Meet the 2011 WSOP Main Event’s Final 9 players
Oct 16, 2011 at 1:10 pm in Latest Poker News by George Wilewicz
The poker industry took a tumble in the wake of Black Friday’s shutdown of Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker, as players from New York to Las Angeles lost their main poker home. Apparently someone forgot to inform the WSOP participents that poker was on a decline. This year’s World Series attracted one of the largest fields in its history this year. The whopping 6,865 players created a top prize of $8.7 million.
Today, let’s review the nine remaining players that will contend for the last bracelet of the year this November: (Sorted by chip count)
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Martin Staszko (40.1 million in chips)
AGE: 35
Hometown: Trinec, Czech Republic
The first of his countrymen to reach this important milestone, Martin will enter the Final Table as the chip leader. As one of only two players this year over 30, he will have to hold off the charge of the young guns in order to capture the first Main Event title for his country.
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Eoghan O’Dea (33.9 million)
AGE: 26
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
This is Eoghan’s fourth WSOP cash this year, giving him a bit of a momentum bid going into this final stretch. He has major tournament experience both in the U.S. and abroad. He will have to tap into this experience if he expects to win this year’s Main Event.
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Matt Giannetti (24.7 million)
AGE: 26
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Recovering from a short stack late in the tournament, Matt has emerged in a solid, middle-of-the-pack position when it mattered most. This young pro endured many teeth-gritting all-in moments over the last moments of day 8, but survived to become the #3 stack going into November.
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Phil Collins (23.8 million)
AGE: 26
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
No, not the singer. Vegas poker pro Collins is the (increasingly common) story of an online player making the adjustment to live play. And what an adjustment he has made. This November, we will see if he can take the ultimate step and take home the elusive Main Event bracelet.
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Ben Lamb (20.8 million)
AGE: 26
Hometown: Tulsa, OK
If you believe in the momentum play, then Ben Lamb is by far the favorite to win this tournament. Currently the WSOP Player Of The Year leader going into WSOP Europe, he already has a bracelet win this year (against Phil Hellmuth of all people) and a handfull of cashes this year, and with enough of a stack to give it a good fight, Lamb has a good chance of taking down the bracelet.
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Badih Bounahra (19.7 million)
AGE: 49
Hometown: Belize City, Belize
The old man of the group at 49 years old, Badih rallied from a low stack midway through the tournament to emerge with a competitive chip stack going into the final 9. That said, this businessman has to contend with some young, aggressive pros with large chip stacks. Impossible task? We will find out next month!
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Pius Heinz (16.4 million)
AGE: 22
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Germany’s first November Niner, Pius is enjoying some success in his first WSOP with two final tables. Although on a shorter stack than most of the remaining field, he is determined to win the bracelet and the $8.7 million top prize.
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Anton Makiievskyi (13.8 million)
AGE: 21
Hometown: Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
The first Uktainian to make the Main Event final table, Anton has a short but managable stack, with plenty of blinds and antes left to make a stand. Anton is looking to join some of his countrymen who have already won WSOP bracelets this year.
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Sam Holden (12.3 million)
AGE: 22
Hometown: Sussex, UK
Every year there has to be a short stack going into the final table, and this year’s dubious honor falls to young Sam Holden. With plenty of blinds and antes in his stack, he is in no immediate danger, but with the quality of players in this year’s field his position must feel like he has a mountain to climb to get to the gold bracelet.
Ben Lamb is now the 2011 Player of the Year.. Looking good, and would cement himself in poker history with a win, my bet’s on him.
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