The idea was that there would be rabid speculation about who the winner might be and a suspenseful build up. As the final table date approaches, ESPN's WSOP broadcasts have shown little or none of the November Nine in action, so it's hard to speculate on who will win. However, we can make some guesses based on what we know.
Dennis Phillips
Phillips is the chip leader going into the final table, which, in a field with no big name pros, makes him a big favorite. Phillips starts the final table with over 26 million in chips, more than 2 million over the 2nd place finalist.
With blinds at $120,000 and $240,000, that lead could evaporate quickly. However, it could be a big mistake to underestimate this chip leader, who has cashed in a WSOP circuit event already.
Scott Montgomery
Scott Montgomery has had a strong year and it would shock no one if he capped it with a WSOP main event win. He has already made the final table of the World Poker Tour's L.A. Poker Classic, won by superstar Phil Ivey. He has three WSOP cashes to his credit as well.
Ylon Schwartz
The sleeper pick of the final table is Ylon Schwartz. A former New York chess hustler, Schwartz has been slowly, but surely moving his way up the poker ranks. Schwartz an impressive and relatively unsung 12 World Series of Poker cashes to his credit to date.
The reality is that with blinds this high and the level of coaching and practice that all of these players have inevitably received, anyone can win, which is what will make the final table so exciting to watch. Keep an eye on these three, however, because one of them just might become the next world champion of poker.
The chip count going in to the 2008 WSOP Final Table:
| Dennis Phillips, USA | 26,295,000 |
| Ivan Demidov, Russia | 24,400,000 |
| Scott Montgomery, Canada | 19,690,000 |
| Peter Eastgate, Denmark | 18,375,000 |
| Ylon Schwartz, USA | 12,525,000 |
| Darus Suharto, Canada | 12,520,000 |
| David Rheem, USA | 10,230,000 |
| Craig Marquis, USA | 10,210,000 |
| Kelly Kim, USA | 2,620,000 |
November Nine Player Profiles:
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