November Nine Set for World Series of Poker 2009 Main Event Final Table

The 2009 Main Event has been taking place over several days and what we have all been waiting for has finally been decided: The November Nine. All nine players are ready for when this November comes and they all earn million dollar pay days.

The final day of play came to a head fast as players were dropping like flies. The drama ensued until only ten players were left, with one player left to be eliminated. The Amazon was filled with tension as the final player was just moments away from being eliminated.

The final table was decided as Jordan Smith, the recent winner of a WSOP bracelet in the $2k no limit hold’em tournament, went up against Darvin Moon. Smith’s cards did not hold up against Moon’s flopped set so he was knocked out, leaving the nine players creating the November Nine.

Below is a list of the poker players who will be returning in November to compete for WSOP glory.

When November rolls around, Darvin Moon will return to the competition as the chip leader. Holding 58,930,000 in chips, Moon holds a significant lead in the competition. When Moon cashes out, whether it is in ninth or first, it will be his first live cash out as of now.

Moon plays on a recreational basis when he has spare time from his logging company in Maryland. He has been playing poker for only three years and he won his ticket to the main event through a satellite at a local casino. If Moon wins the Main Event it would be a true underdog story and be on for the record books.

Coming in second in chips is Eric Buchman who holds 34,800,000. Buchman is from New York and has earned almost $1 million in tournament cash outs throughout his poker career. Buchman is ready to compete and feels lucky to have made it this far.

Buchman commented: “I’m happy right now but I got lucky a few times in the last few days. I’m pretty tired right now- I deserve a vacation!”

Steven Begleiter is next up in chips with 29,885,000. Begleiter has been an amateur poker player all of his life and gained his spot at the main event by competing in a home-game league. An interesting point in Begleiter’s case is that the other league members will earn a piece of 20% of his earnings during the tournaments.

Jeff Shulman will be returning with 19,580,000 and he is best known as the editor for CardPlayer Magazine. Shulman has been involved in some controversy as he made the suggestion to Wicked Chops Poker that if he should win the WSOP Main Event he would throw the coveted bracelet in the garbage. Hopefully he’s not to manly to dig it back up out of there.

He claimed that he would do so to make a statement about how he feels the WSOP has been handled in the past few years. He recently commented on the quality of players he came across while making his way to the November Nine. He commented: “There were a lot of amateurs in this tournament who don’t really understand how to play a deep stacked poker. It was the easiest field I’ve ever seen in my life. I feel everyone in the tournament was on Adderall while I was on Xanax.”

Joseph Cada will be returning in November as well with 13,215,000 chips. Cada will be the youngest player sitting at the final table as he just turned twenty one. Cada is known for his online play and he has finished well in several online tournaments including some at Full Tilt Poker. Cada also cashed out twice during this year’s WSOP.

Kevin Schaffel is next in line with 12,390,000 chips and he is no stranger to the Main Event. Schaffel earned 42^nd place fifteen years ago at the 1994 WSOP so I’m sure he is ready to compete at the final table in November. Schaffel commented on making the final table, he stated: “I’m delirious right now. I’ll come back in November and do what I can. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. It’s been a great ride whatever happens. My son is on cloud nine. I can’t wait to come back.”

The star of the final table, Phil Ivey, will return in November with one of the lowest chip stacks, 9,765,000. Ivey earned two bracelets during the WSOP this year and is hoping to take the top one as well. Although he is one of the short stacked players, Ivey plans on doing well. He commented: “I may watch a few of the hands on TV and actually watch poker on TV. I’m a little short and I don’t want to get in to exactly what I’m going to do, but I have some plans.”

Coming in next to last in chips is Antoine Saout with 9,500,000. Saout is from France and is known for being a MTT specialist. He plays regularly at Everest Poker and takes down many tournaments with ease. An interesting fact about Saout is that since he gained his seat from Everest Poker, he will guaranteed himself and the other qualifiers from Everest Poker a piece of $1 million. Everest Poker pledged to split $1 million among all players who qualified with them to go to the Main Event if one of their qualifiers made the final table, and Saout did just that.

Rounding out the final table is James Akenhead who will return in November with 6,800,000. Akenhead is a member of a young poker professionals group from England called the Hit Squad. Akenhead has had his share of successes including almost winning a WSOP bracelet last year before he was knocked out in second place.

Akenhead commented that he feels like he is in a dream. He commented that he told a friend in January that he had a feeling that he would run badly in other events but do well in the main event and surprisingly that is exactly what happened.

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