Las Vegas Weekly

July 15, 2008 · 8:37 AM

Final nine at WSOP set

By Robin Leach

The final nine at the final table at the World Series of Poker. This group reconvenes at the Rio in November to compete for the championship.

Photo: WSOP

It was past 3 o’clock this morning –- and the clock ticking toward 4 a.m. -– before the final nine poker players were decided for November’s ultimate World Series of Poker showdown.

Two Canadians, one Russian and one Dane will compete against five Americans for the $9.2-million grand prize back here in Vegas just before Thanksgiving –- and not one star-name poker prince or local hometown champion remains in the war!

Two California players, Kelly Kim of Whittier and David “Chino” Rheem of Los Angeles will go up against Craig Marquis from Texas, Ylon Schwartz from New York City and Dennis Phillips from Missouri. Darious Suharto and Scott Montgomery represent Canada, Ivan Demidov hails from Moscow and Peter Eastgate from Denmark is the remaining player.

At exactly 3.25 a.m. today, Dean Hamrick from Michigan left the table with almost $600,000 in 10th place as he was eliminated. More than 6,840 players at the Rio had begun the hunt for poker’s richest prize.

WSOP officials had decided to take a near four-month break in play for the finals. Head honcho Jeffrey Pollack told me, “It will generate extraordinary anticipation and excitement. It will stand alone as its own super-event. It doesn’t get lost in all the other coverage. It gives everybody an opportunity to get to know the best nine players in the world this go-round. The ‘build’ for this event will be phenomenal -- and next year, the 40th, it will be even bigger and better. This year has already been a record for us- and the interest keeps growing: 55 events over 47 days at the Rio with 58,720 players from 118 different countries.

“Play will commence Nov. 9, continue through Nov. 10. In the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 11 we will know the winner and we’ll have the entire play edited down for broadcast on ESPN within 24 hours.”

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