The Main Event of the 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) today headed into its final two days before a four-month break in play, with 27 of the original 6,844 entrants still in contention.

By the end of play Tuesday, the 2008 WSOP Main Event field will be whittled down to just nine players, who will comprise the Main Event final table.

After the nine are set, there will be a hiatus until November, when play will be resumed and a winner will be determined.

The Main Event is taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

The winner of the 2008 Main Event will take home $9.12 million.

Among those recently eliminated from Main Event competition were poker pro and ex-con Mike “The Mouth” Matusow of Las Vegas, who finished in 30th place and earned $193,000; poker pro Phil “Poker Brat” Hellmuth Jr. of Palo Alto, California, USA, who finished in 45th place and earned $154,400; another poker pro/ex-con, Shahram “Poker Pervert” Sheikhan of Las Vegas, who finished in 105th place and earned $41,816; poker pro Jeff Madsen of Los Angeles, California, USA, who finished in 112th place and earned $41,816; poker pro Allen Cunningham of Las Vegas, who finished in 117th place and earned $41,816; poker pro Gus “The Great Dane” Hansen of Copenhagen, Denmark, who finished in 160th place and earned $41,816; poker pro Chip Jett of Las Vegas, who finished in 161th place and earned $41,816; poker pro Hoyt Corkins of Las Vegas, who finished in 162nd place and earned $41,816; poker pro Hevad “Rain” Khan of Poughkeepsie, New York, USA, who finished in 240th place and earned $35,383; and poker pro Johnny “The Orient Express” Chan of Las Vegas, who finished in 329th place and earned $32,166.

Hellmuth won the Main Event in 1989 and Chan won it in 1987 and 1988.

(E-mail Tom Somach at [email protected])