Day 9 WSOP Main Event Final Table

Greg Merson, Chip Leader into Day 9 of the Main Event

As Day 9 of the World Series Main Event begins at 5:45pm local time (8:45pm EST), let's recap last night's 7.5 hour Final table, which saw the elimination of 6 out of the 9 WSOP Octo Nine.

9th place ($754,798):
Steven Gee

• started final table 5th in chips
• busted on Hand 30 of final table
• final hand: 8h8c vs. Russell Thomas' QdQc

8th place ($971,252)

Robert Salaburu

• started final table 7th in chips
• busted on Hand 65 of final table
• final hand: 7d7h vs. Jesse Sylvia's Qc5c (aipf)

7th place ($1,257,790)

Michael Esposito

• started final table 6th in chips
• busted on Hand 70 of final table
• final hand: AsJh vs. Greg Merson's AcKs (aipf)

6th place ($1,640,461)

Andras Koroknai

• started final table 2nd in chips
• busted on Hand 109 of final table
• final hand: KhQd vs. Greg Merson's AsKs (aipf)

5th place ($2,154,616)

Jeremy Ausmus

• started final table 9th in chips
• busted on Hand 129 of final table
• final hand: 10s7d vs. Jesse Sylvia's Ac9h

4th place ($2,850,494)

Russell Thomas

• started final table 4th in chips
• busted on Hand 135 of final table
• final hand: Ah9d vs. Jake Balsiger's AsKc (aipf)

This leaves Greg Merson, Jesse Sylvia and Jake Balsiger to play 3-handed tonight.  They will be on level 37, with the blinds at 300,000-600,000, with a 75,000 ante.  They are each guaranteed 3rd place money of $3,797,558.  2nd place will receive $5,292,889, with the champion receiving $8,527,982.

Merson is the chip leader with 88,350,000 (147.3 big blinds).  Sylvia has 62,750,000 (104.6 big blinds), and Balsiger is the short stack with 46,875,000 (78.1 big blinds).

If Merson wins, he will overtake Phil Hellmuth as 2012 WSOP Player of the Year (Phil Hellmuth finished second in the POY race last year as well, behind Main Event #3 Ben "Benba" Lamb).

Watch the three-handed wrap-up of the Main Event in a little over 7 hours at ESPN.