The televised final table of the 2013 World Poker Tour (WPT) Legends of Poker Main Event has been set and it looks to be a very competitive one. Leading the charge heading into Wednesday is Ryan. Becky Liggero talks to Poker Pro Jay Farber as he shares his thoughts and experiences in making it to the final table of the World Series of Poker 2013.

One of the most anticipated days on the poker calendar has arrived as the Final Table of the 2013 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event resumes tonight. After four months of promotion and preparation the final nine participants, along with the eyes of the poker industry, return to the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas to finally crown a champion.

Of course, it is more than just the title of Main Event Champion at stake. Over 120 days ago, 6352 people ponied up their $10k to get their shot at a piece of what would become a nearly $60m prizepool. While each of the final nine are guaranteed to walk with a hefty payday, all of them already receiving $733,224, the action at the final table will award 7 of the final 9 over $1m with $8,361,570 going to the eventual winner.

Here’s a look at the 2013 November Nine, their position at the table, their chip stacks and the odds on them winning it all (from the Rio Sportsbook):

*Wagers on the WSOP Main Event Champion close at 4:30pm PST.

The Big Stacks

JC Tran not only enters the Final Table with the most chips but also as one of the most accomplished November Niners ever. The two-time WSOP bracelet winner, WCOOP winner, World Poker Tour Champion and dedicated family man has a clear experience edge that should serve him well under the bright lights of poker’s biggest night. Tran is also headed in to the final table with an extra boost of confidence as he recently took 2nd in the WPT Alpha8 tournament in August for over $500k.

Amir Lehavot is right behind Tran, both in chips and experience on the felt. Lehavot is also a WSOP bracelet winner and multi-time 6-figure cash machine. While this will be his biggest score, Amir’s steady poker grind since 2007, massive Final Table stack and patience style of play could find this Bay 101 regular in the mix deep into the night.

Marc-Etienne McLaughlin is often paired with friend and WSOP Main Event Champ Jonathan Duhamel, but this Canadian is currently working on his 3rd top 100 finish in the WSOP Main Event since 2009 and now boasts nearly $1.5m in live tournament earnings headed into tonight. With his current guaranteed score here he jumps to #40 on the Canadian All-Time Money list, which is ahead of Doug Lee mind you, and should he go all the way–=he’ll become a Canadian poker legend, 3rd only to Daniel Negreanu and Duhamel on his country’s All-Time List.

Middle of the Pack

Jay Farber is a bit of an unknown commodity with his exposure on ESPN focusing on his hard-partying ways and tattooed “guns”. But with poker minds like Ben Lamb on his rail and over 60 big blinds, Farber could be 8 players away from throwing one of the largest parties the WSOP has ever seen.

Ryan Reiss knows what he’s doing. The 23 year-old WSOP circuit grinder burst on to the scene with a 2nd place finish in the 2012 WSOP Circuit Main Event for almost $240k and was a virtual “beast” at the 2013 LAPC. His Final Table appearance marks his 4th cash of the Series and with his guaranteed prize money for the Main Event, this one-time Michigan State business major, and poker dealer, is going to have over $1m in live tournament earnings to put to work.

Sylvain Loosli might be your pick if you were looking to put your money on an “online guy.” The 26-year old Frenchman may have virtually no previous live tournament resume, but the 25/50 NLHE online grinder is being compared to a host of previous Main Event Champs, like Peter Eastgate, Duhamel and Pius Heinz in both background and previous live tournament experience. With just about 50 big blinds behind once play starts, there’s plenty of time for Sylvain to make his move to try and bring the bracelet back to the EU.

Seats in the Back

Michiel Brummelhuis is finally making a name for himself outside of his home turf. The Dutch poker pro has taken down a 1k WCOOP and had 7 previous WSOP cashes on route to claiming the #9 spot on the Netherlands All-Time Money List, but prior to this he has been a pros pro. He has already surpassed Marcel Luske in being the only Dutchman to make the Final Table, but should he come back from being in the bottom 3rd in chips, he might just be able to go from feel good story to the most popular player in the Netherlands.

Mark Newhouse was perhaps previously best known for his 2006 World Poker Tour title and the $1.5m first place prize that came along with it. But that was a long time ago and since then Mark’s bankroll and reputation have taken a hit. Now, the Ivey Poker sponsored player is looking to get back in the spotlight by grinding his 8th place stack back into contention. For being only 28, the polarizing Newhouse has been to the top of the mountain and back down again and is hoping to turn this opportunity into a new life changing event.

David Benefield, the online beast known as “Raptor”, had once “quit” poker. Well, he’s back and while his live tournament resume may not have bracelets and WPT titles included, there’s no denying the experience of this one-time Poker After Dark player. Perhaps no one at the Final Table is coming in with as much momentum as Benefield. He has been on a tear since the WSOP hiatus began and has racked up nearly $600k in tournament earnings in 4 months. Benefield may be sitting on only 16 big blinds, but there are few that doubt that he will know exactly what to do with them.

Here’s the remaining tournament payout structure:

1st – $8,361,570
2nd – $5,174,357
3rd – $3,727,823
4th – $2,792,533
5th – $2,106,893
6th – $1,601,024
7th – $1,225,356
8th – $944,650
9th – $733,224 (all 9 participants have already collected this payday)

World Series Of Poker 2013 Final Table

Play is set to resume at 4:45pm PST with the nearly-live broadcast kicking on at 5:00pm PST on ESPN 2. Anchored by the tried and true duo of Lon McEachern and Norman Chad, the broadcast will also feature in-booth commentary by one of the best pro-player-turned analysts, Antonio Esfaniari. The charming Kara Scott will be in place for “sideline” reports as well as exit interviews. The action will continue as the tournament plays down to 2 or 3 players, depending on time, and then is set to resume tomorrow night at 6pm PST.

Just a dollar and a dream.

Growing up in New York, that motto for the N.Y. state lottery was plastered just about everywhere. Talk about perfect marketing. Everyone has a dream. And a dollar. To be able to make that dream come true is motivation enough for millions to be willing to part with that dollar. Or two. Or 10.

I've often called making the World Series of Poker main event final table a winning lottery ticket. Instead of a buck for a ticket, the field pays a $10,000 entry fee to play the game, and instead of millions of participants with blind hopes, all that stands in your way are a few thousands other hopefuls, all of whom truly believe they can win. They aren't relying on the lottery TV host and those air-filled numbered ball dispensers to make their dreams come true. It's all about the level of their game, honed over thousands of hours at the felt or online. And if you make it to the final table, you've already beaten the odds. You're a November Niner. The worst you can walk away with is $733,224.

That's a reality for our nine remaining players. At stake for the winner of this final showdown: $8.3 million, the most coveted bracelet in the poker universe, and the title of WSOP main event champion. That's the dream.

The event, which began in July, featured 6,352 runners who each put down $10,000 for a chance to become the next world champion. Play was halted once the final nine remained and that group, the November Nine, will take their seats at the most coveted final table of the year on Monday night, live on ESPN2 (8 p.m. ET). Action will continue until either two or three players remain and the final battle will take place Tuesday night (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET).

Each of the remaining nine players has demonstrated a great deal of skill to reach this point in the tournament. The level of ability in poker has increased so greatly over the past decade that the seldom-playing amateur just can't win anymore. It is highly unlike that there will ever be another amateur story like Chris Moneymaker's. The game has simply evolved, and while luck will always play a role in who gets to the final table, these nine survivors wouldn't be in the position they are in if they weren't some of the best poker players in the world.

From chip leader JC Tran to short stack David Benefield, each of the nine boasts accomplishments in the game of one kind or another. They've had four months to think about this final table appearance and many of them have done everything they can to prepare; working with coaches, watching film, refining their strategy. Each of them understands the potential of one nine-handed table. This is their night. This is their chance. This is their winning ticket.

Here's who you will be watching Monday night (in order of chip count):

JC Tran – The chip leader is by far the most decorated player at this final table. Tran was one of poker's hottest stars during the peak of the boom a few years ago, but life priorities changed. Instead of being a constant grinder, spending 75 percent of the year on the road, Tran stayed closer to his wife and son and played only a few key events over the past few years. Well, the two-time WSOP bracelet winner, World Championship of Online Poker champion and WPT champion is in command of this final table. If there's one certainty on Monday, it's that the bright lights won't intimidate him at all. Been there, done that.

Amir Lehavot – The Israeli-born pro was an engineer with no interests in poker until 2007. He took a year hiatus from his career, stumbled upon online poker and, in spite of himself, found that he had a passion for the game. He has been dominant ever since. Lehavot is already a WSOP bracelet winner with heavy roots in online poker tournament strategy. The father of a 1-year-old is constantly yearning to conquer the next big challenge. This final table fits into that category.

Marc-Etienne McLaughlin – While the commentary about McLaughlin sometimes revolves around the similarities between him and his friend, 2010 WSOP main event champion Jonathan Duhamel, McLaughlin's resume speaks for himself. The entrepreneur has a heavy cash game background to go along with his three top-86 finishes in the WSOP main event since 2009. Similar to David Benefield (ninth), McLaughlin is thorough in making each and every decision.

Jay Farber –Farber, a nightclub promoter, has always had a passion for poker and finally was able to take some time away from work to play in the main event this year. He may not have the most experience at the final table, but his decision-making is excellent and his rail will be filled with many of the game's most familiar faces, including 2011's third-place finisher Ben Lamb. All of Vegas is salivating over a Farber victory after-party.

Ryan Riess – The youngest player at the final table is the 23-year-old kid from Michigan. In less than 14 months, Riess has gone from being a dealer at a casino in Michigan to taking his seat at the biggest final table in the world. Some may question his ability to change gears at the right time, but 'Riess the Beast' is ready and thrilled to have this opportunity.

Sylvain Loosli – Listen, if you're roommates with Bertrand Grospellier, you probably know what you're doing at the felt. Loosli has only a few tournament cashes to his record, but has established himself as a force at the table through unique play and a stone-faced stare. Inspired by the third-place finisher in 2009, Antoine Saout, Loosli is looking to bring the bracelet back to Europe and become the new face of French poker.

Michiel Brummelhuis – Constantly overlooked leading up to the final table, Brummelhuis is looking to become the first Dutch WSOP main event champion. His poker background is extensive, with a dual focus on cash games and tournament play. Even though he hasn't received the most hype here in the U.S., in Europe, in the words of Ron Burgundy, he's kind of a big deal. Just like Lehavot and Tran, Brummelhuis also just became a father and realizes he's playing for more than just himself.

Mark Newhouse – What does the final table mean to Newhouse? Freedom. After rising to the top of the poker world in 2006 thanks to a great run at the cash games and a surprising victory at the WPT Borgata main event, Newhouse's career took a rough turn and left him in bad shape. The money may mean more to him than any other player on Monday night, but his abilities are top tier and he has already proven that he knows how to be patient when the pressure is on.

David Benefield – When those in the industry think of the early online legends, they think of the name 'Raptor.' Benefield found passion in poker and built an impressive bankroll at an early age. He was on top of the online game when he decided to reduce his focus on poker and headed back to school. Well, his East Asian Studies major at Columbia led him to Macau and back to poker. He has been on an incredible run over the past few months and all he needs is one double-up to keep that roll going.

Each of these nine players has already received $733,224, the prize for a ninth-place finish, and one of them will leave the Rio with nothing more to show for their four-month wait. The other eight will continue to fight for the victory, which would mean not only a life-changing cash prize, but will also see them become the next icon of the game.

Poker 2013 Final Table Online

Every call, every fold, every bluff can alter the course of poker history and mean the difference between a dream shattered and a dream fulfilled. There's no moment in poker like the final table.

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Poker 2013 Final Table 2

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