I swear I told’em it wasn’t necessary, but my good pals at CardRunners insisted …

Knowing I’ve been actively working on my PLO game, and that I have my first such “beginners” PLO tournament coming up Aug. 18 @detoxpoker, CR has signed Andreas Torbergsen (aka “Skjervøy”) as a dedicated PLO instructor and team pro. (He’s also been recently added as a Full Tilt Red Pro.)

Here’s an interview with the Norwegian grinder made extra-good … about taking his 1/2 PLO game to Vegas in 2005 and eventually juicing it up to a seven-figure bankroll. And kudos to the dude for not dropping out of university, apparently seeing the value of a marketing degree even though his current winnings could be enough to make most poker players say skøøl schmjool.

To get Andreas’ forthcoming instructional vids (for free) you can sign up for Truly Free Poker Training.

Unless, of course, you happen to play in the Pokerati game. If you do, then just ignore all this and continue to get it all-in with a weak pair and non-nut draw!

Seriously, can’t wait to see it on TV. You’ve got bracelets out the yin-yang. Two November Niners. The father of the November Nine’s bad-guy. An epicurean old-timer Brit. Daniel Negreanu. International flavor. Accomplished young guns. Scandis. All in the pretty cool setting that is The Casino at the Empire.

It was a sexy, if not tough field to get through, too. The in-the-money fight from four tables down to one saw Doyle Brunson, Liz Lieu, EPL soccer legend Teddy Sheringham, Devilfish, Men the Master, Hendon Mobber Ram Vaswani, Steven Z for good measure, and plenty of valid others.

(Wouldn’t it be dandy if ESPN could show maybe an hour of lead-up, with two hours of final table? Just an NFL football game, ya know?)

@JeffreyPollack‘s been giving his eloquently bare-bones play-by-play.

And you can also follow via our pals at Betfair.

Click below to see a more detailed breakdown of the players of what may well be one of the most storied final tables of the year:

via Nolan:

SEAT 1: BARRY SHULMAN
HOMETOWN: LAS VEGAS, NV
CHIP COUNT: 1,090,000

Barry Shulman is a former WSOP gold bracelet winner. He won the Seven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better championship in 2001. Shulman is CEO of Card Player magazine and has been one of the poker industry’s most-respected voices for more than a decade. Shulman’s appearance at this final table means the Shulman family has hit the daily double in WSOP events, this year. His son Jeff Shulman is one of the famed “November Nine” in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, which concludes next month. Shulman’s wife Allyn is a respected player as well, who competed in the championship and is sitting in the crowd today to cheer for Barry. Yes indeed, the entire Shulman Family can sure play poker!

SEAT 2: JASON MERCIER
HOMETOWN: FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
CHIP COUNT: 3,198,000

Jason Mercier is a former WSOP gold bracelet winner. He won the $1,500 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha championship earlier this year in Las Vegas. Mercier has performed very well in Europe, winning the 2008 European Poker Tour’s championship in San Remo, Italy. He also won the ONE MILLION POUND showdown here in London, last year. Despite all his winnings, it’s reported that Mercier would not shell out the money for a hotel room while staying in London, preferring instead to crash on the sofa at a friend’s house. Mercier has dominated play in this tournament so far, and arrives at the final table as the player to beat, as the current chip leader.

SEAT 3: PRAZ BANSI
HOMETOWN: LONDON, ENGLAND
CHIP COUNT: 1,160,000

Praz Bansi is one of six former WSOP gold bracelet winners at today’s final table. He won the $1,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em championship in 2006. To say Bansi is “hot” would be an understatement. He’s final-tabled six major poker tournaments this year alone, with his best showing being a win at the Five-Star World Poker Classic, held last Spring. Bansi starts the day with an average-sized stack and a great deal of experience and confidence. He’ll be a tough player, for sure.

SEAT 4: MARKUS RISTOLA
HOMETOWN: HELSINKI, FINLAND
CHIP COUNT: 784,000

Ristola hopes to become only the third Finnish poker player in history to win a WSOP gold bracelet. His fellow countryman Jani Vilmunus won the PLO championship here last week. Ristola is a 22-year-old student and part-time poker pro. He started playing poker only a few years ago, and has already cashed in several major events, winning the most recent Helsinki Poker Freezeout. Ristola is already guaranteed the biggest tournament payout of his young career, to date. Regardless of what happens today, the future looks very bright indeed, for Markus Ristola.

SEAT 5: CHRIS BJORIN
HOMETOWN: LONDON, ENGLAND
CHIP COUNT: 518,000

Chris Bjorin is a two-time former WSOP gold bracelet winner. He won WSOP events in 2000 and 2001. Bjorin was actually born in Sweden. He immigrated to London where he now lives in order to concentrate full-time on poker and sports betting. He also loves drinking fine wines and dining at expensive restaurants. Bjorin has more than $4 million (USD) in career tournament winnings, to date. This marks his 51st time to cash in WSOP events, which puts him in eighth-place on the all-time list. In addition to becoming a poker legend for his accomplishments, Chris is also one of the game’s true gentlemen.

SEAT 6: JAMES AKENHEAD
HOMETOWN: LONDON, ENGLAND
CHIP COUNT: 1,398,000

This has already been an incredible year for 26-year-old poker pro James Akenhead. He’s one of the “November Nine,” which will compete for the 2009 world poker championship next month. And now, here he is currently ranked second in chips coming into today’s final table. Not to tell a bad beat story, but Akenhead probably should have at least one WSOP gold bracelet to his name already. He was on the verge of winning an event in 2008, when his opponent was all in and drawing slim with 10-4 against Akenhead’s A-K. The opponent spiked quad tens, and Akenhead had to settle for second place. Now, it’s redemption time/ Akenhead gets his shot today in London, and again in Las Vegas, next month.

SEAT 7: DANIEL NEGREANU
HOMETOWN: LAS VEGAS, NV
CHIP COUNT: 438,000

Daniel Negreanu is a four-time WSOP gold bracelet winner. He won his first WSOP title in 1998, then the youngest player in WSOP history ever to win a gold bracelet. He won subsequent titles in 2002, 2003, and 2008. Negreanu is unquestionably one of poker’s biggest superstars and most popular players, appearing regularly on high-stakes poker shows and television commercials. He is about to star in a new TV series in the US, which begins filming when he returns after this event. Negreanu was WSOP “Player of the Year” in 2004. He is also third on the career all-time money list for overall worldwide tournaments, with over $11 million in wins, to date. He hopes to make that $12 million plus, today – but has a big challenge ahead as the shortest stack.

SEAT 8: ANTOINE SAOUT
HOMETOWN: SAINT MARTIN DES CHAMPS, FRANCE
CHIP COUNT: 701,000

Antoine Saout is one of two players at this final table who is a member of this year’s “November Nine.” He is a 25-year-old aspiring poker pro, who won his way into the WSOP Main Event by playing in an online satellite, which cost him just $50. Saout’s specialty is playing in multiple poker games online. In some ways, Saout is the most secretive player in today’s finale, and he seems to like it that way. He has relatively few tournament cashes or recorded results, yet he has certainly shown he can play poker with the world’s best players. It’s an amazing accomplishment to make it to final tables here at WSOP Europe, and the WSOP Main Event.

SEAT 9: MATT HAWRILENKO
HOMETOWN: BOSTON, MA
CHIP COUNT: 674,000

Matt is a former WSOP gold bracelet winner. He won more than $1 million in Event #56 at this year’s WSOP, taking the top prize in the $5,000 buy-in Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em championship. Hawrilenko is a graduate of Princeton University. Now 27, he worked for a top investment firm before concentrating on poker full-time. If Hawrilenko gets heads-up, look out. He is widely acknowledged as one of the game’s top heads-up specialists. Hawrilenko mostly concentrates on high-stakes cash games, yet has now made four final tables at this year’s WSOP.

Final table play starts at noon on Thursday. Play resumes with 10,000-20,000 blinds and a 3,000 ante. 55:06 remains in Level 22.

One of today’s bracelets goes to Sweden. Any chance Tomas Alenius will request the Finnish national anthem be played — you know, to make things right in Scandiland? Doubt it …

In addition to Alenius’ bracelet, the UK picked up two in recent days, and Canada one — making things start to look a bit more normal … it’s not all about the Russians this year. In fact, are they still here?

And though Europe has caught up with the two US powerhouses (Nevada and California), they actually lost a bracelet (and some other cashes), as we’ve corrected Jeff Lisandro’s results to show up on behalf of his new homeland, Australia. (This way this data is collected, player info comes from whatever’s attached to their Harrah’s Total Rewards card … so if they haven’t updated their info in, say, several years … the old address is what’s on record.)

Lisandro’s defection from Italy to a land down under also altered the tertiary emerging market standings — with Asia-Pacific re-taking a slight lead over Latin America — despite Chile and Bolivia getting their first cashes of the year.

Texas has finally taken down a bracelet, btw.

And a player from Wasilla, Alaska, finished in the money — there’s a town we wouldn’t have taken note of in last year’s WSOP. It’s Canadian neighbors in the Yukon Territory also got on the board.

Hong Kong also made some money.

And though we don’t really track by cities, apparently Chicago is really good at sit-n-gos, as the Windy City sat three players at the final table in the $1,500 NLH-Shootout. Could just be variance, of course, but for now we’ll pretend it’s not.

California is the only region, btw, with someone to cash in every single event so far. Nevada players (mostly Las Vegans) have cashed in every tournament but one — the $1,500 7cs that Jeff Lisandro won (representing Italy).

“Europe” has cashed in every single event.

One of the biggest surprise shifts has taken place at the bottom of the table — could you theoretically have relegation in poker? — where the Latin Americans have come on strong to surpass the Asia-Pacifickers in bringing home the most skrilla. Most of this comes on the backs of Mexicans, specifically Angel Guillen’s $318k 2nd place score in $2,500 NLH, which a dozen Aussie ITM finishers and a Korean have not been able to match.

Click here to view the complete Pokerati’s complete 2009 WSOP World Standings.

Perhaps in the future the WSOP could take a note from Facebook, allowing players to enter both a current city and a hometown … so say a guy like Daniel Negreanu were to win, he would be tallied for both Canada and the USA, and would have a choice over what anthem he wants to play at his bracelet ceremony. Lots of potential “fun” controversy in that … and we’d finally get to see how good all those California-centric (but US-scattered) Vietnamese really are.

Some newcomers to the 2009 WSOP money:

Both Slovenia and Slovakia booked a cash.

Also … Rhode Island
Nebraska
Washington DC
Puerto Rico
Delaware

The UK is making a charge to challenge the Russians.

And where’s Denmark, who were certainly more than just Peter Eastgate last year? The Scandis would be doing little if it were not for a few Finns this year.

Texas is the top money-winner without a bracelet.

Mad props to the Hawaiians, who thanks to Lisa Hamilton’s bracelet in the Ladies event, silenced the Alaskans who briefly looked like they were gonna stake a claim to extra-continental American poker supremacy.

With just a few hundred dollars of separation, Maine and Spain are also in a kinda tight race money-wise. They rhyme.

My latest Bluff column is now up online … in this episode I call out the Scandis for potentially causing a violent international incident:

Without a doubt, for low stakes players MGM cash games can be a test of nerves…. Little did I know it would be a test of my sanity, not to mention my criminal intent.

The villain in this story is a slowroller, so I’m sure most will understand. Before the night was over he had an entire table plotting revenge. The plan was to gang-tackle him in an elevator, beat him senseless, take his money, then beat him some more, and then, just to let him know we weren’t really crooks, roll up the cash and wedge it in his facial orifices. Or at least that’s what one of us was thinking… that’ll teach him proper etiquette!

Lina placerade sig i pengarna i ett WSOP-event efter att hon även lyckats vinna två säten till WSOP Main Event till ett värde av totalt 28 000 dollar. Hon gick sedan långt i online-SM där hon kom på 22:a plats av 1788 startande. Lina kom också 4:a i Casino Cosmopols stora turnering i Göteborg, Spring Poker Week och vann 99000 kr. Hon har spelat in över 160 000 kronor på turneringar under 2008.

Right on. I couldn’t agree more. Especially the Spring Poker Week. Sweet as pie, and talented writer and photog … so we’re giving her the offiicial nod. You should, too.

Click here and scroll down to vote.

Book 4: WSOP Final Table
Episode 4.9: The Novembrists 5:31

Heads-up will be Ivan Demidov vs. Peter Eastgate (who stands to be the youngest player ever to win the main event).

Year of the European Young Guns, it turns out to be.

Most of the under bets, by the way, regarding time, win … except for Jen, who took the under on 10 pm. (What was she thinking!)

Chip Counts

Peter Eastgate – 79,425,000
Ivan Demidov – 57,800,000

Clearly anybody’s game. Russians vs. Scandis. I’m going with Demidov, though. As we know, the Russians were the ones that really made a showing at the 2008 WSOP, regardless of how tomorrow turns out. Scandis were like so 2007.

To keep up-to-date with the full list of WSOP results by country, state, and in some cases protectorate, bookmark this page here.

Just for the record, we ganked some prize dollars from the LV cashout base. Shannon Shorr is now a full-blooded Alabaman an David Benyamine a Frenchie. So far have not heard any Las Vegans protest the transfers — but Mayor Oscar Goodman could persuade us to reconsider. Hoyt Corkins is still split — with two cashes going toward Las Vegas, and one to Alabama — torn on what to do with him … will try to track him down and ask him directly. As things stand with 9 events and 10s of millions in prize money remaining, only about $1 million separates the two real contenders for Poker Capital of the World — and while both have about the same number of final tables, California has four fewer bracelets but about 200 more cashes than its eastern neighbor.

Texas, meanwhile, sits strongly atop as the best of the second-best — banking the most money of all the places without a bracelet under its 2008 belt.

The Euros have made really strong showings over the past few days … and seemingly going deep in any event that rewards aggression (like 6-handed NLH). Either the events cater to their playing style, simply more are arriving, they’re coming in fresh off the bench, or some combination of all of that.

Likewise, a Canadian may have won event #44, but the Danes dominated it — I suppose it shouldn’t surprise us that the Scandis know quite a bit about rebuys.

New appearances in the standings:
Czech Republic
Cayman Islands
Newfoundland, Canada

Lebanon also posts its first 2008 cash — not in anything recent, but we just figured out that Naji Hajjar, who finished 73rd in Event #6 ($1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo), was from there.

By the way, speaking of … if anyone knows the hometown locations of any of the players below, please let us know so we can better classify these unknowns:

Ginikachukwu Izuogu
Anthony Young
Sadeed Daneshi
Daniel Fisher
Alex Moore
Derek Wakamiya
Paul Lee
Charles Morgenstern
Walter Schaffer
Robert Winchell
Kevin Mulvhill
William Davis
Joachim Holle
Thomas Hunt
James Hart
William McMahan
George Adams
Jon Danielsson
Ryan Young
Ian Frazer
Graham Wheldon
Clint Schafer
Jonathan Depa
Joshua Flamm
David Longmuir
Charles Ford
Elton Beebe
Andrew Scott
Ethan Werner
Adam Glassman
Greg DeBora
Jean-Philippe Matte
Larry Jafee
Alex Michaels
Olivia Boeree
Kyle Wilson
David Machowsky
Paul Quade
David Barter
Nicholas Venovski
Daniel Kraus
Stuart Fox
Thomas Nielson
Edgar Macias

NOTE: If I hear Alabama for Charles Morgenstern and France for Ginikachukwu Izuogu, I will be suspicious.

There’s question whether or not it was staged. In Las Vegas I am pretty sure his shove would be considered assault, but maybe not so in Monaco? Either way, my experience at the tables tells me that 2 in 12 to 14 Scandis are slowrollers … so that suggests it’s statistically possible it was an authentic provocation.