World Series of Poker capsules
OFER ZVI STERN (SEAT 1)
Chip count: 29,800,000
Age: 37
Resides: Israel
Occupation: Businessman
WSOP earnings (not including 2015 Main Event): $61,848
Odds to win: 4 to 1
Notes: This is Stern's first cash in the World Series of Poker Main Event. ... Before this year's run, his best WSOP finish came in 2006 when he was third in a $1,500 buy-in No-limit Hold 'em event for $39,530. ... Six career WSOP cashes, including one in-the-money finish last month at WSOP Europe for ’¬3,093. ... Third Israeli to reach the World Series of Poker Main Event final table, joining Amir Lehavot (2013, third) and Tomer Benvenisti (2003, fifth). ... The Main Event is the only WSOP event Stern played this summer.
PIERRE NEUVILLE (SEAT 2)
Chip count: 21,075,000
Age: 72
Resides: Knokke-Heist, Belgium
Occupation: Retired businessman
WSOP earnings: $591,460
Odds to win: 6 to 1
Notes: Can become the oldest player to win the WSOP Main Event in its 46-year history. ... Has 20 career cashes at the WSOP, including two this year. ... Best WSOP finish came last summer when he was second in the $5,000 buy-in No-limit Hold 'em Six-Handed event for $385,041. ... Only previous Main Event cash came in 2010 (662nd place). ... Was the chip leader after Day 5 of the tournament. ... A former vice chairman at Hasbro, Neuville started playing tournament poker in 2007 and amassed more than $2.1 million in career earnings before the start of this year's Main Event.
JOSHUA BECKLEY (SEAT 3)
Chip count: 11,800,000
Age: 25
Resides: Marlton, N.J.
Occupation: Professional poker player
WSOP earnings: $19,403
Odds to win: 12 to 1
Notes: Has five career WSOP cashes, all in 2015. Best finish this summer was a 17th-place showing in the $1,500 buy-in Pot-limit Omaha event for $9,802. ... Earned his first career WSOP circuit ring Sept. 17 at the Palm Beach Kennel Club in Florida by winning the $365 No-limit Hold 'em Monster Stack tournament for more than $22,000. ... One of two players from New Jersey at the final table. ... Spent much of Day 7 as one of the shortest chip stacks before he doubled up against leader Joe McKeehen during 10-handed play to reach the final table.
MAX STEINBERG (SEAT 4)
Chip count: 20,200,000
Age: 27
Resides: Las Vegas
Occupation: Professional poker and daily fantasy sports player
WSOP earnings: $1,406,138
Odds to win: 7 to 1
Notes: The only WSOP bracelet winner remaining in the field. Steinberg took down the $1,000 buy-in No-limit Hold 'em event in 2012 for more than $440,000, outlasting a field of 2,795 players. ... Has 12 career WSOP cashes, and this is his fifth final table. ... Finished second in two WSOP events. Also was second in the $10,000 buy-in WSOP National Championship in 2013 for more than $219,000. ... Qualified for Main Event by winning a satellite on the daily fantasy sports website DraftKings. ... Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Iowa. ... Has an identical twin brother, Danny.
TOM CANNULI (SEAT 5)
Chip count: 12,250,000
Age: 23
Resides: Cape May, N.J.
Occupation: Professional poker player
WSOP earnings: $20,203
Odds to win: 12 to 1
Notes: The youngest player remaining in the field and the least accomplished on paper with lifetime live tournament earnings of $52,235, not including this year's Main Event. ... Cash-game specialist has three career WSOP cashes. ... Finished the 2014 WSOP Main Event in 691st place for $18,406, his largest live cash before his Main Event run. ... Also made the final table at a WSOP circuit event last year, finishing eighth in the $1,675 buy-in No-limit Hold 'em Main Event for $13,648. ... Cheering section includes famous poker pros Antonio Esfandiari and Brian Rast.
JOE McKEEHEN (SEAT 6)
Chip count: 63,100,000
Age: 24
Resides: North Wales, Pa.
Occupation: Professional poker player
WSOP earnings: $883,494
Odds to win: 7 to 5
Notes: The overwhelming leader with nearly 33 percent of the chips in play. ... One of the most successful players left with career live tournament earnings that exceed $2 million, not including this year's Main Event. ... Won two WSOP circuit events in 2013. ... Took second in last year's WSOP $1,500 buy-in No-limit Hold 'em "Monster Stack" event for more than $820,000. ... Won the Wynn Fall Classic Main Event on Oct. 28 for more than $90,000. ... The 2010 world champion of Risk, the board game. ... Known for wearing T-shirts supporting Philadelphia-area sports teams.
PATRICK CHAN (SEAT 7)
Chip count: 6,225,000
Age: 26
Resides: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Occupation: Professional poker player
WSOP earnings: $113,145
Odds to win: 25 to 1
Notes: This is Chan's fifth career WSOP cash and his first in the Main Event. ... Finished 12th in last year's $1,500 buy-in "Millionaire Maker" No-limit Hold 'em event for $100,689. ... A successful WSOP circuit player on the East Coast with eight career cashes. In May, he was second in a WSOP circuit event at Foxwoods in Connecticut. ... Attended College of Staten Island. ... Took third and won nearly $132,000 at 2012 Borgata Fall Poker Classic. ... Just shy of $525,000 in live tournament poker winnings, not including this year's Main Event. ... Turns 27 on Friday.
FEDERICO BUTTERONI (SEAT 8)
Chip count: 6,200,000
Age: 25
Resides: Rome
Occupation: Professional poker player
WSOP earnings: $51,156
Odds to win: 25 to 1
Notes: The short stack when play begins, Butteroni is the second Italian to reach the WSOP Main Event final table, joining 2010 fourth-place finisher Filippo Candio. ... Has four career WSOP cashes, all this year. ... Finished 20th in the $1,500 buy-in No-limit Hold 'em "Monster Stack" event and pocketed more than $45,000. ... Cashed in a WSOP Europe event in October, finishing 98th out of 2,144 entries. ... Summer hot streak included a victory in a daily tournament at the Rio for more than $31,000, 11 days before the start of the Main Event.
NEIL BLUMENFIELD (SEAT 9)
Chip count: 22,000,000
Age: 61
Resides: San Francisco
Occupation: Retired computer software executive
WSOP earnings: $44,395
Odds to win: 6 to 1
Notes: The second-oldest player behind Neuville to reach the Main Event final table since the "November Nine" format was introduced in 2008. ... Fourth career WSOP cash, and second in the Main Event. Blumenfield finished in 285th place in 2012 for $38,453. ... Originally from Chicago. ... Has a political science degree from Cal-Berkeley. ... Successful tournament player in California and Reno. Was fifth at a Heartland Poker Tour event in January 2014 near Sacramento, Calif., for almost $38,000. ... Easily recognizable at the table with fedora hat, scarf and sunglasses.
