Well the lucky bastards to make it to the final 9 table at the World Series of Poker 2009 have now been announced. Amongst the group is FullTiltPoker.com’s own pro Phil Ivey! It is by far every poker player’s most coveted dream to with the big one. The first prize is not only a cool $9,000,000 but the most thought after bracelet in poker tournament circles…

Play will begin on November 7 toward the end of Level 33 with blinds at 120K/240K and a 30K ante, and 24 minutes later, the next 120-minute level will ensue. Action begins with the following chip counts and seat assignments:

And the prizes at stake for the players are as follows:

1st place:    $8,546,435
2nd place:   $5,182,601
3rd place:    $3,479,485
4th place:    $2,502,787
5th place:    $1,953,395
6th place:    $1,587,133
7th place:    $1,404,002
8th place:    $1,300,228
9th place:    $1,263,602

Note that the payout here is really top heavy. There’s certainly some merit in trying to survive to the top 4 spot as the payout gap between 9th through to 5th is an awesome $1,000,000. And of course being a little bit more patient in the beginning may pay dividends in the end game when blinds are even higher and stakes are greater. Building a tighter image from the get certainly help pick up crucial pots uncontested when it will matter the most.

Here’s a closer look at the finalists…

Darvin Moon: “Can a logger emerge out of the woods of western Maryland, strike gold in Sin City and then submerge himself back into the woods of western Maryland? If he wins, it’s the stuff of storybooks.”

Eric Buchman: “Not an intimidating table presence, but his reads and instincts are sharp and, with plenty of chips, the 30-year-old New York pro won’t do anything outlandish to lose them.”

Steve Begleiter: “From his final days at Bear Stearns to the final table here, it’s been an odyssey for the 47-year-old amateur. He might have more gamble in him than anyone left — he won’t shy away from mixing it up.”

Jeff Shulman: “Until now, the Card Player magazine publisher has avoided big pots and played stay-out-of-harm’s-way poker. He likely will continue to avoid the big misstep — unless he’s already made one hiring Phil Hellmuth as his coach.”

Joe Cada: “At 21, he could become youngest Main Event champion ever. He’s even-keeled and selectively aggressive — sort of like last year’s youngest Main Event champ ever, Peter Eastgate.”

Antoine Saout: “He’s an engineering school dropout who took up poker seriously only a couple of years ago and now — in his first World Series of Poker ever — can become the first Frenchman to win the Main Event. Only in America.”

Phil Ivey: “He’s Phil Ivey. Next case. Can the game’s greatest player navigate a field of 6,494 to win the game’s greatest event? Yes. He’s Phil Ivey — short of stack but long on skill, and in his prime.”

Kevin Schaffel: “At first glance — at age 51, the oldest player left — the affable amateur is outclassed by this group. But then how do you explain that this is the third time in six years he’s cashed in massive Main Event fields?”

James Akenhead: “He hopes to be the first Brit to win it all. The good news for him is that he’s level-headed; the bad news is that he’s short-stacked. He’ll need some luck early for any chance to be around late.”