Earlier this year the WSOP made a controversial move in moving the final table of the Main Event back several months to November. Since then time has flown and many interweb message boards and forums have been alight with heated discussion, all hashing the pros, cons and reasons why for such a move. Though while the focus becomes more on the set up and promotion of the game, it seems that the poker has taken a back step. However, that’s neither hear nor there anymore as the critical date fast approaches. So what now then?
27 year old from Moscow in Russia. He managed to play almost every event at the WSOP though only came through in the money once. Still, he picked up just under $40,000 which is a fair achievement for someone who has been playing seriously for just under two years. Demidov like many of his fellow final tabler’s has a wealth of experience online. In fact he found the transition to live tournaments quite difficult because of the slower pace and the more distractions. Demidov has been preparing by playing various tournaments including the WSOPE where he made the money and the final three tables.
Aged 31 and a poker pro from California is the short stack. with only 2.6 million in chips and with a 240,000 big blind and 30,000 ante, Kim will be up against it very quick when play resumes. Ironically though, Kim has a reputation for being a skilled short stack player, and those who know the pro aren’t counting him out just yet. Kim, like many pros started playing poker when he was in college. He worked for a short period after graduation but soon was swept into the poker world full time. Currently he has over $350,000 in live tournament winnings including two WSOP cashes and eight in the WPT.
At only 22, if the young Dane goes all the way, he will break Hellmuths record and become the youngest player to ever win the Main Event. Eastgate is a well known name back in his own country were he is ranked as one of the top 5 online players. His bread and butter: short handed, heads up NLHE. He has a playing style to be reckoned with and is known to be quite volatile. Eastgate dropped out of an economics degree in college to play poker full time and has since picked up only a few cashes despite playing for 3 years
