Meet the 2010 November Nine

Well the November Nine is finally here.

While for the regular non-poker playing Joe, November Nine's significance perhaps lies only in the fact that it is the 313th day of the year (314th in a leap year), for the avid poker player and follower this term takes on different connotations. For the reader who has accidentally stumbled on this IPC blog and has no idea what the term means, the November Nine are the final nine players remaining in the Main Event of the WSOP. The Main Event takes place in July with several thousand player taking part. Play continues till all but nine remain. There is a break of a few months and then these nine will come back in November to determine the winner.  

(L to R) Jason Senti, Joesph Cheong, John Dolan, Johnathon Duhamel, 

Michael Mizrachi, Mathew Jarvis, John Dolan, Filippo Candio & Soi Nguyen

For the November Nine, the next four months of will change their lives. And this is despite the fact that only one from them will be the owner of a Main Event bracelet by the end of it. While many players (and fans) were not in favour of the November Nine concept when it was first introduced in 2008, the concept is now here to stay. From ESPN's perspective, this concept allows them to build on the excitement of the WSOP and in particular the final table. As the years have gone by the WSOP has steadily expanded the number of events offered to players at the WSOP and as a result for the TV audiences as well. From having 7 events in 1973, the WSOP in 2010 had 57 events including the Main Event. Having a break of 3-4 months allows ESPN to broadcast the various events which have taken place in the WSOP with the focus squarely being on the No Limit Hold'em events. It's all about the ratings game anyway in the television business and the WSOP is a big draw for the various brands that choose to associate themselves with the event. These brands are predominantly 'male' and range from beer to automobiles and even beef jerky.

While many pros still feel that the 3 month break messes with the 'purity' of an endurance event like the World Series, most current and past November Niners will beg to differ. Along with life-changing money that they stand to make, this interim period allows them an opportunity to establish themselves on the circuit, score sponsorship deals and become overnight celebrities of the poker world. This is a boon for them all regardless of the eventual winner for whom life will just become some kind of wild poker fantasy for the next 12 months. Eventually of course players must decide what's more important for them. In case of Joe Hachem who is one our favorite pros, the win at the 2005 ensured that he did not have to go back to his day job as a chiropractor and subsequently mortgage/brokerage executive. He is the face of Australian poker and is a great ambassador for the game. Then there is someone like Peter Eastgate who the youngest ever winner (subsequently broken by Joe Cada in '09) of the WSOP Main Event beating Phil Helmuth's almost 20 year old record. This kind of an accomplishment made Eastgate a huge and respected name in poker that year because he had the game to back it up as well. Eastgate just prior to this year's Main Event stated that he would be retiring from poker to pursue other things since his motive was to become financially independent with his poker playing which he managed in a spectacular manner.

The WSOP really is the dream as far as professionals and amateurs are concerned. A chance to win fame and millions of dollars on the one hand and the opportunity to be recognized forever in the annals of the game we all love.

The India Poker Championship's 3rd edition will take place from 2nd - 4th September in Goa. 

For information and to register, log onto www.indiapokerchampionship.com