November Nine

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The November Nine was the name used to refer to the final nine contestants, or final table, at the Main Event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) from 2008 to 2016. The winner of the WSOP Main Event is considered to be the World Champion of Poker.[1]

Prior to 2008, the entire Main Event was played without interruption. Starting in 2008, in an effort to build excitement in the WSOP and to increase ratings for the tape-delayed televised shows, Harrah's Entertainment and ESPN decided to delay the final table until shortly before its scheduled broadcast. The delay would allow ESPN to cover the rest of the tournament leading up to the final table without viewers knowing the winner in advance.[2] Due to the timing of U.S. presidential elections, the final tables for the 2012 and 2016 Main Events were held in October.[3][4]

In 2017, Poker Central announced a television and digital media rights agreement with the WSOP and ESPN which returned the final table to the tail end of the rest of the tournament.[5]

Reception and criticism[]

After the announcement was made to delay the final table, concerns arose as to how the delay would affect the tournament.[6] Ylon Schwartz, a 2008 November Nine participant, criticized the four-month delay by saying, "It ruins the integrity of the tournament. The purity of old-time Las Vegas is gone. The antiquity and purity of the tournament have been liquidated into pure greed and capitalism."[7] ESPN's Senior Director of Programming and Acquisition, Doug White, stated, "The movement of the final table has definitely helped in terms of creating buzz."[8]

When the 2008 November Nine was broadcast "almost live," ESPN received criticism because the network showed the winner's name prior to the broadcast. Poker journalist Dan Skolovy wrote, "It turned out to be a difficult task to avoid hearing the results. Especially since... ESPN scrolled the winner on its sports ticker long before the broadcast aired."[2] Nonetheless, coverage of the 2008 final table garnered more than a 50 percent increase from the previous year in both the number of viewers and households that watched it.[9] The broadcast later received an Emmy Award nomination for "Outstanding Live Event Turnaround."[10]

Results[]

Name Name of the player (listed in order of starting chip count from highest to lowest).
Starting chip count The starting chip count at the start of the final table.
WSOP
bracelets
The number of WSOP bracelets at the time the November Nine was determined.[a]
WSOP
cashes
The number of WSOP cashes at the time the November Nine was determined.[a]
WSOP
earnings
The total of WSOP earnings at the time the November Nine was determined.[a]
Final
place
The place in which the player finished the tournament.
Prize The prize money awarded to that player for their finish at that year's Main Event.

2008[]

Original field: 6,844

Total prize pool: $64,431,779

Final table minimum prize: $900,670

Final table maximum prize: $9,152,416

Final table total prize pool: $32,633,446

Reference:[11][12]

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Dennis Phillips 26,295,000 0 0 $0 3rd $4,517,773
Ivan Demidov 24,400,000 0 1 $39,854 2nd $5,809,595
Scott Montgomery 19,690,000 0 3 $73,700 5th $3,096,768
Peter Eastgate 18,375,000 0 0 $0 1st $9,152,416
Ylon Schwartz 12,525,000 0 11 $124,580 4th $3,774,974
Darus Suharto 12,520,000 0 1 $26,389 6th $2,418,562
David Rheem 10,230,000 0 5 $474,863 7th $1,772,650
Craig Marquis 10,210,000 0 3 $35,759 9th $900,670
Kelly Kim 2,620,000 0 3 $45,191 8th $1,288,217

Dennis Phillips was an account manager for a commercial trucking company. Peter Eastgate, from Denmark, was one of only two non-North American players to make it to the final table (Russian Ivan Demidov was the other).[11] By making the final table, Eastgate and 23-year-old Craig Marquis threatened Phil Hellmuth's 19-year record as youngest person to ever win the WSOP Main Event;[11] Eastgate's victory gave him that distinction. Ylon Schwartz was a former professional chess hustler in New York City parks.[11] Two players, accountant Darus Suharto and poker professional Scott Montgomery, were originally from Canada. Kelly Kim, who had the fewest chips entering the final table, was an established professional player who cashed in numerous events but never won a major tournament.[11]

2009[]

Original field: 6,494

Total prize pool: $61,043,600

Final table minimum prize: $1,263,602

Final table maximum prize: $8,547,042

Final table total prize pool: $27,220,989

Reference:[13]

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Darvin Moon 58,930,000 0 0 $0 2nd $5,182,928
Eric Buchman 34,800,000 0 9 $320,893 4th $2,502,890
Steven Begleiter 29,885,000 0 0 $0 6th $1,587,160
Jeff Shulman 19,580,000 0 15 $289,551 5th $1,953,452
Joe Cada 13,215,000 0 2 $28,214 1st $8,547,042
Kevin Schaffel 12,390,000 0 2 $92,166 8th $1,300,231
Phil Ivey 9,765,000 7 38 $3,843,018 7th $1,404,014
Antoine Saout 9,500,000 0 0 $0 3rd $3,479,670
James Akenhead 6,800,000 0 2 $525,867 9th $1,263,602

The final table's "rags to riches" story was Darvin Moon, a logger from Maryland.[14] Moon entered the Main Event after winning a $130 satellite tournament in Wheeling, West Virginia.[15]

Jeff Shulman, who entered the final table in fourth place, was the president for Card Player Magazine. Shulman openly stated that, if he won the bracelet, he would throw it away. Some initially speculated that this announcement stemmed from the fact that Harrah's Casino had partnered with Card Player Magazine's main competitor, Bluff Magazine.[14] However, an article on the Card Player website indicated that Shulman's supposed disdain for Harrah's Casino was not based on its partnership with Bluff Magazine. “My comments have nothing to do with that, and everything to do with my disappointment in how the World Series is run," said Shulman. "It used to be run by people who loved and really cared about poker, and had the players in mind, first and foremost. That mission's been derailed by a few executives who now head the Series."[16] He also indicated that, if he won the bracelet, he would not throw it in the trash, but instead would pursue one of four options: hold an auction and donate the money to charity, hold a tournament for the players shut out of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, give it away as part of a promotion on SpadeClub.com (an online poker site sponsored by Cardplayer), or give it to television personality Stephen Colbert.[16]

Other notable finalists included seven-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey and former Bear Stearns senior executive Steven Begleiter.[14]

At age 21, Joe Cada became the youngest player ever to win the WSOP Main Event.[17]

2010[]

Original field: 7,319

Total prize pool: $68,798,600

Final table minimum prize: $811,823

Final table maximum prize: $8,944,310

Final table prize pool: $29,032,637

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Jonathan Duhamel 65,975,000 0 2 $43,000 1st $8,944,310
John Dolan 46,250,000 0 5 $105,340 6th $1,772,959
Joseph Cheong 23,525,000 0 2 $31,064 3rd $4,130,049
John Racener 19,050,000 0 10 $157,528 2nd $5,545,955
Matthew Jarvis 16,700,000 0 0 0 8th $1,045,743
Filippo Candio 16,400,000 0 1 $3,460 4th $3,092,545
Michael Mizrachi 14,450,000 1 23 $2,271,327 5th $2,332,992
Cuong Soi Nguyen 9,650,000 0 0 0 9th $811,823
Jason Senti 7,625,000 0 1 $17,987 7th $1,356,720

Jonathan Duhamel wins the tournament with the lead in chips at the final table.

2011[]

Original field: 6,865

Total prize Pool: $64,531,000

Final table minimum prize: $782,115

Final table maximum prize: $8,715,638

Final table prize pool: $28,469,161

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Martin Staszko 40,175,000 0 4 $22,875 2nd $5,433,086
Eoghan O'Dea 33,925,000 0 5 $37,516 6th $1,720,831
Matt Giannetti 24,750,000 0 10 $237,249 4th $3,012,700
Phil Collins 23,875,000 0 8 $48,769 5th $2,269,599
Ben Lamb 20,875,000 1 12 $2,157,249 3rd $4,021,138
Badih "Bob" Bounahra 19,700,000 0 1 $7,582 7th $1,314,097
Pius Heinz 16,425,000 0 1 $83,286 1st $8,715,638
Anton Makiievskyi 13,825,000 0 0 0 8th $1,010,015
Sam Holden 12,375,000 0 0 0 9th $782,115

Eoghan O'Dea's father, Donnacha O'Dea, played the Main Event final table in 1983 and 1991, making them the first father-son duo to make the final table.[18] Martin Staszko, Badih Bounahra and Anton Makiievskyi were the first players to make the final table from their respective countries: Czech Republic, Belize and Ukraine.[19][20][21][22] With seven different countries represented, this was the most internationally diverse Main Event final table in WSOP history.[23]

2012[]

Original field: 6,598

Total prize Pool: $62,021,200

Final table minimum prize: $754,798

Final table maximum prize: $8,527,982

Final table prize pool: $27,247,840

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Jesse Sylvia 43,875,000 0 2 $36,372 2nd $5,295,149
Andras Koroknai 29,375,000 0 2 $39,371 6th $1,640,461
Greg Merson 28,725,000 1 5 $1,253,501 1st $8,531,853
Russell Thomas 24,800,000 0 3 $126,796 4th $2,850,494
Steven Gee 16,860,000 1 4 $480,822 9th $754,798
Michael Esposito 16,260,000 0 3 $27,311 7th $1,257,790
Robert Salaburu 15,155,000 0 0 0 8th $971,252
Jacob Balsiger 13,115,000 0 1 $3,531 3rd $3,797,558
Jeremy Ausmus 9,805,000 0 13 $114,623 5th $2,154,616

2013[]

Original field: 6,352

Total prize Pool: $59,708,800

Final table minimum prize: $733,224

Final table maximum prize: $8,359,531

Final table prize pool: $26,662,066

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
J.C. Tran 38,000,000 2 40 $1,843,946 5th $2,106,893
Amir Lehavot 29,700,000 1 12 $818,414 3rd $3,727,823
Marc McLaughlin 26,525,000 0 6 $639,168 6th $1,601,024
Jay Farber 25,975,000 0 0 0 2nd $5,174,357
Ryan Riess 25,875,000 0 3 $30,569 1st $8,361,570
Sylvain Loosli 19,600,000 0 0 0 4th $2,792,533
Michiel Brummelhuis 11,275,000 0 7 $174,170 7th $1,225,224
Mark Newhouse 7,350,000 0 6 $152,725 9th $733,224
David Benefield 6,375,000 0 12 $455,713 8th $944,593

2014[]

Original field: 6,683

Total prize Pool: $62,820,200

Final table minimum prize: $730,725

Final table maximum prize: $10,000,000

Final table prize pool: $28,480,121

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Jorryt van Hoof 38,375,000 0 3 $27,956 3rd $3,807,753
Felix Stephensen 32,775,000 0 0 0 2nd $5,147,911
Mark Newhouse 26,000,000 0 8 $906,093 9th $730,725
Andoni Larrabe 22,550,000 0 3 $20,068 6th $1,622,471
Dan Sindelar 21,200,000 0 17 $149,991 7th $1,236,084
William Pappaconstantinou 17,500,000 0 0 0 5th $2,143,794
William Tonking 15,050,000 0 3 $14,701 4th $2,849,763
Martin Jacobson 14,900,000 0 13 $1,204,983 1st $10,000,000
Bruno Politano 12,125,000 0 3 $25,404 8th $947,172

Mark Newhouse became the first player to make two consecutive Main Event final tables since Dan Harrington in 2003 and 2004. Bruno Politano became the first Main Event finalist from Brazil. This is the second final table since the format change in 2008 that none of the players had previously won a bracelet.

2015[]

Original field: 6,420

Total prize Pool: $60,348,000

Final table minimum prize: $1,001,020

Final table maximum prize: $7,683,346

Final table prize pool: $24,799,118

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Joe McKeehen 63,100,000 0 8 $883,494 1st $7,683,346
Ofer Stern 29,800,000 0 5 $58,384 5th $1,911,423
Neil Blumenfield[24] 22,000,000 0 3 $44,395 3rd $3,398,298
Pierre Neuville 21,075,000 0 19 $591,460 7th $1,203,293
Max Steinberg 20,200,000 1 11 $1,406,138 4th $2,615,361
Thomas Cannuli 12,250,000 0 2 $20,203 6th $1,426,283
Joshua Beckley 11,800,000 0 4 $19,403 2nd $4,470,896
Patrick Chan 6,225,000 0 4 $113,145 9th $1,001,020
Federico Butteroni 6,200,000 0 2 $49,255 8th $1,097,056

Joe McKeehen is the second player to start with the chip lead at the final table and win.

2016[]

Original field: 6,737

Total prize Pool: $63,327,800

Final table minimum prize: $1,000,000

Final table maximum prize: $8,000,000

Final table prize pool: $25,432,920

Name Starting chip count WSOP
bracelets
WSOP
cashes
WSOP
earnings
Final
place
Prize
Cliff Josephy 74,600,000 2 17 $810,358 3rd $3,453,035
Qui Nguyen 67,925,000 0 1 $9,029 1st $8,005,310
Gordon Vayo 49,375,000 0 26 $608,136 2nd $4,661,228
Kenny Hallaert 43,325,000 0 22 $367,855 6th $1,464,258
Michael Ruane 31,600,000 0 3rd $24,438 4th $2,576,003
Vojtech Ruzicka 27,300,000 0 17 $138,585 5th $1,935,288
Griffin Benger 26,175,000 0 13 $231,201 7th $1,250,190
Jerry Wong 10,175,000 0 19 $118,156 8th $1,100,076
Fernando Pons 6,150,000 0 0 0 9th $1,000,000

Notes[]

a The number of bracelets, cashes, and earnings of the players is determined at the time they qualified for the final table of the Main Event. It does not represent any results from subsequent WSOP events including the World Series of Poker Europe, which occurs between the time the final table is determined and subsequently seated.

References[]

  1. ^ "Final Table Set at World Series of Poker Main Event; Nine to Compete at Rio for $12 Million and Title of World Champion". Business Wire. Business Wire. 2006-08-09. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  2. ^ a b Skolovy, Daniel (2009-07-14). "How ESPN Can Improve the November Nine". Pokerlistings. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  3. ^ Fast, Erik (2012-02-01). "2012 World Series of Poker Final Table Moved To October". CardPlayer.
  4. ^ "IT'S HERE! 2012 WORLD SERIES OF POKER TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED". WSOP. 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  5. ^ "POKER CENTRAL & WSOP INK DEAL AND EXTEND ESPN RELATIONSHIP: THE 2017 WORLD SERIES OF POKER MAIN EVENT CHAMPION WILL BE CROWNED IN JULY". Poker Central. May 15, 2017.
  6. ^ "The November Nine". ESPN. 2008-07-18. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  7. ^ Cypra, Dan (2008-10-30). "WSOP Changes Venue for Main Event Final Table". Poker Daily News. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  8. ^ Cypra, Dan (2008-11-01). "ESPN Senior Director Comments on WSOP Main Event Broadcast". Poker News Daily. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  9. ^ Cypra, Dan (2008-11-14). "ESPN Ratings Up 50% for WSOP Main Event Final Table". Poker Daily News. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  10. ^ "Media Center". National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  11. ^ a b c d e Polson, Sarah (2008-07-15). "2008 WSOP: Introducing the November Nine". Pokerlisting. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  12. ^ "World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold'em (Event 54)". 2008 39th Annual World Series of Poker. Harrah's Entertainment Inc. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  13. ^ "World Championship NL Texas Hold'em (Event 57)". 2009 40th Annual World Series of Poker. Harrah's Entertainment Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-07-21. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  14. ^ a b c Silver, Steve (2009-07-21). "ESPN to devote record amount of time to Main Event". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  15. ^ Burton, Earl (2009-07-20). "Darvin Moon – Poker Player Profile". Poker News Daily. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  16. ^ a b "Jeff Shulman Explains Controversial WSOP Comments". Cardplayer Magazine. 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  17. ^ Willis, Brad (2009-11-10). "WSOP Crowns Joe Cada, Youngest Main Event Winner". PokerStarsBlog.com. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
  18. ^ Wise, Gary (2011-09-23). "Eoghan O'Dea creating his own legacy". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  19. ^ "Martin Staszko: 2011 WSOP November Nine". PokerListings. 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  20. ^ "Badih "Bob" Bounahra: 2011 WSOP November Nine". PokerListings. 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  21. ^ "Pius Heinz: 2011 WSOP November Nine". PokerListings. 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  22. ^ Holloway, Chad (2011-10-31). "Preparing for the 2011 World Series of Poker November Nine: Anton Makiievskyi". PokerNews. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  23. ^ "Official Report, Event #58" (PDF). WSOP.com. 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
  24. ^ "Neil Blumenfield Talks About Life After the November Nine". CardsChat.com. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
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