2014 WSOP Main Event Final Table gets underway tonight
On July 15, 120 days ago, the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event reached its final table of 9 players. It happened just after midnight when Louis Velador became the unfortunate recipient of $565,193; unfortunate because it meant he was out in 10th place, one position shy of a final table appearance in the poker world’s most prestigious event. With that, the November Nine was formed, and now, four months later, they are all preparing a return to the felt tonight, Monday, November 10th.
The conclusion of the 2014 WSOP Main Event begins at 7:30 pm ET in the Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio All Suite in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Live” coverage begins on ESPN2 at 8:00pm, imposing a 30-minute delay to preserve the integrity of the game. Thanks to that delay, for the first time in history, viewers will be able to see the hole cards of all players from the start of the hand, rather than when the hand concludes. The November Nine will continue to play until just two competitors remain, then resume with the final heads-up battle Tuesday night, where the eventual winner is guaranteed $10 million.
This year’s WSOP Main Event will feature a bevy of young greenhorns. None of the 2014 November Nines has ever won a WSOP bracelet, and the oldest at the table will be Brazilian Bruno Politano, just 32 years old. Only one player has experience in the November Nine; Mark Newhouse, who came into the 2013 WSOP Main Event final table as the low stack, finishing 9th to the surprise of no one.
The highest stack belongs to 31 year old Jorryt van Hoof (38,375,000), a Dutch poker pro residing in London who operates his own online poker training website. In second position is 24 year old Felix Stephensen (32,775,000) of Oslo, Norway, a relatively inexperienced poker player who was inspired to join the WSOP Main Event after he and his friend won $60k betting on the World Cup. The third highest stack belongs to 29 year old American poker pro Mark Newhouse (26,000,000), one of the most experienced of the November Nine with a WPT Title and nearly $3 million in live tournament winnings.
The youngest player in the mix at 22, Andoni Larrabe (22,550,000) of Spain holds the fourth highest stack. Coming in fifth is 30 year old Dan Sindelar (21,200,000), another American poker pro who dropped out of college in Nebraska to pursue his career in Las Vegas. Another 30 year old American, Billy Pappaconstantinou (aka ‘Billy Pappa’; 17,500,000) will bring the 6th highest stack to the table, but is considered the greenest of the bunch, having very little live poker experience, but an extensive championship status in the foosball world.
27 year old Will Tonking (15,050,000) joins the table from New Jersey where he plays online poker professionally. 27 year old British poker pro Martin Jacobson is the second smallest stack, but the most experienced poker player in the field as the only 2014 November Niner with 7-figures in WSOP tournament winnings under his belt. Last but certainly not least is 32 year old Brazilian poker hobbyist Bruno Politano (12,125,000), who is dead last in the chip counts, but expected to rally the most extravagant fan support of any player in the history of the WSOP Main Event Final Table.
