The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which has been on hiatus since July, resumes next week.

Just nine players are left--the so-called "November Nine"--and they make up the Main Event final table that resumes play on Saturday, November 7, 2009, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Final table play is expected to last three days.

Almost immediately after final table play is completed, highlights will be televised on American cable television sports network ESPN.

The winner of the WSOP Main Event will earn a staggering $8.5 million.

So just who are the "November Nine" final table members and what is known about them?

Here is a brief bio of each:

DARVIN MOON, 45 years old, hometown of Oakland, Maryland, USA, goes into final table play as the chip leader with 58,930,000 chips--He is an amateur poker player whose day job is owning and operating a lumber company. Until making the final table, he had never finished in the money in a WSOP event or any other poker tournament. He is the only final table member without an endorsement deal with an online poker site; he had offers but turned them all down.

ERIC BUCHMAN, 28, Valley Stream, New York, USA, 34,800,000--He is a professional poker player who before making the final table, had finished in the money in nine WSOP events in his career, including a sixth-place finish worth $34,747 in Event #25 at this year's WSOP (a combination Omaha and stud tournament). He has also finished in the money in eight World Poker Tour (WPT) events in his career. In addition, he has moneyed in several other tourneys. In total, he has earned almost $1 million in his life playing tournament poker, and is guaranteed, as are the other final table members, of earning at least another $1 million in the Main Event.

STEVE BEGLEITER, 47, Chappaqua, New York, USA, 29,885,000--He is an amateur poker player who used to work at Bear Stearns, the controversial investment banking and securities brokerage firm that failed, was bailed out by the Federal government and then was acquired by J.P. Morgan Chase. Until making the final table, he had never finished in the money in a WSOP event or any other poker tournament. His hometown of Chappaqua is more famous than he is, as it's also the home now of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

JEFFREY SHULMAN, 35, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 19,580,000--He is a professional poker player who has earned almost $1.4 million in his career playing tournament poker, not including the at least $1 million he'll earn in this year's Main Event. He is also the editor of Card Player, a poker magazine owned by his father, Barry Shulman. Before making this year's Main Event final table, he had finished in the money in 15 WSOP events in his career, including a seventh-place finish worth $146,700 in the 2000 WSOP Main Event. He has also finished in the money in numerous other tourneys, including 15 WPT events. He may be under some extra pressure to win the WSOP Main Event, because his father won the 2009 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) Main event last month in London.

JOSEPH CADA, 21, Shelby, Michigan, USA, 13,215,000--He has been a professional poker player for four years and plays mainly online. Before making the final table he had finished in the money in two WSOP events in his career, both this year (his total earnings from those two events was just over $28,000). He is the youngest member of this year's Main Event final table and if he goes on to win the Main Event, he will be the youngest Main Event winner in WSOP history, smashing the record set just last year by 2008 WSOP Main Event winner Peter Eastgate of Denmark.

KEVIN SCHAFFEL, 51, Coral Springs, Florida, USA, 12,390,000--He is an amateur poker player who ran his own print shop for 30 years and recently shut down the business and retired. Before making the final table he had finished in the money in two WSOP events in his career, one in 2008 and one in 2004. He has also moneyed in three WPT events and a European Poker Tour (EPT) event. His lifetime earnings from playing tournament poker are just over $100,000, and he'll earn at least $1 million more from this year's Main Event.

PHIL "POISON" IVEY, 33, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 9,765,000--He's the most famous person at the final table, and the only black. A longtime professional poker player, he has won almost $10 million playing tournament poker in his career. He has also won seven WSOP championship gold bracelets in his storied career, including two at this year's WSOP. He has never won a WSOP Main Event, though, and is probably the best poker player in the world who hasn't won it. Nevertheless, his credentials are more than impressive. He has finished in the money in 34 WSOP events prior to this final table. He has also finished in the money in 14 WPT events, one WSOPE event, one EPT event and numerous other events. Among his biggest paydays are earning almost $1.6 million winning a tournament at the Los Angeles Poker Classic earlier this year, earning $1 million winning a tourney in Monte Carlo in 2005 and earning $500,000 winning a tourney at the Turning Stone Indian casino in New York state in 2004.

ANTOINE SAOUT, 25, Saint Martin des Champs, France, 9,500,000--One of just two non-Americans at the final table, he is a former engineering student who turned pro last year. Before making the final table he had never finished in the money in any WSOP event or any other poker tournament. He is one of two people to make both the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table and the 2009 WSOPE Main Event final table.

JAMES "MOKKA" AKENHEAD, 27, London, England, 6,800,000--The other non-Yank in the "November Nine," he is a professional poker player who has earned almost $700,000 in his career playing tournament poker, and will take home at least another $1 million from the Main Event. Before making the final table, he had finished in the money in one other WSOP event, a second-place finish at the 2008 WSOP in a no-limit Texas hold 'em tourney that earned him $520,219. He also finished in the money in two WSOPE events and an EPT event. He is the other person who made both the '09 WSOP and '09 WSOPE Main Event final tables.

By Tom Somach

Gambling911.com

tomsomach@yahoo.com