Meet the November Nine

by Aaron Angerman

It's what we've all been waiting for. The 39th World Series of Poker Main Event final table, cleverly dubbed the "November Nine", is set to take over the Penn and Teller Theater in the Rio All Suites Hotel on November 9th. The eyes of the poker world will again focus on Las Vegas as the much awaited battle for the top prize of more than $9 million will see the final nine competitors return from their 117 day break to battle for the most sought after prize in the poker world.

Never before has a competition of this stature been interrupted just moments before culmination. Imagine the chaos created if residents in Los Angeles and Boston if they were told the teams could come back to play their series in late October. What if an NFL team made a big run to get to the Super Bowl, only to lose momentum when the two finalists are excused for several weeks? Major League Baseball might as well have been playing in February, with the way the rain was coming down during the World Series. One problem with those analogies… we know the players involved. While the poker insider may be familiar with a couple names or a face or two, most poker fans may not see the difference between the 2008 Main Event final table roster and the list of guys at any random home game in America.

On the other hand, gone are the days of looking at a table full of weary faces, each on the tail end of week-long session of life changing proportions. Here is the well rested, better prepared final table. Many have spent the last 117 days getting in some hours at the tables, as most have been sprinkled among the fields of the biggest live events around the world. Some have gone as far as to hire poker coaches, hoping to fix any leaks before the big night in November. All have spent their time in the spotlight and, so far, the WSOP's planned hiatus seems to be creating a healthy buzz for an otherwise bland final table lineup. They're appearing on talk shows, throwing out first pitches at MLB games and gracing the cover of about every poker magazine in circulation. Here, if you haven't met them yet, are the "November Nine":

• Dennis Phillips - St Louis, MO, United States - 26,295,000 chips
• Ivan Demidov - Moscow, Russian Federation - 24,400,000
• Scott Montgomery - Perth, ON, Canada - 19,690,000
• Peter Eastgate - Odense, Denmark - 18,375,000
• Ylon Schwartz - Brooklyn, NY, United States - 12,525,000
• Darus Suharto - Toronto, ON, Canada - 12,520,000
• David 'Chino' Rheem - Los Angeles, CA, United States - 10,230,000
• Craig Marquis - Arlington, TX, United States - 10,210,000
• Kelly Kim - Whittier, CA, United States - 2,620,000

Dennis Phillips

Just because Dennis Phillips is the oldest at the final table doesn't mean he's bringing with him the most experience. The 52-year-old trucking company accounts manager from just outside St. Louis claims to have a couple of minor cashes to his name. The fact is that his biggest accomplishment to date is taking down a $200 satellite at Harrah's Casino to earn his Main Event seat, now worth $900,000 and counting.

Phillips was the first at the final table to hire a poker coach. The chip leader chose the services of Roy Winston's Oracle Poker Consulting in hopes to tighten up his game for the big stage. Phillips has also been active in charities. Not only has he made contributions to the Pujols Family Foundation and the Boys Hope, Girls Hope Foundation, but an eBay auction for "billboard" space on Phillips' arm fetched $19,000 and change for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Phillips has also pledged to donate 1 percent of his winnings to Phil Gordon and Rafe Furst's Bad Beat on Cancer program.

Ivan Demidov

If you believe momentum to be a driving force at the poker table, Ivan Demidov is your man. The 27-year-old returned to Russia after reaching the "November Nine" and took down two of the four live tournaments he entered, and finished runner-up in a third. Shortly after, Demidov found himself in London at the WSOP Europe Main Event final table. He would finish third, earning over $600,000 and the creating history, becoming the first player to appear at both the WSOP and WSOPE Main Event final tables.

The online pro from Moscow brings with him a stone face and typical internet aggression. Given that Demidov trails Phillips by just a few million chips, many in the poker community are picking the Russian to be the last player standing.

Scott Montgomery

The Canadian pro finds himself in the big dance just months after he burst onto the scene with a 5th-place finish at the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. The Main Event was Montgomery's 4th cash of the 2008 WSOP. Also, during his four month hiatus he has continued to cash in events.

Montgomery would follow up the final table finish by nearly taking down a $3K event at the Bellagio Cup, and then made another deep tournament run at the WPT Legends of Poker event. It's no secret that the 27-year-old pro is a bit reckless on the felt. He even admits it. In fact, if you watched Montgomery spike the ace on the river vs. Paul Snead just to avoid finishing 21st, you'll understand why some are predicting a final table blow-up.

Peter Eastgate

There had to be at least on Dane at the table. Peter Eastgate's timely pocket aces led to a Tiffany Michelle elimination an propelled him to the final table. The 22-year-old impressive online reputation procedes him, as many players are aware of the quiet assassin's skillset. While he does most of his work in high-stakes, heads-up cash games on the web, Eastgate did finish 9th at the Irish Open last year, as well cashing in a couple EPT events. Eastgate told ESPN about his transition to tournaments, "I believe any cash game player that can beat 25-50 no limit games should be able to make the transition to tournaments. Cash games are far more complex. The decisions you make in tournaments are a lot easier." The many good decisions Eastgate has made thus far have the poker world crowning him the next Gus Hansen and a final table favorite, if he can survive until short-handed play.

Ylon Schwartz

Ylon Schwartz is no stranger to the WSOP. The 38-eight year old street chess hustler turned poker pro has 30 cashes on his tournament resume. The first of his 12 WSOP cashes came back in 2005. He left the Rio with four cashes that year.

Schwartz looks more like an extra from a Friends episode than a future WSOP champion. In fact, he claims he would much rather lay low than sit in the "November Nine" spotlight. But you might want to get used to him at the final table. His chess background has helped him project an image of being the most patient player at the table. He hopes his tendency to keep the pots small will allow others to over-bet and fall by the wayside. For these reasons, everyone seems to see Schwartz making a deep final table run.

Darus Suharto

Darus Suharto will join fellow Canadian Montgomery at the final table. The 39-year-old hopes to follow in the footsteps of Chris Moneymaker. Like the 2003 champ, Suharto works as an accountant. Just like Moneymaker, Suharto is hoping to turn his PokerStars satellite (an initial $80 investment) will turn into a bracelet and a small fortune.

Suharto has just one other cash on his resume, a 448th-place finish in the 2006 Main Event. He still considers himself to be a donkey, but his tight-aggressive style and numbers background could be the formula for success, card permitting.

David "Chino" Rheem

David "Chino" Rheem… the trendy pick to win… the most recognizable name at the final table… the most colorful member of the "November Nine"… news stories surfacing of criminal past… What's not to like?

Rheem came within inches of earning a bracelet in 2006, but would settle for runner-up after Allen Cunningham claimed the $1,000 NLHE w/re-buys title. Chino would enter event 6 of the 2008 WSOP ($5K Mixed Hold'em) as the final table chip leader, before finishing a disappointing 9th. He holds the clear edge in WSOP final table experience and an aggressive, gutsy style that projects a fearless image. Not surprisingly, Chino has the support of about every big name in the poker world (especially rumored backer Greg "FBT" Meuller) who would like to see him win one for the pros.

Craig Marquis

Craig Marquis was a rivered four-flush away from missing out on the "November Nine" roller coaster ride. Instead, he finds himself with 40 big blinds and the experience of four months of red carpet treatment.

Marquis is the typical online story. The 23 year old only picked up the game within the last couple years. After going to a party hosted by now roommate and rumored backer David "raptor" Benefield and the high stakes legend Tom "durrr" Dwan, Marquis was enamored by the lifestyle online poker offered the two and dove head-first into the game.

Not only has the kid from Arlington been able to buy some cool stuff for his Vegas pad after picking up just under a million in guaranteed 9th-place money, but a win would replace Hellmuth's name from the record books, a feat Marquis has said he'll take great pleasure in.

Of the 17 events Marquis had entered during the 2008 WSOP, this is his only cash.

Kelly Kim

Somebody had to be the short-stack. Kelly Kim was in shock after he folded his way to at least a 9th-place finish and all the perks provided by being a part of the final nine. Now the So Cal pro finds himself in shove mode, sitting behind right around 10 big blinds.

With nearly 40 cashes under his belt, Kim is far from a tournament rookie. He considers himself to be a good short stack player, and with career earnings topping the $300K mark entering the 2008 Main Event, nobody is looking to double him up.

Can Dennis Phillips manage the big stack and turn it into a Main Event bracelet? Will Ivan Demidov better the 3rd-place finish that he had in the WSOP Europe Main Event? Will either Peter Eastgate or Craig Marquis erase Phil Hellmuth's name from the record books as the youngest Main Event champ?

All of those questions will be answered this weekend. The cards will be in the air at the final table on Sunday at 10 a.m. PST. The final two will return on Monday for a heads-up match, with the final product to air on ESPN on the evening of Tuesday, November 11th.

For those who can't wait that long, PokerPages.com will be at the Rio in Las Vegas, providing complete live coverage of all the action. Click here to find the final table blog.

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