Play in July of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event has come to a close. Now, the members of the final table, who are collectively known as the November Nine, will take a 100 day break and reconvene at the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in four months. So who are these masked men? Who will forever be known as the second installment of the famed November Nine? Who has a chance to make poker history? Without further adieu, we present the 2009 WSOP November Nine.
Darvin Moon
The chip leader entering the final table in November, Moon hails from Oakland, Maryland. He’s one of the elder statesmen at 45 years of age and is a logger by trade. Believe it or not, this is his very first appearance at the WSOP, a remarkable distinction given that he steamrolled the competition in the final day of play inside the Amazon Room. The only question is what site’s logo he will wear at the final table.
Eric Buchman
He finished as the runner-up in a Limit Hold’em event during the 2006 WSOP and is no stranger to the poker spotlight. In fact, the 2009 Main Event will mark his second final table appearance this year. He’s 28 years of age and owns nine in the money finishes on the felts of the WSOP.
Steven Begleiter
Married with three children, Begleiter is a former employee of financial powerhouse Bear Stearns. He’s third in chips heading into the final table in November and is the second oldest player at 47.
Jeff Shulman
Possibly the new bad boy of poker, Shulman has commented that he may throw out the WSOP Main Event bracelet should he win. He’s upset at Harrah’s and WSOP management for a variety of reasons. Some have speculated that Shulman, Editor of CardPlayer Magazine, is bitter that rival Bluff Magazine owns the media rights to the WSOP. However, Shulman has denied this link. In any case, he hails from Las Vegas and made the final table of the 2000 WSOP Main Event.
Joe Cada
A 21 year-old from Shelby Township, Michigan, Cada logged two cashes prior to his final table run in the Main Event at the 2009 WSOP. He finished 17th in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event for $21,000. You can often find Cada participating in water sports on his local lake.
Kevin Schaffel
At 51, Schaffel is the oldest member of the 2009 WSOP November Nine. He’s been playing poker for 40 years and formerly operated a printing company. He’ll come armed to play on November 7th holding the sixth largest stack.
Phil Ivey
The owner of seven WSOP bracelets, Ivey has already won two events at the 2009 WSOP. He’s a card-carrying member of Team Full Tilt and had a mob of rabid fans railing him down the stretch in the Main Event at the Rio. Ivey is notoriously shy around the media, but will now be faced with the hubbub of being part of the November Nine.
Antoine Saout
Three Frenchmen reached the final 27 in the Main Event this year. In the end, only Saout made the final table and will hold the eighth largest stack when play resumes. He’s only 25 years-old and won his seat into the Main Event online. Talk about an astronomically high return on investment.
James Akenhead
Akenhead turned in a runner-up performance during the 2008 WSOP in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament, banking a colossal $520,000 in the process. He’s a British railroad conductor turned poker pro who will nurse the short stack when play resumes.
Here’s a look at the prize money up for grabs this year:
1st place: $8,546,435
2nd place: $5,182,601
3rd place: $3,479,485
4th place: $2,502,787
5th place: $1,953,395
6th place: $1,587,133
7th place: $1,404,002
8th place: $1,300,228
9th place: $1,263,602
Stay tuned to MacPoker.com for the very latest from poker’s most prestigious tournament.
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