3 Tables Left in the 2009 Main Event

Yesterday, day 7 of Event #57 drew to a close, and the massive field of 6,494 that began with hopes, dreams, and aspirations of becoming the next world champion of the main event were dashed by every player but for these final 27 players. 26 players will walk away with large cash prizes, but only 1 will go down in poker history with the title 'World Champion'.

Out chip leader for the moment is one, Darvin Moon; who in custom practice for the WSOP main event, has earned his first ever WSOP cash. He has no major tournament victories or cashes to speak of, and yet sits on a stack of more than 20 million, better than 4 million more than second place Billy Kopp.

But the real story of the 27 remaining players is that of the 11.7 Million of some guy named Phil Ivey. The 7 time bracelet winner is THRIVING in this years main event, and ask any player remaining, he is the player that you don’t want to tangle with. Ivey is in rare form even for his standards, dominating this Main Event field. He’s playing a different game this year than everyone else, and it has just been a higher level of poker than everyone.

The remaining 3 tables have two goals: First, to survive today’s carnage as 18 players will leave us, and we’ll be down to the final table. Make that table, and you’re guaranteed at least $1 million in cash earnings from the tournament, but sponsorships galore and poker infamy await the 9 players who will resume their play in November for the chance to become the next WSOP Main Event Champion. The second goal is to come out on top of that final table, and claim the ultimate prize of $8.5 million, and Champ.

Here is how the final 3 table’s will sit as we begin play today at noon.

(Table 1)
Jesse Haabak - 2,750,000
Ian Tavelli - 4,385,000
James Calderaro - 6,475,000
Jonathan Tamayo - 3,300,000
Warren Zackey - 5,485,000
Eric Buchman - 10,005,000
Leo Margets - 1,530,000 (the lone remaining female)
Tommy Vedes - 5,070,000
James Akenhead - 8,615,000

(Table 2)
Phil Ivey - 11,350,000
Jeff Shulman - 10,170,000
George Caragiorgas - 1,615,000
Nick Maimone - 1,545,000
Andrew Lichtenberger - 5,625,000
Marco Mattes - 5,285,000
Joseph Cada - 6,565,000
Darvin Moon - 20,160,000
Jordan Smith - 4,510,000

(Table 3)
Jamie Robbins - 9,795,000
Antonio Esfandiari - 4,470,000
Francois Balmigere - 1,440,000
Ludovic Lacay - 5,610,000
Steven Begleiter - 11,885,000
Ben Lamb - 9,410,000
Antoine Saout - 11,135,000
Kevin Schaffel - 11,245,000
Billy Kopp - 15,970,000

Later in the day, I will be sending out updates through twitter (http://www.twitter.com/pablosplace) from my @Pablosplace account. Feel free to follow the bust outs from there.