The final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event kicked off around 1:00pm PT from the Penn and Teller Theater inside the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. After a 115-day layoff, over 1,000 of the players’ friends, family, and poker faithful have descended upon the two-story auditorium in Las Vegas, watching the action unfold on giant projection screens hanging from the ceiling. There is an uneasy feeling in the air as players commit their hard-earned chips that have laid in wait for four months.

One of the largest hands during the first hour of play took place between Eric Buchman and CardPlayer Magazine Editor Jeff Shulman. Buchman showed pocket queens on a board of K-7-7-10-3, creating a massive round of applause from the assembled crowd. The first portion of play saw the combatants feel each other out after the long delay, with a 20-minute break occurring to allow players to gather their thoughts and allow the media to rush the stage searching for interviews.
During the first scheduled break, PocketFives.com sat down with Jon pokertrip Friedberg (pictured at right), seated about five rows from the stage in the center of the house. Friedberg was one of several friends of Mike Sexton that headed to the World Poker Tour (WPT) host’s home in Spanish Hills on Friday night, the day before his Poker Hall of Fame enshrinement.

PocketFives.com: Who are you supporting during the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table?

Friedberg: I’m just here to watch it all unfold. I’m not here supporting anyone. It’d be kind of fun to watch Phil Ivey win.

PocketFives.com: What have you noticed during the first level of play?

Friedberg: The excitement from the crowd is pretty cool to see. You don’t normally see this level of animosity during a poker tournament. It’s fun to see everyone go crazy like we’re at a Brazilian soccer game.

PocketFives.com: The nine players seem uneasy, waiting for the first bust out to occur. Is that what you’ve noticed too?

Friedberg: That’s pretty standard in most tournaments where there’s a delay before the final table, especially during a four-month delay. I would think that magnifies it even more. Any time there’s anticipation leading up to the final table, nobody wants to go out first. Once the first player gets knocked out, the aggression level is going to pick up.

PocketFives.com: Who is your pick to win?

Friedberg: I think it’s going to be either Eric Buchman or Phil Ivey. I’ve played with Eric a lot and the guy is incredible. Phil Ivey is the best player at the table, but he’s a little shorter, so we’ll see. I think it’ll be Eric or Phil, or perhaps both of them heads-up.

PocketFives.com also found 2008 WSOP November Nine member Dennis Phillips in the crowd. Phillips gave his take on the raucous atmosphere: “This has to be one of the best poker venues we’ve ever had. You go out into the hallway and people are talking about it. Look on the stage at everyone.” On what he’d give to be part of the festivities once again, Phillips jokingly admitted, “I was trying to slide a tenth chair in, but they wouldn’t let me.”

This morning around 7:30am PT, Kevin Schaffel (pictured at right) and Darvin Moon played a table game version of Texas Hold’em to warm up. Schaffel told ESPN “Inside Deal” host Bernard Lee that Moon continued to run hot in it, cracking the dealer’s aces with J-8 in one hand.

At the end of the first break, Moon still leads the way, having built his stack to over 60 million. James Akenhead is the short stack with less than four million in chips. The action continues today until two players are left standing.