FANTASTIC FINISH FOR FILIPPO
And then there were three.
 
The 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event final table -- otherwise known as the “November Nine” -- has crossed the midway point.  There are now more players out on the rail watching and wishing, than still remain seated in poker’s richest game.

The latest player to bust out was Italian poker pro Filippo Candio, from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. 
He joined fellow finalists Soi Nguyen (9th), Matthew Jarvis (8th), Jason Senti (7th), and John Dolan (6th) as outsiders now looking in – along with a capacity crowd packed inside the Penn and Teller Theater and a worldwide audience following all the action from Las Vegas.
 
Filippo was eliminated when his     failed to connect to a final board that showed          .  Joseph Cheong held     and ended up with a straight on the hand.

The significance of becoming the first player in Italy to make it to a Main Event final table was not lost on the blossoming new tournament star.

I was very proud to represent my country and do things for poker in Italy," Candio stated shortly after being eliminated.  "I am pleased with the way I played.  I think there are going to be many more players from my country who (do well) at the World Series."

The last two hours has included a flurry of action, resulting a huge momentum shift.  Joseph Cheong now appears to be the player to beat as play becomes three-handed.
 
Play will continue all night until only two players remain.  Last year’s final table (first day) followed a similar pattern and concluded at 5:00 am. 

Heads-up play will resume on Monday, November 8th at 8 pm PST when the final two will play down to a winner.  Coverage of the final table will air in a two-hour telecast on Tuesday at 10 pm ET on ESPN.


The winner of this year’s Main Event, the second largest in the 40-year history of the WSOP with 7,319 entrants, will take home $8,944,310 in prize money.  He will also be presented with the most coveted achievement in all of poker -- the World Series of Poker Main Event Championship gold bracelet.


Who will become the 2010 world poker champion?  Keep it here at WSOP.COM for all the latest news, chip counts, and photos from the grand finale to find out.  Be sure to tune in to ESPN’s telecast on Tuesday at 10 PM EST, to see how it all unfolded.