Poker fever heats up.

And while that phrase can only keep true poker aficionados interested, the 2008 World Series of Poker IS really starting to heat up as the top poker players in the world continue to compete for the only thing that matters in poker, a WSOP bracelet.

The 2008 WSOP started with almost 6800 plus participants vying for the ultimate goal of winning a bracelet and for seven long and tiring days, only nine remain for the 2008 WSOP Main Event Championship that will be played in November of this year.

Leading the pack is Dennis Phillips with $26,295,000, taking home the chip lead, followed by the 27-year old Ivan Demidov with $24,400,000. Third in the chip count is Scott Montgomery of Ontario, Canada with $19,690,000. All three have at least a few more months before they resume play with the other six, now dubbed as the ”November Nine”.

Looking back on how things materialized in this grueling seven day tournament, we start with Phil Nguyen who was one of only two WSOP bracelet winners left in the field when play began on Day 7. Nguyen won the WSOP $2,500 NLHE event in 2003 and the $1,500 NLHE Shootout event in 2004.

Phil Nguyen became the 26th-place finisher when he reraised all in with…