The final table of the 2012 World Series of poker Main Event Championship is now set, after the elimination of Gaelle Baumann in 10th place. Here is a look at the nine players who will be back at the Rio in October to compete for poker’s most prestigious title.
• Seat 1: Russell Thomas – 24,800,000
Russell Thomas has four career cashes, and all have come at the World Series of Poker. The Pennsylvania native will be taking a solid stack into October’s final table, where he would like to improve upon his 5th place finish in the $1,500 6-Max NLHE event at the 2010 WSOP.
• Seat 2: Jacob Balsiger – 13,115,000
Blasiger hails from Tempe, AZ and is one of the least experienced players at the final table. According to thehendonmob.com database, Balsiger has only two previous career cashes, the biggest coming earlier in the 2012 WSOP when he cashed for just over $3,000 in Event #2, a $1,500 NLHE tournament.
• Seat 3: Jeremy Ausmus – 9,805,000
Ausmus’ 2012 WSOP has been the stuff of legend, considering the poker pro’s Main Event run is his ninth cash of the tournament series. Despite his short-stack the Nevada resident could be a major force at the final table should he get his hands on some chips.
• Seat 4: Steven Gee – 16,860,000
Gee is a 2010 WSOP bracelet winner, in the $1k NLHE event, but is usually found playing smaller buy-in events in and around Los Angeles where he has racked-up numerous cashes over the past five or so years.
• Seat 5: Greg Merson – 28,725,000
Merson won his first WSOP bracelet earlier this year by winning the $10k 6-Max NLHE event. Merson also final-tabled another tournament at the 2012 WSOP, the $2,500 4-Handed NLHE event, and is one of the most experienced players left in the Main Event.
• Seat 6: Jesse Sylvia – 43,875,000
Sylvia is a well-known player in the poker community and his game is highly respected by his peers. Despite not having too much in the way of live results, with his reputation and his massive chip-lead he
will be one of the favorites to win the tournament.
• Seat 7: Robert Salaburu – 15,155,000
Salaburu is a Texas native and like Steven Gee is more accustomed to playing in smaller buy-in events where he has numerous cashes all over the country. His previous biggest cash came in 2011 when he
won a $1,000 buy-in NLHE side event at the NAPT at the Mohegan Sun casino.
• Seat 8: Andras Koroknai – 29,375,000
Koroknai is the only international player left in the Main Event. The Hungarian is no stranger to tournament poker at its highest level, considering he won the 2010 WPT LA Poker Classic, pocketing
over $1.7 million in the process.
• Seat 9: Michael Esposito – 16,260,000
Esposito is a longtime poker player, having been involved in the game before the poker boom. His tournament record dates back to 2002 when he cashed in a side event at the Foxwoods World Poker Finals. Since then Esposito has racked-up a number of cashes, but this is by far the biggest score of his
career.
