02 Nov 08

November Nine: Ivan Demidov

Each day a November Nine in detail. Today: Ivan Deimdov – The Muscovite Ivan Demidov starts the finale of the WSOP Main Event on November 9th with the second-largest chip stack.

With 24,400,000 chips, Demidov is only about 2 million chips behind the chip leader Dennis Phillips. After reaching the final table, Demidov was first of all happy about being able to go back home, and mainly looked forward to "downing a few shots" with his friends. Like Phillips, he doesn't think either that a win will cause fundamental changes in his life. Even now he would be able to make a living with poker, without having to play daily.

However, Demidov was not always this confident. On the final table of the WSOP, the young online player seemed to be reserved, and almost media-shy and intimidated. It seems though that the young Russian was able to come to grips with it.

Already at the final table of the WSOP Europe in London, Demidov left behind a solid impression. He would almost have been able to achieve the near-impossible - to win both WSOP Main Events in a single year. However, in the end he "only" finished third in London. In return, he gathered a lot of experience which will certainly aid him on November 9th in the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino.

Like many PokerStrategists as well, Demidov joined poker after having been a passionate player of the strategy game Starcraft. However, the former mathematics student did not only spend his time in front of the computer. He was also interested in different sports, like skiing, white water rafting and diving.

By the way, Demidov borrowed part of the money for the WSOP Main Event from a good friend, so that there will at the very least be two people who will look forward to the first Russian win in a WSOP Main Event, as a sizeable part of the winnings will certainly be given back.

As an inspirational source, Demidov named the Russian PokerStars Pro Alexander Kravchenko, who made the definitive breakthrough for the poker sport in Russia after finishing fourth in the Main Event last year. Now, he hopes he will be able to even surpass Kravchenko's fourth place.

Nonetheless, it will still be a long way to go. Even as a big stack, it won't be easy for him. His performances in the weeks and months since the WSOP certainly make him a hot contender on the title and a prize money of over nine million dollars, however.

Photo source: WSOP