Event #65: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship

The 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event has been whittled down to the final nine, and there's one very familiar face among that number.

Joe Cada already has a banner hanging in the Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, one in which his arms comfortably rest atop brick upon brick of cash — $8,546,435 to be exact. That's how much Cada won back in 2009, when, as a green 21-year-old, he came out of nowhere to win poker's most prestigious prize.

Cada has since proven that win was no fluke with two more bracelet wins and two other six-figure prizes at the WSOP. One of those bracelets came just a month ago when he took down Event #3: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout. The other came back in 2014 in traditionally one of the toughest events of the summer, as he shipped the $10,000 Six-Max for $670,041.

Now he's got a chance to pull off one of the greatest feats in poker history. The last repeat winner was Stu Ungar in 1997 when he took down the third of his three titles. Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson and Johnny Moss also pulled off the feat.

However, none of those legends had to go through the kind of marathon fields with which Cada has dealt as he traversed through 6,494 runners in 2009 and now 7,874 this year to reach this final table:

There is 1:23:57 remaining in Level 36 (300,000/600,000, with a 100,000-ante).

"It feels unreal," Cada said. "What other feelings are there?"

Naturally, many will immediately compare this final table to 2009 and find it wanting. That table featured a legendary appearance by perhaps poker's biggest star in Phil Ivey, who finished seventh.

Several others have gone on to big accomplishments as well. Antoine Saout has become a very successful traveling pro present at all of the world's big events. Eric Buchman went on to win two bracelets. Jeff Shulman and James Akenhead have seven figures in cashes outside of that final table.

But, 2009 might as well be ancient history as far as poker strategy goes. That's why, despite a final table that lacks names the average poker fan will recognize, Cada knows he has a long and difficult task ahead.

"It's poker nine years later," he said when asked to compare the two. "That's enough said there. Everyone here's really good. Everyone was really good [in 2009] too. Everyone deserved to be there but everyone's advancing in the game."

"It was a lot more of a grind this time. I respected the tournament more. I had 9K at one point in this tournament and I just grinded a short stack. I was like maybe one-fifth of average almost the entire tournament."

Indeed, the nearly 40 big blinds Cada totes into the final table represent one of the higher points of his journey. He had to earn them as well, showing off his mettle with a steely all-in bluff against Alex Lynskey when 12 players remained. Cada three-barreled a king-high board with an unpaired ace-six and got Lynskey to let go of king-nine. He also four-bet jammed pocket fives for almost 50 big blinds against Antoine Labat with 10 players left.

"I think it was just situations," Cada said. "I found myself in good semi-bluff or bluff situations where I felt like I needed to pull the trigger. I always try to ignore the money side of it. If I think the play is right, I'll go with my gut."

One player who didn't have to go with his gut in the key hand was Nicolas Manion, who goes into the final table as chip leader after a truly epic hand to end the night.

From under the gun, Manion opened for 1.5 million at 300,000/600,000/100,000 and got called by Labat. Yueqi Zhu then shoved from the hijack for 24.7 million and Manion moved in himself for 43.1 million since he held aces. Labat, who covered Manion, tanked awhile and then called. Manion found himself in the most dream scenario possible when both opponents held pocket kings.

"When I got both calls I didn't even… I flipped over my hand and I didn't even stay to see what they had," he said. "I went straight to my rail and looked up at the TV and they had set up pocket kings and my aces. And, somehow, this is real life."

Zhu was dead on the flop and it was all over by the turn, so Manion didn't even have to sweat the final card as he rocketed to 112,775,000, just surpassing the 109,175,000 of longtime leader Michael Dyer.

Something of a Cinderella story, Manion barely has a recorded tournament history with just a few small cashes and said he normally grinds $1/$2 back home in Michigan. A friend put him into a couple of $2,175 mega satellites and he won both so they agreed he'd take a shot.

Now, he's chip leader of the Main Event with nine players left, but to hear him tell it, he doesn't much care. He's planning for more of the same both in this tournament and in life in general, no matter the result.

"That will not affect my play at all," he said. "I'm still gonna stick to my game plan of playing the hands that I'm dealt and trying to just chip up and win the pots that I'm entering in."

"I will not change what I'm doing. I'm not gonna go play big tournaments and blow my bankroll. I'm gonna play with all my friends just like before and enjoy life now."

Cada, playing the tournament as he so often does with Michigan Wolverines gear adorning his body and head, said he and Manion bonded a bit over their shared home state.

"He seems like a really nice guy and he's been playing awesome," Cada said. "It was cool to see what happened to him. I'm sure he's loving life right now and that's cool to see."

While they'd surely be thrilled to make it an all-Wolverine affair for the $8.8 million top prize, plenty of stiff competition remains, as Cada alluded to in comparing his two Main Event runs.

Notable pros Lynskey and Artem Metalidi remain. Poker fans tuning in to the cards-up feeds on PokerGO and ESPN have also seen less well-known names Tony Miles, John Cynn, Aram Zobian, Dyer and Labat earn their way to the final nine with skillful play in their own rights.

Each player has his own story worth telling, documented here on PokerNews in the final table profiles. Each player's journey to this point can also be seen in this chart.

But while each player merits his own time in the spotlight, the eyes of the poker world will be fixed squarely on Joe Cada come Thursday evening.

For everyone else, there's $8.8 million and a place in poker history at stake. For Cada, there's all that and the chance to pull off something that's never been done in the modern era, to etch his name in poker lore forever.

While Cada had to wait several long months back in 2009, the format change back to a Main Event that finishes in the summer means success or failure will come much sooner this time. He said he welcomes the shift.

"I'd rather just get this thing over with and see where it lies," he said. "The three months...you toss and turn a lot thinking about where it's going to end."

With a final table that starts at 5:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, there's plenty of time for Cada to prepare. He could schedule a session with a revered poker coach. He could make sure his body and mind are ready with exercise or meditation.

Whether it's the experience of having been here before, the financial security of having already won millions in poker or just his natural way of going about things, Cada seems anything but hyped. He spoke calmly in the aftermath of the final elimination, casually outlining his simple plan.

"My girlfriend's coming in this morning so I'll probably just get some sleep and go pick her up and hang out with her," he said.

"We'll see how it turns out."

^{* End-of-day chip counts as reported by official WSOP list
** Nicolas Manion's Day 3 count was not reported on the official list}

Hand #170: Tony Miles made it 1,400,000 to go and Nicolas Manion called from one seat over, as did Michael Dyer. On the three-way flop of    , Miles continued for 2,600,000 right away and Manion raised it up to 7,000,000. Dyer folded instantly and Miles gave it some thought before coming to the same conclusion.

Hand #168: Alex Lynskey opened to 1,200,000 from early position and action folded around to the button where Antoine Labat called. Yueqi Zhu called in the small blind and in the blind Artem Metalidi folded.

The flop was     and Zhu checked. Lynskey checked as well. Labat put out a bet of 2,200,000 and Zhu called. Lynskey folded.

On the   turn, Zhu checked, as did Labat.

The river was the   and Zhu checked again. Labat checked as well Zhu showed    for ace-high, but Labat had that matched with    for the same hand, so the two chopped the pot.

Hand #169: Action folded around and John Cynn got a walk in the big blind.

Michael Dyer	110,775,000	-200,000
Antoine Labat	51,250,000	1,100,000
Tony Miles	47,550,000	-200,000
John Cynn	37,575,000	1,100,000
Nicolas Manion	36,000,000	-200,000
Alex Lynskey	27,225,000	-1,200,000
Yueqi Zhu	24,775,000	1,100,000
Joe Cada	23,875,000	-200,000
Aram Zobian	19,075,000	-200,000
Artem Metalidi	15,675,000	-1,100,000

Hand #164: Joe Cada opened with a raise under the gun to 1,300,000. Joe Cynn called from middle position. Action folded around and Michael Dyer called in the big blind as well.

The flop was    . Dyer led out with a bet of 1,175,000 and Cada folded quickly. Cynn called.

On the   turn both players checked and the   came on the river. Dyer put out a bet of 1,825,000 and Cynn called. Dyer showed his    for two pair and that was good for him to take down the pot as Cynn's hand was mucked.

Hand #165: John Cynn opened to 1,300,000 and everyone folded, so Cynn took down the pot.

Michael Dyer	111,175,000	6,400,000
Antoine Labat	51,250,000	-200,000
Tony Miles	42,050,000	-200,000
John Cynn	40,675,000	-2,600,000
Nicolas Manion	36,400,000	-200,000
Alex Lynskey	28,625,000	-200,000
Joe Cada	24,575,000	-2,100,000
Yueqi Zhu	24,475,000	-200,000
Aram Zobian	17,575,000	-500,000
Artem Metalidi	16,975,000	-200,000

Hand #162: Alex Lynskey raised to 1,200,000 on the button and Tony Miles in the small blind three-bet to 4,600,000. Lynskey called and that created a pot of more than 10 million in the first hand after the break. The flop came     and Miles continued for 5,600,000, Lynskey called.

The   appeared on the turn and Miles instantly announced all in for 20,350,000. Lynskey gave it brief consideration and flicked his cards into the muck.

Hand #163: Michael Dyer opened the action with a raise to 1,200,000 first to act. Aram Zobian was the only caller out of the big blind, and the flop fell    . Zobian checked and a continuation bet of 1,125,000 did the trick for Dyer, as Zobian let go.

Michael Dyer	104,775,000	2,300,000
Antoine Labat	51,450,000	-200,000
John Cynn	43,275,000	-200,000
Tony Miles	42,250,000	11,600,000
Nicolas Manion	36,600,000	-1,100,000
Alex Lynskey	28,825,000	-10,400,000
Joe Cada	26,675,000	-200,000
Yueqi Zhu	24,675,000	-200,000
Aram Zobian	18,075,000	-1,400,000
Artem Metalidi	17,175,000	-200,000

Hand #160: From under the gun, Tony Miles opened to 1,200,000 before Nicolas Manion three-bet next to act to 4,000,000.

The action folded back to Miles, and he flicked his cards to the muck.

Hand #161: Michael Dyer opened to 1,000,000 from middle position and Joe Cada called next to act. From the button, John Cynn three-bet to 5,200,000.

Dyer folded, as did Cada, and Cynn collected the pot.

Hand #156: Nicolas Manion opened to 1,200,000 from the hijack and Antoine Labat called in the big blind.

The flop landed     and Labat led out for 1,700,000 before Manion raised to 4,500,000. Labat went into the tank for roughly two minutes before three-betting to 12,000,000.

Manion snap-folded, and Labat collected the pot.

Hand #157: From the button, Joe Cada raised to 1,100,000 before Antoine Labat three-bet the small blind to 3,750,000.

Cada responded with an all-in for 23,200,000 and Labat snap-folded.

Michael Dyer	101,800,000	-100,000
Antoine Labat	52,000,000	2,800,000
John Cynn	43,500,000	-200,000
Alex Lynskey	40,300,000	-100,000
Nicolas Manion	35,300,000	-5,900,000
Tony Miles	30,700,000	-100,000
Joe Cada	28,200,000	4,600,000
Yueqi Zhu	25,400,000	-700,000
Artem Metalidi	18,400,000	-200,000
Aram Zobian	18,300,000	-100,000

Hand #152: Michael Dyer opened to 1,000,000 from early position and Alex Lynskey called from the button, as did Nicolas Manion from the big blind.

The flop landed     and Manion checked over to Dyer who bet 1,325,000. Lynskey called, and Manion called also.

The turn fell the   and Manion checked, Dyer bet 4,125,000, and both Lynskey and Manion folded.

Hand #153: John Cynn opened to 1,100,000 from the hijack and collected the blinds and antes.

Michael Dyer	97,000,000	5,500,000
Antoine Labat	49,300,000	-200,000
John Cynn	43,800,000	1,300,000
Nicolas Manion	41,300,000	-2,700,000
Alex Lynskey	40,600,000	-2,500,000
Tony Miles	32,200,000	-400,000
Yueqi Zhu	26,200,000	-200,000
Joe Cada	24,200,000	-200,000
Aram Zobian	20,500,000	-600,000
Artem Metalidi	18,700,000	-200,000