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 he Guardian Poker Column |
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| Victoria
Coren |
| Wed 11 Nov 2009 |
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Joe Cada:
The new world champion of
poker
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We
have a new world champion of poker: 21-year-old American Joe Cada.
Many
will be disappointed that Phil Ivey didn't win. This was an incredible final
table line-up. Last year, the organisers' new plan of a five-month delay before
the final (to maximise TV revenue while adding nothing to the prize pool)
killed some of the momentum and excitement. This year felt different. With
finalists including Jeff Shulman (popular and well-known editor of Card Player
magazine), James Akenhead (a young British pro, for our patriotic pleasure) and
Phil Ivey (believed to be the greatest tournament player in the world), there
were reasons to stay excited until November. |
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But Shulman finished in fifth place.
Akenhead was the first man out. Ivey, who seemed to play cautiously, finally
put down his apple and moved all in with AK. Darvin Moon called with AQ, hit a
Q and knocked him out in seventh spot.
This last coup seemed a
particular shame. If the world's greatest player makes the world's biggest
final, you want him to prove a point by winning, or contribute to a fairytale
around the man who outplays him. You don't want him stumbling away after an
absurd beat that makes the whole thing look like a lottery.
Darvin
Moon, who finished second, is a woodcutter from Maryland, which sounds
literally fairytale. Unfortunately, a win from him might have risked creating
"the new Robert Varkonyi". Few speak respectfully, now, of the 2002 champion
who made questionable plays but hit miracle cards. However romantic someone's
story, we can't want this ultimate title to be taken on pure luck. Moon played
powerfully heads-up, but promising professional Cada is the stronger winner. We
will get to know him better now. He's no Ivey but maybe, one day, he will be.
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