Posted on 11/10/2009 8:38:40 PM PST by jpl
Darvin Moon was seven outs from the World Series of Poker main event Championship, but it wasn’t meant to be for the 46-year-old everyman from Maryland.
Instead, the title belongs to 21-year-old online professional Joseph Cada, who eclipsed Peter Eastgate’s record for youngest main-event winner in poker history.
The win was anything but easy for the Michigan native, who at times seemed resigned to his fate of finishing runner-up to the more inexperienced Moon.
But experience ultimately prevailed, and it was Cada’s calm under pressure that allowed him to keep a level head and, eventually, take it down.
Ironically, while it was pocket nines that got Cada into trouble on the first hand of heads-up play, just 87 hands later it was pocket nines that secured him the title.
Here were the chip counts entering the final battle:
Joseph Cada — 136,925,000
Darvin Moon — 58,875,000
Darvin MoonMoon drew first blood with a huge pot right out of the gate. He limped on the button, and Cada raised to 3.5 million from the big blind. Moon didn’t hesitate to call. The flop came out KSpade Suit 3Spade Suit 2Diamond Suit, and Cada continued with a bet of 3.5 million. Moon raised to 10 million, and, after some thought, Cada called.
The turn was the ADiamond Suit, and Moon fired in the same bet of 10 million. Cada called, and the river paired the board with the KClub Suit. Both players checked, and Moon’s pocket queens topped Cada’s pocket nines.
All of a sudden, Cada’s lead didn’t appear so insurmountable for the logger from Maryland. With the gap closed, Moon took the lead just 15 minutes later.
Joseph CadaCada had the button and raised to 2.5 million. Moon called, and the flop came down JClub Suit 6Spade Suit 5Diamond Suit. Moon checked, Cada bet 3.5 million, and Moon check-raised to 8.5 million. Cada called, and both players checked the QDiamond Suit on the turn.
The river was the 2Heart Suit, and Moon bet 7.25 million. Cada called and mucked when Moon showed QHeart Suit 8Spade Suit for top pair. With that pot, Moon took the lead with 101 million to Cada’s 93 million.
The two jostled back and forth for a bit before Cada really put the pressure on. Moon raised to 3 million, and Cada called. The flop came down JClub Suit 4Heart Suit 2Diamond Suit, and Cada checked to Moon, who bet 4 million.
Cada called, and the turn was the QHeart Suit. Cada checked once again, and Moon bet 6 million. Cada check-raised to 16.75 million, and Moon called relatively quickly.
Darvin MoonThe river was the 5Club Suit, and Cada announced a bet of 35 million. Moon leaned back in his chair and let out a big sigh before pitching in his cards. The cards were unknown to everyone but ESPN, which will surely show the hand on Tuesday. With that pot, Cada retook the lead with 120 million to 72 million.
After picking off a river bluff attempt by Moon, Cada was back in the driver seat, but Moon adapted and began to make big bets, including an all-in bet to freeze the young gun out. Pretty soon, they were dead even in chips with 97 million apiece.
The two remained virtually even through the break, but a rejuvenated Moon quickly took the upper hand with two hefty pots, allowing his chip advantage to grow to 122 million to 73 million.
Joseph CadaThe damage just kept coming from Moon, who seemed to figure out the puzzle that was Cada. Cada raised to 3 million on the button, and Moon called. The flop came out AClub Suit 5Diamond Suit 3Heart Suit, and Moon led out for 5 million.
Cada paused and then raised to 13 million. Darvin wasted no time cutting out a stack of five, then ten million. But he drew gasps from the crowd as he continued to cut out more and more chips, eventually settling on a raise to 30 million. Cada immediately folded, and the pro-Moon crowd went berserk.
Now sitting with a 3-1 chip lead, Moon slipped up. Cada raised to 3 million on the button, and Moon called. The flop came 10Club Suit 9Heart Suit 5Diamond Suit, and both players checked.
The turn was the 10Diamond Suit, and Moon checked once again. Cada bet 3 million, and Moon announced all in. Cada took some time before making the call for his last 50 million or so with JHeart Suit 9Diamond Suit.
Darvin MoonMoon showed 8Spade Suit 7Spade Suit for the open-ended straight draw, but missed when the river came in the form of the 3Heart Suit. Now, Cada was back on top with 108 million to Moon’s 87 million.
The hand left Moon shaken and perhaps a bit too trigger happy, eager to double-up or go home. Just a few hands later, Cada raised to 3 million on the button, and Moon reraised to 8 million. Cada moved all in, and and Moon called for his last 67 million instantly with QDiamond Suit JDiamond Suit!
Cada showed 9Club Suit 9Diamond Suit, and they were off to the races. The flop came down 8Club Suit 7Spade Suit 2Club Suit, and Cada’s camp went wild.
Cada stood away from the table, burying his face in Cliff Josephy’s chest, unable to watch.
The turn was the KHeart Suit, making both sides of the auditorium flinch. With just six outs separating him from elimination, Moon watched as the 7Club Suit hit the river, and a deafening roar moved throughout the theater.
Joseph CadaWith a safe river card firmly on the felt, Joseph Cada leaped into the air in celebration but quickly separated himself from his throng of supporters to shake Darvin Moon’s hand.
The crowd continued to chant “Joey! Joey! Joey!” as Jeffrey Pollack introduced the new, youngest-ever main-event champion in poker history to the crowd.
Cada took the mic and shook off a tear or two before thanking his legion of friends, family, and fans in the audience. With that, he hoisted the bracelet over his head, much to the delight of everyone in the theater.
Moon exited the Penn and Teller Theater with $5,182,601, but Cada took home the lion’s share with $8,546,435.
But congratulations to Joseph Cada, your 2009 WSOP Main Event world champion.
Ping.
He made some pretty questionable plays as well, but I thought overall he was the better player than the kid.
I was rooting for Moon from the beginning just because he seemed most like ordinary people I know.
2nd place isn't to be ashamed of.
Congratulations to "The Kid" Caddo...but boy O boy, some lucky draws.
to the original poster, thanks for ruining it. Us west- coasters never get to watch anything and be surrised.
Sorry...you Californians never crossed my mind.
bump
I’m confused on these “online” professionals. The U.S. outlawed internet gambling and credit cards are outlawed from being used on gambling. What gives?
I found out when I logged onto my computer this morning (in California) and pulled up Yahoo. They had the results and a picture right there on their home page. Word was already out and widely known long before the poster posted it.
Poker Ping!
Thanks to jpl for the heads up play.
I really don't like the format of the final table being disconnected from the week long play. It takes away from the endurance aspect of the tournament. That being said, congratulations go out to Joseph Cada
There is a loophole...if you go buy one of those
“Visa giftcards”...at a Walmart, RiteAid etc....they will accept them...
That was part of my Christmas gift last year lol.
So you can play.
I completely hate it, and I don't know how the players who make the final table can stand it either, especially the ones from foreign countries.
From all the inside baseball stuff I've read, the entire WSOP has become a total mess since Harrah's took it over.
I watched the two all-ins with low pocket pairs, 2s and 3s, by Cada on ESPN and he sucked out twice on the flop against higher pocket pairs!!!! He was very lucky. To hit the set on the flop is a 12% probability so to hit it twice with tournament on the line is a 1.44% probability. Overall he was a 25% chance of winning each time so he hit a 6.25% probability to win both situations of low vs higher pocket pair.
There are sites that allow US players the .com versions of the ones you see on advertisements. There are transfer options that by pass VISA/Mastercard mainly direct drafts on an account. I am not sure how legal these are but US players do have options no thanks to GOP nanny staters like Leach and Frist. This is the one issue I support Barney Frank on.
Especially after Shulman, who everyone knows plays tight and solid, raised under the gun. Cada should have known he was probably dominated.
And poor Saout had to be absolutely sick when that King spiked on the river to let Cada's A-K take out his eights. I thought that the frog played better than anyone, and was the guy who most deserved to win it all.
I agred with you the frog played the best, yeah like I am some expert LOL!!!, at least in terms of what what might be described as “normal” poker. I think I missed the AK-pocket 8 confrontation but that is more a coin flip. I saw when Cada’s pocket crap beat Saout’s Pocket Queens. I felt so bad for Saout. He played it perfectly but that is poker. Cada played like the type of donkeys I see online in the low micro stakes games but he has the braclet.
I don’t think the law specifically restricts playing, just restricts payment companies and poker sites from accepting funds from US players.
The most memorable moment for me was the “great” Phil Ivey mucking the winning flush with about 22 players to go.
These clowns don’t scare me. I thought the best players we Saout and Shulman. Begleiter was quite good also.
I'm not sure what was said, but I suspect some kind of PC crap.
Do any of you happen to know about this incident? Could you add me to your Poker ping list as well.
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