November 9 WSOP final table form guide

World Series of Poker
November 9 final table

Not too many bookies are taking odds on the WSOP final table as yet, but there's plenty of interest in those who are. And it's an interesting mix of chip counts and personalities who will mix it up for the $8.5 million first prize.

Here's our assessments:

Darvin Moon (58,930,000 chips)
Sportsbet $3.50; Luxbet $3.80; Betway $3.75
The 45-year-old logging company owner is remarkably one of the oldest at the final table. He is also massive chip leader which is the primary reason for his favouritism. He has more than a quarter of all chips at the table, and has been proud of the fact that he hasn’t yet had to commit all his chips to a showdown. That's right. Not one all in bet in eight days of play.
Despite playing poker at the young age of 12 with his grandfather, Moon only discovered Texas holdem three years ago, which many would see as a disadvantage under the pressure of a final table, television lights, crowds and all that goes with it.
He made the main event after entering a $130 buy in tournament at Wheeling, West Virginia. Not a bad investment for someone who wanted to play poker to help raise money for local fire halls and other charities.
He puts his success so far down to “good cards” … a humble assessment.
Not only will Moon start the bookie’s favourite. He will also take some sentimental support with him into the final days of play. He is certainly well placed.

Eric Buchman (34,800,000 chips)
Sportsbet $4.75; Luxbet $5.25; Betway $5
The 29-year-old New Yorker has been a professional poker player for the best part of nine years and goes into the final in a terrific position, albeit more than 20 million behind the chip leader.
Buchman is familiar with big tournament environments, having won the 2004 New England Poker Classic, and run second in three WSOP bracelet events. But therein lies the worry for punters. Buchman seems to have trouble finishing off the job. He's also had 10 WSOP cashes.
Without progressing further, the final table will be the biggest earnings of his career, more than doubling his $900,000 or so earnings on the tour so far.
Buchman had his moment of luck on day 7 when he risked all his chips with A-10 of hearts against pocket jacks. He hit the flush to double up to 6 million chips.
Buchman is an accomplished player, but will a line of runners up finishes come back to haunt him if he finds himself heads up?

Phil Ivey (9,765,000 chips)
Sportsbet $6.50; Luxbet $6.50; Betway $6
This is where the quality of the player and the number of chips starts to mess with punters' heads. Phil Ivey is regarded by most as the best poker player in the world. But he sits 7th in chip stack at the start of the final table, which is something which does not necessarily suit his aggressive style of play.
If anyone can change up to suit the conditions, it's Ivey, and that's why there is money for him to win the event from well behind.
Ivey has seven WSOP bracelets already to his name, and if he's in the final three - regardless of chip stack - you'd back him to win.
All others at the final table will fear his presence, and they will be aware of his uncanny ability to read his opposition.
But chip stack is a worry and even a player of his supreme calibre will need a little luck from where he sits.

Steven Begleiter (29,885,000 chips)
Sportsbet $6.50; Luxbet $6; Betway $7
As senior principal of investment broker Flexpoint Ford, this New Yorker has premium business pedigree. And he'll start the final table with a healthy chip stack, plenty of confidence, and a crowd of support behind him.
Like Buchman, his moment of luck came on day 7 when he pushed all in with A-Q against pocket kings. The ace hit on the turn which led to a 10 million chip swing.
Remarkably, Begleiter won his seat in a home game, which means he'll be splitting his winnings with friends of that game. They'll each pocket a percentage of the winnings, and will likely be a vocal part of the crowd at the main event finish.
He's already made his way through 6485 opponents to make the final table, and if business acumen can be applied to poker, he'll be a genuine chance.
But the question mark here is whether brains can overcome street smarts when it comes to buckling in to pressure poker. After all, we're essentially talking about a home game player.
With that in mind, even the 7-1 at Betway is a little tight, regardless of Begleiter's chip stack.

Jeff Shulman (19,580,000 chips)
Sportsbet $7; Luxbet $6.50; Betway $7
The CardPlayer Magazine editor, 34, has a point to prove, and if determination to win the World Series counts for anything, Shulman will be right up there in the finish.
Opposition magazine Bluff was given the rights to sponsor the event, and Shulman has voiced his "lack of respect" for the WSOP management "and what they've done to all of the players". He has said he might throw away his bracelet if he wins the event. Them's fighting words!
They say there's no place for anger at the poker table, but Shulman is a seasoned professional, having already made a final table in 2000 when he cashed in for $146,000. It's nothing like the $1.2 million guaranteed for ninth place finish at this year's event, but the experience will count when it comes to coping with final table pressure.
Further in his favour, Phil Hellmuth is coaching Shulman in the months leading up to the event, no doubt pocketing a percentage of the winnings for his services.
However, Shulman's experience is below that of Buchman, career earnings of about $400,000 well below Buchman, and his starting chip stack about 10 million below Buchman.
While "justice" might be his objective, the odds are perhaps a little under where they should be.

Kevin Schaffel (12,390,000 chips)
Sportsbet $17; Luxbet $15; Betway $13
From Coral Springs, Florida, this 51-year-old man is a value bet at the final table. At $17, we only need to look at his recent form which have led to his $640,000+ in poker earnings to believe he is a chance to win.
Schaffel is yet to win a bracelet, but he's come close, finishing second in the Legends of Poker event in August this year.
The father of two sits in sixth spot and has some nasty opposition to leapfrog.
Like all those around him, he'll need some luck. But the odds are not indicative of his pedigree as a poker player.

Joe Cada (13,215,000 chips)
Sportsbet $17; Luxbet $12; Betway $13
The youngest man in the field aims to repeat the efforts of another 21-year-old Peter Eastgate. What would be the chances of that? Two 21-year-olds in successive years, both breaking a record Phil Hellmuth held for 24 years as the youngest ever world champion.
Cada cashed twice in tournaments leading up to the main event and has proven an established young player.
He sits neatly in the middle of the pack and could make his mark on the chip leaders with a little luck on the first day of the final table.
He's already showed during the tournament that he's happy to be aggressive, re-raising Phil Ivey and causing him to fold several times before the final table.
He won't be scared off and could have been even better placed if his aces hadn't been cracked by 10s on Day 8. Cada is a wildcard and might be worth a gentle punt at the odds of $17.

James Akenhead (6,800,000 chips)
Sportsbet $21; Luxbet $18; Betway $21
In terms of recent form, the 26-year-old British poker professional is perhaps the most highly credentialled at the table. But his chip stack is the problem. He starts November 9 in 9th place and will need some luck in the running to make good from there.
But in percentage terms, he's not much worse off than anybody up to double his own chip stack, but the danger lies in that an all-in bet against anybody else at the table puts his tournament life at risk.
He finished 4th in the 2008 UK Open, came runner up in the same year at a WSOP bracelet event and in 2007 won a $1000 buy in event during the Bellagio Cup. He is sponsored and, winnings included, very well paid.
If he had twice the chips, he'd be half his current odds. In poker terms, that's just one fortunate hand away.
He might not win the event, but he's one player who is priced over the odds.

Antoine Saout (9,500,000 chips)
Sportsbet $21; Luxbet $18; Betway $19
The Frenchman is the second European at the table and the rank outsider to win the event. He is similarly short-stacked alongside Phil Ivey and will need some luck to get himself back into the tournament.
But he's showed his final table appearance is more than luck with a final table appearance in the Europe Main Event earlier this month.
He played to the left of Ivey for the last three days of the WSOP main event, so position won't worry him. Saout has only been playing poker for about 18 months, so it is no wonder punters are doubting his ability to bust through far more experienced opponents.