In a stunning announcement made Thursday, organizers of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) said that the Final Table of the 2008 WSOP will be played in November, four months after the nine Final Table players earn their spots.=A0=A0

The organizers also announced they will televise Final Table play the same day the winner is crowned.

The changes are intended to heighten suspense and increase publicity, they said.

Previously, the Final Table was played at the end of a two-week, $10,000 buy-in Main Event held in July at the Rio casino in Las Vegas.

The Main Event winner was reported in worldwide media immediately, but ESPN, did not air the Final Table until the fall.

So here’s the new schedule: the 39th annual WSOP Main Event will begin July 3, with the field whittled down to the final nine players on July 14. The Final Table will begin Nov. 9 and award the championship bracelet in the early-morning hours of Nov. 11. ESPN will then air the Final Table competition at 9 p.m. EST on Nov. 11.

The broacast will be right in the middle of the all-important “sweeps” or ratings period in which top shows are telecast to attract maximum viewership and the accompanying higher ad rates.

“I think the goal is to create a greater sense of anticipation for the outcome of our Final Table,” said WSOP commissioner Jeff Pollack. “We want people, as many people as possible around the world, talking about who’s going to win.”

He added that the WSOP expects the nine final players to use the four-month break to secure sponsorships, study their opponents and capitalize on the publicity.

“Instead of being just one star who emerges from our Main Event, there will be nine stars,” Pollack said.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)