ESPN

The beauty of the World Series of Poker is that, compared with other sporting events, it's downright democratic. Your local pickup basketball team isn't about to receive an invitation to March Madness (or even the NIT), but anyone with an entry fee can play in the WSOP. This year's final table includes the editor of Card Player magazine, a lumber business owner, the best player in the world and a 21-year-old. So long as you can out-bluff and out-calculate the competition, you're in, regardless of your vertical, 40 time or level of hype on certain sports Web sites.

Phil Ivey, the aforementioned best player in the world, just snuck into the final table, but he's won seven separate events at the WSOP and is undoubtedly giving the other players the shakes. Whereas Ivey thinks a bracelet at the main table will cement his legacy, Card Player editor Jeff Shulman has vowed to throw away his bracelet if he emerges victorious. Our Poker Edge podcast analyzed the playing styles of each finalist, along with how Darvin Moon managed to accumulate almost $60 million in chips.

Regardless, they've got a few months to think it over. The WSOP's final table is called the "November Nine" for a reason. That's an awful lot of of time to find out who the sucker is. We'd quote "Rounders" further, but that's someone else's domain.

• User JoeRevs300 discusses the $10,000 entry fee for the WSOP. He compares it with having money riding on a player to beat Tiger Woods at Augusta -- only that player is you.
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