Random Thoughts, WSOP Final Table Edition

THE WEEKLY SHUFFLE, 2009-11-15, by Ozone, TwoGun

First off, congratulations to Joe Cada for winning the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Being that we're big time Joe Cada fans, it is with reluctance that we point this out, but the new World Champion has a pretty fierce receding hairline for a 21 year old. Maybe his newfound millions can help with this. If not, I suggest sticking with the time-tested Tiger Woods theory of 'always wear a hat and they'll never know you're bald'.

Jeffrey Pollack stepped down this week as Commissioner of the WSOP. This means the number of well-dressed people in the Amazon Room at next year's WSOP will return to zero.

While everyone was paying attention to the WSOP final table, Cornel Andrew Cimpan won the WPT World Poker Finals this week for $910,000. Earlier this year, Cimpan won the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. Two WPT wins in one year should be good enough for top spot on Player of the Year standings, right? Apparently not. Cimpan still trails Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin by nearly 400 points. That's gotta be a little aggravating, but I suppose there are better people to feel sorry for than a guy that has won $2.7 million this year.

Now that it's pretty much impossible to set the record as the youngest WSOP winner, we think it's time to set our eyes on becoming the oldest WSOP winner. I guess this means cutting down on our diet of beer, pizza, and strip clubs... ehh, nevermind, that's not worth it.

Next time you feel the urge to complain about a bad beat, put yourself in Frechman Antoine Saout's shoes. With three players left in this year's Main Event, he got Joe Cada all-in with QQ versus 22. Cada spiked a Deuce for half the chips in play and went on to become World Champion. Had Saout's hand held, it was all but inevitable that he would have been the World Champion. At least the difference between 3rd and 1st wasn't like $5.1 million or anything. Oh wait...

Darvin Moon told the media that after this year's Main Event, he's done playing poker. As much as that fits with his backwoods personality, I think we can safely speak for much of the poker world when we say that it would be a shame if Moon was never again seen at the WSOP.

It would be interesting to see how bloodied the sportsbooks would be had Ivey won the WSOP. As all the sportsbetting fish were betting on Ivey both before the tournament started (at 100:1 to 200:1) and then when the final table started (at 5:1), many bookmakers reported they would have lost in excess of six figures. If you bet on Ivey to win the WSOP, you shouldn't be thinking 'I was so close!' You should slap yourself for betting on one person at 150:1 when there are over 6,000 people in the event!

The Weekly Shuffle is our Sunday column with our observations and commentary on the poker world. Have an idea for an article? Leave a suggestion on the feedback page.