Meet The 2012 WSOP October Nine

Earlier this month, 6,598 players entered the 2012 WSOP Main Event to create a prize pool worth $62 million. Yesterday at the Rio in Las Vegas that field eventually reached its final table with the remaining competitors now known as the October Nine.
2012 WSOP Final Table
Jesse Sylvia 43,875,000
Andras Koroknai 29,375,000
Greg Merson 28,725,000
Russell Thomas 24,800,000
Steven Gee 16,860,000
Michael Esposito 16,260,000
Robert Salaburu 15,155,000
Jacob Balsiger 13,115,000
Jeremy Ausmus 9,805,000
Introducing The October Nine
Jesse Sylvia, 26, (photo right) is a cash game pro who moved to Las Vegas a couple of years ago and has been making a tidy living ever since playing full time at the casinos, often at stakes of around $10-$20 NL.
Andras Koroknai, 30, is an online cash game pro from Hungary. The Budapest resident also dabbles in tournaments and has $1,841,013 in earnings to his name, most of which is accounted for by his WPT victory at the 2010 L.A. Poker Classic for $1,788,040.
Greg Merson, 24, is an online cash game pro who recently moved to Canada to continue plying his trade. Merson also seems to have a knack with tournaments and has won $200,894 online playing under the screen name “gregy20723,” in addition to $1,319,704 playing live. The Toronto resident has also had a memorable 2012 WSOP having cashed already for $1,222,327, including winning a WSOP bracelet at the $10k NL Six Handed event for $1,136,197.
Russell Thomas, 24, works an actuary but is also a keen amateur poker cash-game player. The Pennsylvania resident has $126,796 in live tournament cashes to his name, including in 2010 finishing 5th at the $1,500 NL Six Handed event for $84,256.
Steven Gee, 57, is a live cash games specialist from California. He also has $498,427 in live tournament cashes to his credit, including winning a WSOP bracelet in 2010 at the $1k NL event for $472,479.
Michael Esposito, 43, is a commodity broker from New York and an amateur poker player with $172,806 in tournament cashes.
Robert Salaburu, 27, was an online cash and tournament player known as “treadindank,” who made the switch to live play post Black Friday.
Jacob Balsiger, 21, is an Arizona State senior studying Political Science, as well as a keen amateur poker player.
Jeremy Ausmus, 32, is a live cash game pro residing in Las Vegas, who used to play online pre-Black Friday. He also has $427,145 in live tournament cashes to his credit, including nine WSOP cashes this summer alone.