Bodog Beat

Barry Shulman won the 2009 WSOP Europe Main Event. (Bodog Beat Image)

In the early hours of Friday morning – 5am to be precise – in London, England at the Empire Casino, CardPlayer magazine CEO Barry Shulman emerged from a three-hour long marathon heads-up battle against poker superstar Daniel Negreanu to capture the 2009 WSOP Main Event title.

The final table itself was a 16 and a half hour marathon ordeal that tested the limits of every player. The first player to fall by the wayside was November Niner James Akenhead, followed by Matt Hawrilenko, who at one point was the tournament chip leader in Day 3. Another November Niner – Antoine Saout – was the next to go with Chris Bjorin and Markus Ristola following shortly thereafter.

EPT champion Jason Mercier, who many expected to go all the way based on his recent success, went out in fourth place with hometown hero Praz Bansi heading out after him in third. That left just Shulman and Negreanu to fight it out for the bracelet.

The win gives Shulman his second WSOP bracelet and his first WSOPE bracelet. Shulman's son, Jeff, is one of the November Nine who will head back to Vegas on November 10 to battle it out for the 2009 WSOP Main Event championship. Will the son follow in his father's footsteps and keep it in the family?

With his second-place finish, Negreanu becomes the all-time winningest poker tournament player with more than $12 million in earnings.

Here are the full final table placings and payouts:

1. Barry Shulman – £801,603
2. Daniel Negreanu – £495,589
3. Praz Bansi – £360,887
4. Jason Mercier – £267,267
5. Markus Ristola – £200,367
6. Chris Bjorin – £150,267
7. Antoine Saout – £114,228
8. Matt Hawrilenko – £87,074
9. James Akenhead – £66,533

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