November Nine Day 1 | 2008 WSOP Main Event - The Final Table

11-09-2008 11:30 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 7, Ivan Demidov (24,400,000)

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27-year-old Ivan Demidov arrives at the final table today having already set one new WSOP record. Only a little over a month ago, he became the first player ever to make the final table of the WSOP Main Event as well as the WSOP-Europe Main Event in the same year. Demidov ultimately finished the WSOP-E Main Event in third place, earning £334,850 for his finish (a bit over $600,000 USD) and securing his place in poker history.

A native of Moscow, Russia, Demidov was once a mathematics student at Moscow State University with a flourishing side career as a professional video gamer. He was introduced to online poker through a friend, who transferred him $50 on PokerStars so he could get started. Demidov was more of a casual player before he saw his fellow countryman Alex Kravchenko returned home from the 2007 World Series of Poker with a bracelet on his wrist. His performance inspired Demidov to take the game more seriously, and after securing a backer, he made the trip out to Las Vegas for the 2008 WSOP. Demidov played twenty events and narrowly missed the final table of the $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em with Rebuys event, where he busted out in 11th place. The Big Dance, though, would prove to be Demidov’s coming-out party.

Upon his return home to Russia, Demidov played in four local tournaments—winning two of them and finishing second in another. From there it was on to the WSOP-Europe for his record-setting final table, where he competed alongside Daniel Negreanu, Scott Fischman, and eventual winner John Juanda. Since making the November Nine, Demidov has also been signed by PokerStars as one of their “Million Dollar Men.” He’ll start play today second in chips with 24,400,000.

Tags: Ivan Demidov

11-09-2008 11:31 UTC-7

Final Table Bios : Seat 8, Kelly Kim (2,620,000)

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Kelly Kim, or “KK” as his friends call him, is a 31-year-old professional poker player and California native who’s been playing poker full-time since 2003. Kim went to school for marketing at the University of California San Diego campus but soon discovered his real passion was poker. In July of 2003, Kim took down the Grand Slam of Poker at the Hustler Casino, earning a $21,000+ payday, and has since never looked back.

In his short time as a pro, Kim has amassed over $326,000 in career tournament earnings, though earning a seat at the WSOP Main Event final table is easily his greatest poker accomplishment. Since turning pro, Kim has netted three cashes in WSOP tournaments and an impressive eight cashes on the World Poker Tour. Kim has played plenty of poker since going on a mandatory hiatus from the Main Event. In August, he finished fourth in one of the preliminary events at the Legends of Poker and also made it to Day 2 of the WSOPE Main Event.

Kim’s biggest challenge heading into the final table will perhaps be trying to overcome his own chip stack, as he returns to the felt with just 2,620,000 in chips – far and away the shortest stack at the table. Nonetheless, Kim remains positive and focused, while maintaining an optimistic outlook toward the situation: “Obviously I'm in critical condition, but if I double or triple early then it's on. I've already reached my goal and everything else is just gravy.”

Kim impressed the poker world with his short stack play in the closing days of the Main Event back in July. He was last in chips with 13 players remaining on Day 7 and managed to outlast four others to secure his November Nine seat. He’s proven that he’s got the ability to lay down big hands when the pressure’s on. Consider the following story, relayed to us by the man himself in a recent interview:

“On Day 6, I laid down queens on a 7-5-3-7-2 board for a bet of one million into a 3.6 million pot. It took all my strength to fold and when I tabled my hand, my opponent showed me quad sevens. At this point, I knew I was dialed in and really felt I was prepared for this moment and task at hand.”

Prepared indeed. Kim is a proven survivor and will not go down without a fight. Don’t be surprised if he makes that 2.6 million-chip starting stack look like 5.2 straight from the get-go.

Tags: Kelly Kim

11-09-2008 11:31 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 9, Peter Eastgate (18,375,000)

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The youngest player at the WSOP Main Event Final Table is 22-year-old Peter Eastgate of Odense, Denmark. If Eastgate were to win the tournament, he would break the record for youngest player ever to win the Main Event, currently held by eleven-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, Jr.

As is typical of many poker players that come from Eastgate's party of the world, Eastgate is known for his highly aggressive (and equally volatile) brand of poker. He is ranked as one of the top five Danish online pros and can regularly be found playing heads-up, high-limit cash games online. Like many other players of the new poker generation, Eastgate dropped out of his university Economics program to concentrate on playing poker full time when he realized the amounts of money he could make. Eastgate has gone on record as not regretting that decision, but recommends that other young players should not follow his example.

Due to his youth, Eastgate hasn't had many opportunities to cash in major poker tournaments. He does have two previous EPT cashes to his credit this eyar: 32nd place at the 2008 EPT Copenhagen for $16,610, and 18th at the 2008 EPT European Poker Championships in London for $29,871. Eastgate also cashed at the 2007 Paddy Power Irish Open in Dublin, finishing in ninth place of a no-limit hold'em freezeout for almost $47,000.

Eastgate has put himself in a prime position at the final table. He is fourth in chips, slightly above par with more than 18,000,000. He has allowed chip leader Dennis Phillips and more recognizable names like David "Chino" Rheem to accept the mantle of pressure that comes from being at the WSOP Main Event final table. He spent the last four months learning as much as he can about each of his eight opponents. Whether it will be enough to allow him to take down the championship is anyone's guess.

Tags: Peter Eastgate

11-09-2008 11:37 UTC-7

Opening Festivities Underway

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The opening ceremonies of the final table are officially underway. TD Jack Effel introduced the World Series of Poker Commissioner, Jeffrey Pollack. Flanked by the four showgirls, Pollack thanked the assembled crowd for coming out to watch poker history. He then welcomed the November Nine to the stage, to the roars and applause of the crowd.

After brief words from the General Manager of the Rio and the president of Corum Watches -- who mentioned that the winner of the tournament will receive a custom Romulus watch, engraved with his name and lucky suit -- the chip bags were brought out and given to the players. The players are now counting and stacking their chips. We are just moments from play.

11-09-2008 11:51 UTC-7

Almost There...

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We look like we're ready to go. The players have confirmed their chip counts, stacked their chips and are seated at the table. The ESPN video crew is getting a few establishing shots. It looks like, once that's done, we'll be able to shuffle up and deal.

11-09-2008 11:59 UTC-7

Individual Player Introductions

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The November Nine left the stage after stacking their chips. Tournament Director Jack Effel is now introducing each of them individually, in seat order around the table. He is also reading short bios on each player after they take their seat.

11-09-2008 12:01 UTC-7

Famous Faces in the Audience

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Along with the extraordinary entourage of chipleader Dennis Phillips (all dressed identically in white Broadway Trucking shirts and St. Louis Cardinals hats), a number of poker luminaries have turned up in the audience. Just from sitting here we can see Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, Robert Mizrachi, Philippe Rouas, Greg "FBT" Mueller, Phil Gordon, Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy, and Barry Greenstein.

11-09-2008 12:09 UTC-7

Electric Atmosphere at the Final Table

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Right now, it feels more like a European football match in here than a poker tournament, with each player's entourage cheering wildly as their man is introduced to the crowd. Kelly Kim's supporters are holding signs bearing messages like 'You Can Do It Kelly!" while Peter Eastgate's are all dressed in identical black t-shirts with yellow stars that say "It's in the Stars!" Ivan Demidov's fans are dressed in Russian costumes, complete with military hats and are waving their country's flag.

And of course, there are the "Phillipians" nearly 300-strong, all wearing Cardinals hats and screaming for their man from the stands, the orchestra section, the balcony... really wherever they can fit.

11-09-2008 12:09 UTC-7

Play is Underway

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2007 WSOP Main Event Champion Jerry Yang wished each of the November Nine "Best of luck," and then called out the magic words, "Shuffle up and deal!"

There are 21 minutes and 50 seconds left in Level 33. Blinds are 120,000 and 240,000 with a 30,000 ante.

Level: 33

Blinds: 120,000/240,000

Ante: 30,000