It's difficult enough picking the winner of the Kentucky Derby with only 12 or 13 horses running every year.  It's also hard to predict the winner of the NCAA Basketball March Madness Tournament in a field of 65 teams.  So how could you have a chance of predicting the winner of a 6,600 person event?  You'd be foolish to try.  Alas,  I'm a fool,  so I'm going to make a feeble attempt and pick a few names of professionals who I think have a shot at making the Final Table this year.

Dan Harrington tops my list of players who can go far and possibly win it all. The former World Series of Poker Champion  (1995)  has made the final table in the last two years,  while playing against the two largest fields in the history of the WSOP.  He has recently written a book on tournament poker and is looking to make a third consecutive final table.

Daniel Negreanu is playing the best poker of his life.  He was named Card Player Magazine's 2004 Player of the Year.  He won over $4 million in tournaments last year alone.  At the 2004 World Series of Poker,  Daniel made the final table in five events and took home his third bracelet when he won a Limit Holdem event.  In addition,  he has won two World Poker Tour events and made five final tables.  He is the career money leader on the WPT and looks like a strong pick to make this year's WSOP final table.

Phil Hellmuth recently won the National Heads Up Championship and is trying to make poker history at this year's World Series of Poker.  He is currently tied for most WSOP bracelets  (9)  with Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan.  That's why Phil has been putting a lot of pressure on himself to win another WSOP event.  He also holds the distinction of being the youngest World Series of Poker Champion  (23 years old in 1989)  and is also looking to become just the fifth player to win multiple world championships.

Marcel Luske from Holland has been regarded as the best player in Europe over the last few years.  He took 10th at last year's main event and missed the Final Table by one place when he was knocked out by Dan Harrington.  He almost won his first WSOP bracelet in a Stud event but took home second place.  He has been playing all over the world in 2005 and has made several final tables along the way.  The Flying Dutchman is a serious threat to make the final table this year.

Jen Harman missed most of last year's WSOP events while she was recovering from a kidney transplant.  She's much healthier this year and has been focusing on improving her No Limit tournament play.  She has two WSOP bracelets and made the final table at two World Poker Tour Events.  She is also trying to become the first female World Series of Poker Champion.

Doyle Brunson showed the world that just because he's in his seventies,  it doesn't mean he's not still one of the top players in the world.  He took 53rd place at the 2004 World Series of Poker and outlasted numerous players who were about 1/3 his age.  It amazes me that the two-time World Series of Poker Champion  (1976-77)  is still sharp and at the top of his game.  Brunson has been dominating poker since the 1960s.  He recently won the World Poker Tour's Legends of Poker earlier this year for his first ever WPT victory.  He continues to be a favorite to win any tournament he enters.

Phil Ivey is one of the best all-around players in the world who is under 30 years old.  He won three WSOP bracelets in 2003 and it took a bad beat from Chris Moneymaker to keep him from his first Final Table appearance at the main event.  Most recently,  Phil Ivey took sixth place at the WPT Championships at the Bellagio.  He's definitely a player to keep an eye on.

Chip Reese is known as the best cash game player in the history of poker.  For years he avoided tournaments because he thought they were a waste of his time.  He wins more in a single session at the  "Big Game"  than most players will win in their entire careers.  At the insistence of his children,  he recently began playing televised tournaments,  because they wanted to see their father on TV.  He's a major threat this year especially if he gets ahold of chips early.

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson is another former World Series of Poker Champion (2000)  who is looking to add a second title to his resume.  Most recently,  he was the runner-up in the National Heads Up Championship.  In 2004,  he set a record with the most cashes in a single year at the WSOP.  Chris also has made 20 Final Tables at various World Series of Poker events.

Greg Raymer is hoping that he can become only the fourth player to win back-to-back World Series of Poker Championships.  History is against him.  The 2002 and 2003 champs,  Robert Varkonyi and Chris Moneymaker,  were both busted on the first day of the tournament the following year.  Not since Johnny Chan repeated in 1987-1988 has anyone come close.  I like Raymer's chances this year because he has proven that he knows how to play effectively against online players as well as against seasoned Las Vegas professionals.