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.
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1. Darvin Moon (58,930,000)
AGE: 46
HOMETOWN: Oakland, Md.
OCCUPATION: self-employed logger
PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: none
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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)
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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
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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
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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)
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6. Steven Begleiter (6th: $1,587,160)
AGE: 47
HOMETOWN: Chappaqua, N.Y.
OCCUPATION: private equity, former Bear Stearns Cos. executive
THE BEAT: Eliminated with pocket queens by Moon, who connected with an ace on the river for a better pair.
PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: made it to Day 3 of 2008 main event
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7. Phil Ivey (7th: $1,404,014)
AGE: 32
HOMETOWN: Las Vegas
OCCUPATION: poker player
THE BEAT: Eliminated with ace-king when Moon, holding ace-queen, hit a pair of queens on the flop.
PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: seven gold bracelets and 35 cashes since 2000 for $3.46 million. Two wins in 2009, including a $2,500 Omaha/seven card stud high-low eight or better ($220,538) and no-limit deuce to seven draw lowball ($96,367)
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8. Kevin Schaffel (8th: $1,300,231)
AGE: 52
HOMETOWN: Coral Springs, Fla.
OCCUPATION: semiretired, cash game player
THE BEAT: Eliminated with pocket aces by Eric Buchman, who held pocket kings but made four of a kind after the community cards were dealt.
PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 324th in 2008 main event ($32,166)
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9. James Akenhead (9th: $1,263,602)
AGE: 26
HOMETOWN: London
OCCUPATION: poker player
THE BEAT: Eliminated with a pocket pair of threes against Schaffel's pocket nines. Community cards bring a 10, two deuces, a seven and a nine, giving Schaffel an unnecessary full house.
PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: two cashes last year, including one at the World Series of Poker Europe and a runner-up finish in a $1,500 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold 'em tournament ($520,219)
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Information from: World Series of Poker, Associated Press interviews, gameplay.
