Play gets underway at Noon PST in the Rio Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. It could be a long night, with the clock running until the table plays down to heads-up. The final two will then make their way to the Penn And Teller theatre for a climactic 1-on-1 confrontation at 10 p.m. PST on Monday night. Forty of ESPN’s HD cameras will be recording the action, with an edited version of both nights scheduled to broadcast on Tuesday evening from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. However, production staff have confirmed that the show may run past 11 p.m. if the action warrants an extension.

Many of the November Nine have already become well known to poker fans around the world. And a few, such as [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/Phil-Ivey.html]Phil Ivey[/url], have been making a name for themselves in the mainstream press. The WSOP Main Event final table in order of chip count, is as follows:

Darvin Moon – 58,930,000

Eric Buchman – 34,800,000

Steven Begleiter – 29,890,000

Jeff Shulman – 19,580,000

Joe Cada – 13,220,000

Kevin Schaffel – 12,390,000

[url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/Phil-Ivey.html]Phil Ivey[/url] – 9,770,000

Antoine Saout – 9,500,000

James Akenhead – 6,800,000

As you can see, reclusive logger Darvin Moon has the overwhelming chip lead, making him an early favorite for the title. However, he is also the most inexperienced player at final table. The self confessed amateur qualified for the Main Event via a $130 satellite, prompting some to compare him to legendary champ [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/Chris-Moneymaker.html]Chris Moneymaker[/url]. Since play paused back in July, Darvin has stayed true to his word. While he remained holed up in the Maryland woods, many of his compatriots have been demonstrating their prowess at poker tournaments around the world.

Kevin Schaffel, family business owner turned poker pro and Steven Begleiter, an ex-Bear Sterns strategist, both made a deep run in the recent WPT Legends of Poker. Schaffel, the oldest member of the November Nine, almost won the whole thing - ending his run in second place. Across the Atlantic, James Akenhead and Antoine Saout were replicating a feat many thought would never be seen again. Last years Main Event runner-up, [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/Ivan-Demidov.php]Ivan Demidov[/url], turned heads by becoming the first player to make both the WSOP and WSOPE main event final tables. This year, both James and Antoine achieved this admiral accomplishment - finishing in 9th and 7th respectively.

Eric Buchman has been laying low since the WSOP began its four month hiatus. However, he is already an established pro and regular high-stakes tournament casher since 2003. Excluding his Main Event payday, Eric already had $1 million in tournament winnings, including 9 WSOP cashes. Joe Cada has also avoided the headlines, but has been busy tearing up the online tables at which he made his reputation. Among his high profile internet cashes was first place in WCOOP Event #10.

The most controversial member of the final table has to be Jeff Shulman, the current editor of CardPlayer magazine. Shortly after he was confirmed as a November Niner, he shocked the poker world by announcing that he would throw his bracelet in the trash if he won the event. There was some speculation that his tiff with Harrah’s concerned exclusive reporting rights that CardPlayer lost to Poker News, however he claims to be protesting the greed of the WSOP owners. Over the past few months he has backed down from his outlandish claim, but still retains an air of defiance. He is also aiming for an unprecedented familial double, after his father Barry Shulman won the WSOPE Main Event in October.

Last, but by no means least, is the world famous [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/Phil-Ivey.html]Phil Ivey[/url]. Generally regarded as the finest poker player in the world, his presence at the final table is far and away the biggest story of the year. He has been characteristically reluctant to engage with the media, but has done a smattering of small interviews as well as a featuring on the cover of ESPN magazine. With only 9.7 million in chips he has some work to get back into contention, but every player at the table is wary of his ability. He is unquestionably the fan favorite. Despite a 49 million chip disadvantage compared to Darvin Moon, a recent WSOP.com poll saw 70% of fans predict that Phil would take down the title.

Every player at this final table has a interesting and colorful story to back up their poker abilities. Although most aficionados will be pulling for [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/Phil-Ivey.html]Phil Ivey[/url], each player has brought their own cheering section to fill out a packed Las Vegas audience. Thanks to ESPN’s continued support of the WSOP, experts and laymen alike will be able to watch a slice of the action just a day after the champion is crowned. In under 7 days, two men will be waiting on the turn of a card to decide which of them becomes over $8.5 million richer.

This latest iteration is scheduled to start on November 23rd, with scores of packed satellites currently running on [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-TitanPoker.php]Titan[/url] Poker. Fourteen events over fourteen days will see the tournament [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/forum/calendar.php]Calendar[/url] run until the Main Event on December 6th. Each event has a guarantee of at least $50,000 and the overall guaranteed prize pools amount to a huge $4,550,000.

The series gets underway with a $200 + $15 No Limit Hold ‘em tournament, along with a guarantee of $250,000. Although there’s a wide spread of games and styles, you’ll be unsurprised to learn that the majority of the tournaments are No Limit Hold ‘em. The largest buy-in occurs half-way through proceedings on Monday 30th of November. The $2,500 NLHE event carries a $500,000 guarantee to tempt in the big players. Among the Turbos, Rebuys, and 6-max tournaments are a number of other poker styles. 7 Card Stud, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Limit Hold ‘em all get their moment in the spotlight. The whole series comes to a close on December 6th with the Main Event, a $1,500 + $80 NLHE tournament with a mammoth $1,500,000 guarantee.

Guaranteed prize pools have almost doubled from the first ECOOP back in December 2007. Online sites stumped up $2.5 million to split between a sprinkling of events and a major new player on the online poker stage was born. Although notably smaller than the likes of the FTOPS and WCOOP, the ECOOP has developed a loyal following that sees it grow year after year. ECOOP II paid over $3.5 million across 10 days and later that year the ECOOP III awarded over $4,150,000. By the time ECOOP IV rolled around in May this year, the guaranteed cash on offer had ballooned to $4,500,000.

Unlike many other online tournament series, the guarantees in these events actually amount to something. Most other online series that boast massive guarantees are always careful to ensure that their figures fall short of the money contributed by buy-ins. [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-TitanPoker.php]Titan[/url] Poker and their allies are considerably more generous. In the ECOOP IV around 50% of the events did not meet their guarantees, meaning that every player in the tournament was getting some extra value from their entry fee. The previous ECOOP was very similar to this latest version, so you can expect a similar amount of added value this time around.

ECOOP V Schedule:

Monday 23-Nov     NL Hold’em                                   $200          $250,000
Tuesday 24-Nov     Limit 7 Card Stud                        $250          $50,000
Wednesday 25-Nov     NL Hold’em Turbo R/A        $100         $200,000
Thursday 26-Nov     NL Hold’em                                $250          $350,000
Friday 27-Nov     PL Omaha Hi/Lo                             $750         $100,000
Saturday 28-Nov     PL Omaha (6 max) 1 Rebuy     $1,000       $150,000
Sunday 29-Nov     NL Hold’em                                    $500          $500,000
Monday 30-Nov     NL Hold’em                                  $2,500       $500,000
Tuesday 1-Dec     PL Omaha R/A                                $100          $150,000
Wednesday 2-Dec     NL Hold’em (6 Max)                $300         $300,000
Thursday 3-Dec     Limit Hold’em (6 Max)               $100         $100,000
Friday 4-Dec     NL Hold’em R/A                               $100         $300,000
Saturday 5-Dec     PL Omaha                                      $400          $100,000
Sunday 6-Dec     NL Hold’em                                      $1,500          $1,500,000

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The suit demands an injunction, a restraining order, the return of lost earnings from use of her likeness, and unspecified damages. In addition to Harrah’s Operating Company Inc., Post-Oak Productions are also named in the suit - who had been charged with managing and marketing the Academy since its inception in 2007.

Sally Boyer does not deny attending the course in the summer of 2007, but affirms that advertisements erroneously reflect the impact the course had on her fortunes. The plaintiff claims that she only attended one of the two scheduled days and argues that adverts proclaiming her an “Academy Graduate” are factually inaccurate. Adverts in Bluff magazine and on the Academy website also attribute a quote to the bracelet holder, which she claims never to have said. “The quickest way to your WSOP Bracelet!,” reads the advert, a statement Boyer claims was manufactured without consent.

The lawsuit, filed by Andrew Dixon of Bowler Dixon & Twitchell LLP, claims that, “the WSOP Academy began extensive marketing efforts, using Boyer’s recent win to widely market itself as an academy that breeds success in tournaments.” Boyer received $262,077 for her victory, along with a WSOP bracelet and Corum watch. “Boyer never said nor authorized a statement on her behalf to the effect that participating in the WSOP Academy was ‘the quickest way to your WSOP Bracelet!’ or intimating that her success in the tournament was attributable to her experience attending one day of a two-day WSOP Academy event,” the suit continues.

Harrah’s and the WSOP Academy have declined to comment, although Post-Oak owners Brandon Rosen and Jeff Goldenberg have released an email from 2007. In the correspondence, Boyer is reported to have said: “Think the latest ad looks fine. I’d like to mail you a better picture I have of myself in my ‘poker tournament attire’ which you could use for future ads if you like.” Dan Michalski of Pokerati has also unearthed a YouTube video that shows Boyer being interviewed for PokerNews shortly after her win. In the clip, Sally reports that she, “attended the World Series of [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/Referrals/Poker-Academy.html]Poker Academy[/url] this past weekend, which was incredibly helpful.”

The WSOP Academy was created in 2007, taking over the instructional seminars formerly known as Camp Hellmuth. It organizes teaching from well known professional players at a smattering of locations around the U.S. It is particularly active at the WSOP, where its numerous events are always well attended. Prices range from around $1700 to $2500 for a two-day course.

On November 4th thousands of players will flock to [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-FullTilt.php]Full Tilt[/url] to experience Event #1 in the FTOPS XIV schedule. The $200 + $16 No Limit Hold ‘em tournament has a huge $1 million guaranteed, juts a small slice of over $16 million put up by [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-FullTilt.php]Full Tilt[/url] over the whole series. Playing big tournaments for big money is not something you do every day, and many of the satellite entrants will be looking for an opportunity to properly prepare for their upcoming endeavor.

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There is no chance the prize pool will exceed this huge guarantee, as the field is capped at 50,000 players. This means that only in the case where the player cap is reached will there be no added value. To get in on the event, load up your [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-FullTilt.php]Full Tilt[/url] client and navigate to the Tournaments sections. A click on the FTOPS button should reveal a line-up full of events and satellites. You can refine your search by specifying No-Limit and Low Stakes. It  is worth remembering that the Warm Up is not a fully fledged FTOPS event and so won’t count towards any challenges or leaderboard contests.

Shortly after his November Nine membership was confirmed, Jeff made the headlines by claiming that if wins, he will throw his bracelet in the trash. Many believed his statement was prompted by a dispute over reporting rights between Harrah’s, CardPlayer, and Poker News. However he has since claimed that his actions would be to protest the greed of the WSOP. In particular, the fact that they have refused to funnel any of their profits back down to the players.

Barry has long been a divisive figure in the poker world, but following his WSOPE victory most of the media coverage had been focused on his shared family success. However, a recent post on the 2 + 2 forums suggests that his off the table antics may once again draw the focus away from the Shulman’s poker playing ability. The as yet unsubstantiated report comes courtesy of regular forum poster Anti-Matter. He recounts his recent interactions with Barry at a $550 tournament at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

The first incident took place in a hand where the blinds were at 300/600 with a 75 chip ante. A player in the Hijack seat raised to 6000 and the Cutoff pushed in her remaining 2400 chips. With the cards flipped, it transpired that the Hijack player was ahead with A-K against Q-9 suited. The board was a total blank and the cutoff player was eliminated from the tournament. Anti-Matter reports that, ‘as the player was gathering her things, Barry starts discussing out loud what a horrible call she had made.” Although the female player did not react, others at the table spoke up in her defense. Even the Hijack player agreed that, with 3-1 on her chips and the likelihood of facing A-K, the push had been the right move.

Reportedly, Barry responded by berating the rest of the table. After players continued to disagree with his assessment he told them, “No! You’re wrong, believe me, you don’t need to teach me how to play poker. If you think that’s the right play you’re awful and you have no chance to win a tournament.”

Later, Anti-Matter and Barry would be reunited at another table. As the level clock ticked down towards a break, the dealer was counting down chips from a big pot. Anti-Matter reports that the dealer threw the deck into the muck and 4 or 5 players left the table. After half the table had departed, Barry tossed in his blinds and demanded that the dealer play out a final hand. Shulman was adamant that the dealer had cut the deck before the level ended, signifying the start of a new hand. The rest of the table once again disagreed with Barry and the dealer denied ever making the cut. After a short argument Barry erupted at the dealer. “Yeah I know exactly what you did, you’re just a ****** lazy ass. This is what they take extra money out of our prize-pool for, to pay ****in ****ty lazy ass dealers.”

2 + 2 posters have voiced some doubts about the veracity of Anti-Matter’ account, but most forum members were in agreement that it sounded like a realistic encounter. The weight of opinion was firmly against Card Player and Barry Shulman, although a couple of people stepped in to defend the WSOPE Champion. The debate continues to rage and one recent post includes a similar story from 2002, where Barry is alleged to have berated a tournament director following a contentious ruling at the [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-PartyPoker.php]PartyPoker[/url] Millions Cruise.

Now, a new report by the Australian Productivity Commission (PC) has recommended that online gambling be legalized, regulated, and taxed. Responding to a request from the Australian government, the PC have updated their 1999 inquiry into the gambling industry and have returned with a dense draft report. The report makes a large number of recommendations, many focused around the dangers of video poker. These computerized gambling machines account for 80% of problem gambling in Australia and have been the center of some heated media attention in the past few weeks.

Online gambling, on the other hand, is only responsible for 4% of all national gaming. Given the congenital ineffectiveness of the Interactive Gambling Act, the PC are afraid of Australian citizens being harmed by an unregulated industry. Just the kind of arguments the likes of the Poker Players Alliance and Barney Frank are making in the U.S.

Limiting the amount of gambling possible by a single person is a major sticking point in the Aussie gambling debate. “In its unregulated form, online gaming is available 24 hours a day, allows credit betting, [and] has no intrinsic restrictions on bet size,” the PC claim in their report. Having received numerous opinions and recommendations from gambling companies, the PC are set to advise that, “the Australian Government should repeal the Interactive Gambling Act, and in consultation with state and territory governments, should initiate a process for the managed liberalisation of online gaming.”

This initial report is only a draft, with an completed paper due in February 2010. Before concluding the final version, the PC will once again turn to the industry and collect their feedback on the suggestions made. The government is under no obligation to accept their recommendations of the Productivity Commission, but is likely to take all of its comments very seriously. The media have also been vocalizing their own thoughts on the issue. The Canberra Times quotes anti-gambling activist Reverend Tim Costello on online gambling. ”You can lose your home without leaving your home, liberalising that I think is really worrying.”

If online gambling is legalized, the country will likely opt for a system similar to the Italians. Having deconstructed their former gambling monopoly, Italy’s newly liberalized system requires that all companies operate from within the country. For example, players hoping to download the Italian language version of the [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-PartyPoker.php]PartyPoker[/url] software now have to navigate to [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-PartyPoker.php]PartyPoker[/url].it, as that client cannot be found on PartyPoker.com. Forcing companies to have a base on sovereign soil ensures that they can be held accountable under law. Currently, most online sites make their homes in places like Malta and the island of Gibraltar.

The debate over this issue looks set to rage on. Although it is practically certain that new gambling regulations will be brought in to curb Australia’s problem gambling crisis, whether or not online gambling and poker will be included remains to be seen. Certainly, the potential for fully legal online poker in Australia is moving closer to a reality.

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The initial case was brought by Kentucky in the Franklin Circuit Court and ruled that the Governor and his team did have the right to seize control of the 141 domain names. However, many of the firms successfully appealed on the grounds that web addresses do not constitute “gambling devices” and so couldn’t be seized under Kentucky law. Interestingly, the U.K. court documents make it clear that [url=http://www.flopturnriver.com/reviews/Online-Poker-FullTilt.php]Full Tilt[/url] did not take part in that appeal and so were technically still bound by the initial Franklin Circuit Court decision. However, they also noted that no attempt to remove the domain from Safenames had been made.

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