The final nine players in the World Series of Poker main event,
along with their finishes. The finalists emerged from a field of
6,494 players and competed Nov. 7-10 for the tournament's top prize
of $8.55 million. Ninth place won $1.26 million; higher finishers
won at least $1.3 million.
NOTE: Chips have no monetary value. One player had to win all
the chips in play to take the title, and lose all his chips to be
eliminated. There were 194.8 million in chips in play.
Joseph Cada (1st: $8,547,042)
AGE: 21
HOMETOWN: Shelby Township, Mich.
OCCUPATION: poker player
THE WIN: Beat Darvin Moon with two-pair, nines and seven,
compared with Moon's sevens with a queen-jack.
PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: two no-limit Texas Hold 'em cashes
in 2009 ($28,214)
Darvin Moon (2nd: $5,182,928)
AGE: 46
HOMETOWN: Oakland, Md.
OCCUPATION: self-employed logger
THE BEAT: Called an all-in bet by Cada with a suited queen-jack,
then lost an about even bet to Cada's pocket nines. Neither player
connected with the board.
PRIOR SERIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS: none
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
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
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)
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
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)
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)
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)
Information from: World Series of Poker, Associated Press
interviews, gameplay.
(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
