Images courtesy of the World Poker Tour
Back in November of 2009, the Rio was buzzing with the anticipation of a historic moment. It had taken the 23-year-old Peter Eastgate 19 years to usurp Phil Hellmuth Jr. as the youngest-ever winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2008. Just 12 months on, Joe Cada was poised to break that record all over again.
Except this time, ‘The Kid’ was just 21 years old.
This week, we caught up with the youngest champion of the world ever to win the WSOP Main Event. Still the youngest world champion of poker 17 years on, Joe spoke to us about how he stepped out of the limelight of that win to take three more bracelets, what his biggest achievement in the game is to him, and how becoming a parent has changed ‘The Kid’ forever.
The Generation Game
In 2009, Joe Cada reached the final table as potentially the youngest-ever winner of the Main Event. As the second ‘November Nine’ final table, there was a gap of three months between making that final table and playing it out.
When he arrived at the felt, it was clear that nerves hadn’t affected Joe’s game at all. His natural aggression and laser focus eventually set him heads-up for the title against a very different player in the late, great Darvin Moon.
Everyone has a different story, background, and journey in the game, says Joe. Rarely do you see all the same demographic playing together.
The final duel was one for the ages as Joe won a coin flip at the last to be swamped by his friends and family as his moment of victory blew his mind. Batting away the congratulations, however, Joe instead sought out Darvin Moon, telling him how well he thought he had played.
When Moon raised Joe’s arm as the new champion of the world, the then 21-year-old winner returned the favor, wanting the crowd to appreciate the role Moon had played.
Six years since the legendary logger sadly passed in 2020, Darvin Moon’s memory lives in the footage of that final, which many poker fans still enjoy rewatching to this day.
I don’t think the gap between Darvin and me made the final heads up so special. I think age, gender, experience, along with so many other variables, is what makes poker so special to begin with.
Cada the Consistent
Since Joe won the Main Event a long 17 years ago, no one has become a younger champion than him. Virtually no other world champion other than Phil Hellmuth has been so consistent in the first 17 years since they won the World Championship, either.
Joe has not only won three other bracelets but reached the Main Event final table of 2018, nine years after his victory, eventually finishing fifth for $2.15m
I think making the Main Event final table twice would be the achievement I’m most proud of. It’s the most prestigious tournament in poker history, so making it twice feels very surreal.
In the years since his epic World Championship win in 2009, Joe has reached a dozen final tables, a superb achievement for any poker player. He loves the WSOP deeply and has no problem telling us what keeps him coming back.
[It’s] the nostalgia, friendships, and love for the game and brand. I can remember watching the WSOP for many years before turning 21. It was something I always looked forward to playing while grinding the virtual felt. It also helps winning the Main Event your first year!
The Recipe for WSOP Success
Joe’s passion for the WSOP and dedication to the bracelet events that are hosted in Las Vegas every year make me wonder if he would change anything about his approach as a young man back when he was 21, now that he is a 38-year-old father.
I wouldn’t change my approach to playing the Main Event now than I did years ago. I played more online poker than 99.9% of the poker community before I won. All the hands that I grinded online in cash or tournaments really paved a successful path forward on the live felt.
Joe’s attitude to the game of poker has never changed. He respects every table… and every opponent, no matter the buy-in or event.
I approach every tournament the same. I play no different in a $300 than I would in a $25,000 tournament. I’m just always trying to figure out the best way to play against my given table and opponent.
The WSOP Main Event has changed in recent years, with the venue of The Rio from Joe’s victory now back on the Strip at the Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris casinos. With the numbers going up and age demographic getting lower every year, many consider poker to be perfect. We wanted to know if Joe agrees, or if he can see big changes ahead for the brand he loves above all others.
I wouldn’t say the Main Event is untouchable in its current form, he tells us. I think it will always be a freezeout, but I could envision shot clocks or an increase in the buy-in. I love all the changes that were made once WSOP partnered with GGPoker.
Becoming a Father
Joe’s journey from ‘The Kid’ to becoming a father was a long one, as he and his partner went through IVF for many years before becoming parents. Now a dad to Noah, Joe appreciates the gift of parenthood more than anyone.
Everyone faces different struggles in life, and that’s for sure. I’ve been wanting to be a dad for what feels like the longest time now, and it feels like a miracle to finally be here. It was not an easy path, especially for my wife, so I feel very grateful for her and my son.
Becoming a father changes everything for many parents. For many ‘poker dads’, it can enrich the experience of winning, knowing that you’re doing it for your family, not just yourself or your partner. For Joe, that has never changed, however, with his motivations clear from the start.
I have always wanted to prioritize family over poker” he tells me. I have never been a big poker traveler, [so] I think being a dad won’t change my poker career too much. It has already slowed down greatly after winning the Main Event. I have always lived here in Michigan and prioritize my relationships and family to begin with.
The availability of poker is such that even for a former world champion such as Joe, there are numerous ways to stay in touch with the game.
I’ll probably play a lot less tournaments in the summer, being a dad now – it’s harder to leave for an extended period of time. But poker will always be available online or live.
The WSOP Main Event winner of 2009 may one day be overtaken as the youngest winner of the World Championship. But from his friendship with the late Darvin Moon to his consistency at the felt in the years since, no one will ever do it quite like the four-time WSOP bracelet winner Joe Cada.
