The Final Nine of the 2008 WSOP

Poker fever heats up.

And while that phrase can only keep true poker aficionados interested, the 2008 World Series of Poker IS really starting to heat up as the top poker players in the world continue to compete for the only thing that matters in poker, a WSOP bracelet.

The 2008 WSOP started with almost 6800 plus participants vying for the ultimate goal of winning a bracelet and for seven long and tiring days, only nine remain for the 2008 WSOP Main Event Championship that will be played in November of this year.

Leading the pack is Dennis Phillips with $26,295,000, taking home the chip lead, followed by the 27-year old Ivan Demidov with $24,400,000. Third in the chip count is Scott Montgomery of Ontario, Canada with $19,690,000. All three have at least a few more months before they resume play with the other six, now dubbed as the ‘’November Nine’’.

Looking back on how things materialized in this grueling seven day tournament, we start with Phil Nguyen who was one of only two WSOP bracelet winners left in the field when play began on Day 7. Nguyen won the WSOP $2,500 NLHE event in 2003 and the $1,500 NLHE Shootout event in 2004.

Phil Nguyen became the 26th-place finisher when he reraised all in with A-10 to face off against Paul Snead’s pocket jacks. Nguyen failed to connect with the board, and he walked away with $257,334 for the 77th tournament money finish of his career.

After Ngyuen’s elimination, Brandon Cantu was the only WSOP bracelet winner left in the field. Cantu won his WSOP bracelet in a $1,500 NLHE event in 2006. Cantu became the short stack in the field after calling Dean Hamrick’s all-in bet, pre-flop. Hamrick had pocket aces and Cantu flipped over a surprising 10-5. The board came 8-7-5-8-10 and Hamrick’s two pair outranked Cantu’s two pair. Cantu got the rest of his money in with pocket nines against the Ace Queen of Peter Eastgate. The board produced four diamonds and Brandon Cantu was eliminated in 20th place.

Tiffany Michelle lost her bid to become only the second woman to make the WSOP championship final table. Michelle, who sailed effortlessly through the first six days of play, had trouble gaining traction on the seventh.

Holding A-J, Michelle pushed all in on an A-10-9 flop and was called by Peter Eastgate. When Eastgate flipped over pocket aces, Michelle’s fate was all but sealed. A five on the turn left Michelle drawing dead. Tiffany Michelle finished in 17th place for $334,534.

Dennis Phillips climbed higher when he forced Peter Eastgate out of a large pot with an all in bet on the turn, with the board showing 8-4-2-10. Phillips went on to take down a three-way pot against Ylon Schwartz and Scott Montgomery.

Ylon Schwartz bet on the 9-5-2- flop was called. Everyone checked the ace on the turn. And with the action checked to him on the river, Phillips led out with a 1.2 million bet, which was called by both players. Phillips’ pocket kings were good, and he was at the 24 million chip mark. Joe Bishop doubled up two players, leaving himself vulnerable with only 11 players left. Bishop got all his money in with A-3 to David Rheem’s pocket deuces. The A-3-5 flop put Bishop ahead, but the four on the river gave Rheem the wheel and Bishop an 11th-place finish.

Here are the rest of the players who will be heading in November to play for the 2008 WSOP Final Table; Peter Eastgate, 22 of Odense, Denmark with $18,375,000; in fifth spot is Ylon Schwartz, of Brooklyn, New York with $12,525,000 worth of chips. They are followed by Darus Suharto of Toronto, Ontario, Canada with $12,520,000 and David Rheem at seventh place garnering $10,230,000 worth of chips.

Craig Marquis and Kelly Kim round up the eight and final spot with $10,210,000 and $2,620,000, respectively.

Who will win the 2008 WSOP Main Event Final Table at the Rio in Las Vegas on November 9? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Dennis Phillips 4.00

Craig Marquis 11.00

Ylon Schwartz 9.00

Scott Montgomery 5.00

Darus Suharto 9.50

Chino Rheem 8.50

Ivan Demidov 5.50

Kelly Kim 26.00

Peter Eastgate 6.50

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