The table is set.

The final table, that is, for the 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.

Twelve days after it began–with 6,844 entrants–the Main Event field has been whittled down to the nine players who will comprise the final table.

The nine will now take a break–for four long months–and then resume play in November to determine a champion.

Will the 117-day break between final table being set and final table being played–to increase publicity and interest for the event, the WSOP hopes–be a good thing or a bad thing?

Only time will tell, but in the meantime, these are the nine players–already dubbed the “November Nine” by poker media–that will make up the final table for the 2008 WSOP Main Event:

1. DENNIS “FORDMAN” PHILLIPS, 53, of Cottage Hills, Illinois, USA. He is an account manager for a commercial trucking company. He is the chip leader at the final table, with about 26 million chips.

2. IVAN DEMIDOV, 23, of Moscow, Russia. He is a professional poker player. He has the second-most chips at the final table, with about 24 million chips.

3. SCOTT “RAY” MONTGOMERY, 26, of Perth, Ontario, Canada. He is a professional poker player. He has the third-most chips at the final table, with about 20 million chips.

4. PETER EASTGATE, 22, of Odense, Denmark. He is a professional poker player. He has the fourth-most chips at the final table, with about 18 million chips.

5. YLON SCHWARTZ, 38, of New York City, New York, USA. He is a professional poker player. He has the fifth-most chips at the final table, with about 13 million chips.

6. DARUS SUHARTO, 39, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, originally from Indonesia. He is an accountant. He has the sixth-most chips at the final table, with about 13 million chips.

7. DAVID “CHINO” RHEEM, 28, of Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a professional poker player. He has the seventh-most chips at the final table, with about 10 million chips.

8. CRAIG MARQUIS, 23, of Arlington, Texas, USA. He is a college student. He has the eighth-most chips at the final table, with about 10 million chips.

9. KELLY KIM, 31, of Whittier, California, USA, originally from South Korea. He is a professional poker player. He has the fewest chips at the final table, with about 3 million chips.

(E-mail Tom Somach at [email protected]) =A0