2009 WSOP Final Table Results
by Bodog Poker | Nov 11 2009
After four months of waiting, the
2009 WSOP champion has been crowned. For the second year in a row
poker has it youngest Main Event champion ever. Peter Eastgate, last year's winner, only held the title of youngest ever for a year until Joe Cada took the title away in 2009. It was the second year in a row that a young professional player won the crown of poker, making a statement that the game has truly evolved. The 21 - year - old beat out Darvin Moon in the heads - up battle after Moon came from behind to take a chip lead as big as 149 million to 49 million. But Cada was not about to lie down, and fought his way back to the chip lead.
The tempo of play for most of the day was Darvin Moon forcing the action with big bets and raises. He wanted to keep the pressure on the young player in an attempt to take his game away from him and dictate the pace. Things went well for Moon until he pushed in his stack with a draw that didn't come. That hand doubled up Cada and put him in control to close it out from there.
"That's the hand I messed up," reflected Moon. "I should have raised on the flop where he had middle pair."
The final hand was a classic flip which saw Cada's pocket nines hold up against Moon's suited Q - J. In an instant Cada was the new champion and $8.5 million richer. The Shelby Township, MI native took a chance becoming a professional poker player shortly after beginning classes at Macomb Community College. The decision has paid off in a big way, and now he's at the top of the poker heap and is one of the highest money - making tournament players in history.
Despite his young age, Cada seems to understand how improbable winning the Main Event is. He beat out 6,493 other players to get to the bracelet, not to mention having to deal with Phil Ivey at the final table, who had Cada all - in at one point. Even more amazing than that was the fact that he had only 1% of the chips in play when they were down to seven players on Saturday.
"I've dreamed of winning this tournament, and to do it the first year out of the gate is unbelievable," said Cada. "This is just amazing."
Much like Eastgate last year, Cada was composed and professional throughout the entire match. It was Cada's third cash of the 2009 WSOP, and it was the first time he was old enough to play in it.
"It helped being down before and having no chips earlier at the final table," Cada said on Tuesday afternoon. "I thought about that and I continued to stay focused and tried not to make any mistakes. I just remained calm and it worked out well. Props to Darvin, he played great poker."
