There isn't any telling what number of people famous backer Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy has installed the primary Event through the years. At this point, just one matters: himself.

Tonight in Las Vegas, the arena Series of Poker reached the November Nine, that poker nonet in an effort to head back here in a couple of months to figure out the sector Champion. On the top of the pack sits one among poker's favorite backers.

Cliff Josephy

Here's how November Nine counts stand at this hour.

1. Cliff Josephy (U.S.A.) 74,600,0002. Qui Nguyen (U.S.A.) 67,925,0003. Gordon Vayo (U.S.A.) 49,375,0004. Kenny Hallaert (Belgium) 43,325,0005. Michael Ruane (U.S.A.) 31,600,0006. Vojtech Ruzicka (Czech Republic) 27,300,0007. Griffin Benger (Canada) 26,175,0008. Jerry Wong (U.S.) 10,175,0009. Fernando Pons (Spain) 6,150,000

If you have been reading our coverage inside the tournament, you're going to certainly recognize another one of the vital November Niners. Kenny Hallaert runs the PokerStars-sponsored Belgian Poker Challenge when he isn't busy making the November Nine. You'll read more about him here: Kenny Hallaert riding, and boosting, the Belgian boom. With the following BPC also in November, Hallaert goes to have an overly busy month.

Kenny Hallaert

To reach this point, the sphere needed to thin itself from 27 to nine players. Along the way in which (recorded partly here), we needed to say goodbye to some of players we'd featured here before, including James Obst and William Kassouf. The latter of these played in what's going to likely be some of the mentioned hands within the 2016 WSOP. You'll be able to read all about that here: Anatomy of an elimination: Kassouf is finally silenced.

William Kassouf

While the WSOP champ continues to be a question of question, the Player of the Year isn't. Last night when Paul Volpe busted from the principle Event, Jason Mercier secured his first WSOP Player of the Year title. Mercier won two bracelets this year and finished runner-up in another event. In total, he won nearly $1 million in WSOP prizes (let alone whatever he picked up in private bracelet bets).

Jason Mercier

As much because it pains us to mention it, on the way to conclude our World Series of Poker coverage for the summer. We are hoping you've enjoyed it up to we now have along the best way. Way to every who shared our stories on Twitter and Facebook. Be sure you look us up on Twitter and tell us who you're rooting for on the final table.

Congratulations again to the entire November Nine and the Player of the Year, Jason Mercier.

Goodnight and goodbye from Las Vegas.

$1 million Spin & Gos running now! Click here to get a PokerStars account. Brad Willis is the PokerStars Head of Blogging. Follow him on Twitter: @BradWillis. WSOP photos by PokerPhotoArchive.com.

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