The final nine players in the World Series of Poker main event, along with their finish or final table starting chip counts in parentheses. The finalists emerged from a field of 6,494 players and will compete Nov. 7-10 for the tournament's top prize of $8.55 million. Ninth place will win $1.26 million; higher finishers will win at least $1.3 million. NOTE: Chips have no monetary value. One player has to win all the chips in play to take the title, and lose all his chips to be eliminated. There are 194.87 million in chips in play. ___ 1. Darvin Moon (58,930,000) AGE: 46 HOMETOWN: Oakland, Md. OCCUPATION: self-employed logger PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: none ___ 2. Joseph Cada (13,215,000) AGE: 21 HOMETOWN: Shelby Township, Mich. OCCUPATION: poker player PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: two no-limit Texas Hold 'em cashes in 2009 ($28,214) ___ 3. Antoine "Tonio" Saout (3rd: $3.48 million) AGE: 25 HOMETOWN: Saint Martin des Champs, France OCCUPATION: poker player THE BEAT: Eliminated by Cada when a king fell on the final community card, giving Cada a better pair than Saout's eights. PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: none ___ 4. Eric Buchman (4th: $2.5 million) AGE: 30 HOMETOWN: Valley Stream, N.Y. OCCUPATION: poker player THE BEAT: Lost most chips to Saout, couldn't survive enough all-in wagers to build back from the hand. PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: nine cashes since 2004 for $320,893; including 114th at the main event in 2006 for $51,129 ___ 5. Jeff Shulman (5th: $1,953,452) AGE: 34 HOMETOWN: Las Vegas OCCUPATION: president of Card Player Media, poker player THE BEAT: Eliminated with pocket sevens in a classic race against Saout, who held ace-nine and picked up a nine on the flop for a pair. PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 15 cashes since 2000 for $289,551, seventh at main event in 2000 ($146,700) ___ 6. Steven Begleiter (6th: $1,587,160) AGE: 47 HOMETOWN: Chappaqua, N.Y. Continued... |