WSOP - The October Nine

The 43rd Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) has reached its enforced sabbatical. The $10,000 Main Event has managed to whittle itself down to just nine players, after starting with a huge field of 6,598.

Since the conception of the WSOP, back in 1970, the summer poker extravaganza has always played down to the eventual winner. 

Then, in 2008, it all changed, when the event was stalled until November, when the final table would be played, and a new winner crowned. This group of players became known as the November Nine and, until this year, the format has stayed the same.

The 43rd Annual WSOP has reached its final nine players, but they return to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on October 29th, meaning the November Nine have now become known as the Octo-Nine. 

The final nine players represent just two countries, with eight players hailing from various parts of the United States, and just one hailing from Hungary. The winner of the event will take away $8,527,982 with a cool $18 million-plus being shared across the other eight remaining places.

The chip leader is Jesse Sylvia, a 26-year old professional poker player from Las Vegas. An avid writer and snowboarder, Sylvia had only cashed in one WSOP and one WSOP Circuit (WPOC) event, and yet he enters the final day with 43,875,000 in chips. 

The potential favourite is 25-year old High School Graduate from Laurel, Greg Merson. Merson has already recorded one WSOP gold bracelet win and a fifth place finish, this summer, where he netted over $1 million dollars. Merson starts with 28,725,000 chips.

The rest of the line-up look like this: Andras Koroknai (29,375,000), Russell Thomas (24,800,000), Steven Gee (16,860,000), Michael Esposito (16,200,000), Robert Salabru (15,155,000), Jake Balsiger (13,115,000) & Jeremy Ausmus (9,805,000).