With 27 players remaining in the 2015 WSOP Main Event, the poker world watched as Daniel Negreanu tried to make his way to the November Nine. Negreanu’s run ended in 11th place when a miracle river queen gave Joe McKeehen a suckout straight. Afterwards, the poker world mourned Negreanu’s knockout and some believe that there’s no reason to tune in to watch the November Nine.
This is the most deflating moment in November Nine history.
— Remko Rinkema (@RemkoMedia) July 15, 2015
If you’re among those of that opinion, you need to take a second look at this November Nine. While we don’t have a big name pro at the final table, there are tons of interesting stories and the game may actually be better off without Negreanu at this final. Below are nine reasons why Daniel Negreanu missing the November Nine might actually be GOOD for poker.
And this was how @RealKidPoker left the 2015 World Series of Poker. http://t.co/g6gK8gMTtf pic.twitter.com/T1BE7OVie2
— PokerStarsBlog (@PokerStarsBlog) July 15, 2015
Lifetime Achievement Award? Not Done Achieving Yet!
Pierre Neuville was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 European Poker Awards. He said at that time that he hadn’t achieved the award yet and the best was still to come.
Our friend @pierre_neuville told us in March : "I'm sorry to tell you, its not achieved yet" : https://t.co/ZA5Mf193zt
— Alexandre Dreyfus (@alex_dreyfus) July 15, 2015
The 72-year-old former board game company executive proved prophetic with those words as he now is competing for the richest prize in poker. Prior to the November Nine, he had $2.17 million in earnings. He is a two-time EPT Main Event runner-up and finished second in the $5,000 NL Six-Max at the 2014 WSOP.
Neuville is proving that age is just a number when it comes to poker and looks to win his first major poker title by taking the Main Event. He has 21.07 million in chips, good for fourth when they return in November.
Did You Forget About Our Bracelet Winner?
Sitting fourth in chips heading into the November Nine is Max Steinberg. Steinberg is the lone bracelet winner at the final table having won a $1,000 NL Event in 2012. He also has runner-up finishes in bracelet events in 2010 and 2013.
"If you laugh, cry, and think, that's a heck of a day." – Jimmy V. I definitely had a heck of a day yesterday! Grateful for the November 9
— Max Steinberg (@MaxJSteinberg) July 15, 2015
Prior to the November Nine, he had amassed $1.9 million in tournament earnings that included a runner-up finish in the WPT Legends of Poker Main Event in 2012. In 2013, he finished 131st in the Main Event and has now taken the next step with making the November Nine. Now he hopes to take the ultimate step and become immortalized as the 2015 World Champion of Poker.
Will McKeehen Break the Chip Leader Curse?
While Joe McKeehen is the chip leader heading into the November Nine, there’s no guarantee that he will be able to seal the deal and take home the bracelet. In its seven previous installments, only once did the chip leader actually take home the bracelet.
McKeehen will start the final table with 63.1 million, more than double the next closest opponent. This is the largest lead ever by a chip leader heading into the November Nine.
But I want you all to know I truly appreciate all of the kind words and wishes given to me and I hope to make everyone proud in November
— Joe McKeehen (@dude904) July 15, 2015
Jonathan Duhamel, the 2010 champion is the only player to start as chip leader and win the Main Event bracelet. He is also the only other player in history to start with more than 60 million in chips.
McKeehen will start as the favorite to win the Main Event but can he survive the chip leader curse and take the bracelet?
All Your Chips Are Belong to Blumenfield
Neil Blumenfield is in a perfect position to make a run at the November Nine bracelet. A long-time executive in the software industry, he isn’t worried about the money when it comes to the November Nine.
He is the current President and COO at Elastic Intelligence, Inc and while he could certainly find a use for $7.68 million, he is in good shape regardless of what happens. This means that the 61-year-old can sit back and play his game while trying to win poker’s grandest prize.
Congrats to Neil "November 9" "9-lives" "the Beast" Blumenfield. #WSOP Unreal, the last time we had dinner together I picked up the tab. 🙂
— Mitchell Cogert (@Mitchell1969) July 15, 2015
At 61, Blumenfield is one of the oldest players to ever make the November Nine but the long days required in poker tournaments don’t seem to faze him. Looking at his resume, the majority of his cashes are deep runs or final table appearances.
He last cashed in the Main Event in 2012, finishing 285th. This final table appearance is easily the largest score of his poker career. He will return in November third in chips with 22 million
Meet the Faces of NJ Online Poker
Thomas Cannuli and Joshua Beckley are both online poker players in New Jersey and their appearance in the November Nine will prove a positive story for the fledgling United States legalized iGaming industry.
Cannuli is primarily a cash game player while Beckley is a tournament regular on partypoker NJ and WSOP.com. Sitting sixth and seventh respectively in chips, poker sites in New Jersey would be wise to scoop them up and use them as the new faces of online poker in the state.
Observe the Sabbath and then Take Everyone’s Chips
Zvi Stern is looking to become the first Israeli born poker player to win the WSOP Main Event. He is the second player from Israel to make the November Nine. Amir Lehavot was the first to do so and finished third in the 2013 Main Event.
Israeli poker player has shot at $7.7 million pot: Along with 8 others, Zvi Stern advances to World Series of … http://t.co/JcR5H4GlbW
— TOI Jewish Times (@TOIJewishTimes) July 16, 2015
The 36-year-old Stern is among the least experienced at this final table but he starts second in chips with 29.8 million. Those among you that are religious know that those from Israel are considered “God’s children,” meaning that Stern may have all the rail he needs to take him to a bracelet victory.
Will There Be Another Short Stack Miracle?
Patrick Chan and Frederico Butteroni have the unenviable tasks of being the short stacks at this November Nine final. Chan has 6,225,000 while Butteroni holds 6.2 million. While anything can happen at the final table, starting the November Nine final with less than 8 million in chip has virtually guaranteed finishing in one of the bottom two spots in the past.
I made it! I'm the November 9. It's official!!
— Patrick Chan (@pchanpoker) July 15, 2015
Last year, Martin Jacobson started the November Nine in eighth chip position but was able to make an incredible comeback to win the bracelet and $10 million. However, he started with more than Chan and Butteroni have combined.
While both have stacks of 15 big blinds, they have to wins some pots early to have a shot. With eighth place only paying an extra $96,000, don’t be surprised to see one or both of these players gamble early to gain chips. If they double early, the whole dynamic of the final could change.
Pro Poker Lobbyist Should Take Advantage of this November Nine
Have you looked closely at who made the November Nine? As pointed out earlier, Thomas Cannuli and Josh Beckley are from New Jersey. Patrick Chan is from New York. Neil Blumenfield and Max Steinberg are from California and Joe McKeehen is from Pennsylvania.
Notice a pattern here? Every American in the November Nine is either from a state where online poker is legal or one that is considering the issue. Knowing this, it is time for pro-iPoker lobbyists to scoop these players up and use them as the face of online poker legalization in the United States.
Cannuli and Beckley already play online in New Jersey and Chan reportedly still travels overseas to play, so he would be on board. Blumenfield is in the software industry, so he knows the value of online poker in terms of being a player and as an executive. Finally, there should be no reason that McKeehen and Steinberg wouldn’t stand up for online poker.
Will be working very hard to help get online poker regulated in California but we really need all your help. Your voice matters #LetCAPlay
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) July 15, 2015
Patch ’em up, get them to do some positive promos and maybe even put them on the PokerStars “Let California Play!” pro tour. Let these players become champions of the online game in addition ambassadors of the live one. Opportunities like this one don’t come along every year, so lobbyist should strike while the irons hot.
Daniel Will Still Be There – And Should Be on Commentary
If you are thinking about skipping the November Nine because Daniel Negreanu will not be there, you might miss out on an exciting evening that will include the 11th place finisher.
Most of you may remember that Negreanu has been part of the November Nine broadcasts in the past. With his deep run in this year’s Main Event, there’s no reason to believe that ESPN won’t beg him to be part of the broadcast.
Personally, I would like to see them replace Antonio Esfandiari with Negreanu for this year’s November Nine broadcast team.
Let me be clear, I have nothing against Antonio. Rather, Negreanu has unique knowledge of these players and he can make calls about what they are doing based on what he’s experienced with them.
I think this would make for fantastic television and could entice players to watch that might not have normally. If ESPN were to use him and advertise in advance, it could help ratings.
Just waking up and wanted to thank everyone for their support during my run! It was fun and there is always next year!
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) July 15, 2015