey took down the Main Event, he could truly lay claim to being the best poker player alive today, possibly of all time. If he isn't already.
Another pro at the table is the UK's James Akenhead. An rising star on the UK scene, Akenhead certainly has the game to go all the way but being the short stack at the table he will need some luck if he's to take the crown. He'll also no doubt be the subject of debate at PokerStars and Full Tilt as Akenhead apparently qualified for the Main Event on Stars, but subsequently signed a sponsorship deal with Full Tilt. Any legal shenanigans - shoudl they arise - could put a dent in Akenhead's preparations.
PokerStars sole representative (currently) at the table is Kevin Schaffel, from Coral Springs, Florida, a regular $10-$20 cash game player.
Steven Begleiter has another interesting back story. Begleiter was the former head of corporate strategy for the ill-fated Bear Stearns. He, like all the others, will be walking away with $1.26 million before returning to play the final table - which probably makes up for missing out on last year's corporate bonus (if indeed he did).
The other players at the final table include Card Player Publisher Jeff Schulman, 34, of Las Vegas, Joseph Cada, 21, who would be the youngest Main Event champion should he win, Everest Poker-sponsored Antoine "Tonio" Saout, 25, of Saint Martin des Champs, and Eric Buchman, 29, of Valley Stream, New York.
So other than waiting for the final table, what can POKER PLAYERS expect in month's to come. Last year PokerStars made a big deal out of the six guys it sponsored, running a complex Million Dollar Man promotion in the lead up to the final. With only one baseball cap at this year's table, that will be difficult to replicate, but Stars will no doubt capitalise on the publicity in some way. And with more poker rooms represented this year, there's an opportunity for more operators to offer more promotions, which should mean more value for players.
Other than that, we can expect a frenzy of media coverage - hopefully in the mainstream media as well as the poker press - and sponsorship deals. PokerStars pro player and a final tablist last year, Dennis Phillips has been called in by Harrah's to give this year's crop an idea of what to expect. But as last year's final table was the first to be moved to November, it's safe to say that the best advice Phillips or anyone else can offer is... expect the unexpected.
Here's Phillips talking about making the final table...
Watch WSOP 2009: Dennis Phillips on making the final table on PokerStars.tv
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