On last week’s episode, we took a deeper look at Jeffrey Pollack’s split with the WSOP, discussed what Joe Cada may or may not mean for poker, speculated wildly on WhoTF this Isildur1 character is … and then they turned to the Wolfman for an update on all things UIGEA, where my take was pretty much: Dec. 1 … I dunno … your guess as good as mine! But could Isildur really be Darvin Moon?

on PokerRoad

The Poker Beat
Huff, Caldwell, Nemeth, Wise, Michalski, Stapleton
11/19/09

[audio:http://www.pokerroad.com/upload/radio/23/audio/PokerBeat111909.mp3]

Here is the video:

Found by the guys at PokerListings.

Might this be a theme in 2010 … or do Katkin and I both just run with uber-degens looking to pass on their sick ways to children?

Fiona in Milwaukee posted the following on my Facebook wall:

Here’s kind of an odd question for you- do you know of any kids classes in poker in Vegas? I realize that it’s a bit of a controversial topic but I happen to fall on the side of believing that it teaches great critical thinking skills (and am amazed that parents who are against it are often perfectly fine with letting their kids sit mindlessly in front of a tv). Anyway, I’ll be in Vegas over Thanksgiving with the kids and my 11-year-old daughter always asks on our trips there if there is a place where kids can play. I’m assuming not but thought I’d ask…

I, of course, think it’s a great concept, and perhaps a sign that Joe Cada has already done a little inspiring?

We just gotta make sure the dudes who enter ladies events don’t see kids tourneys as “soft” fields to play against.

Oh, P.S., I do not know of any kids poker classes in Las Vegas. Wish I did though. No Chris Hansen jokes, please.

A little more leftover podcast action … the not-so-pokery crew over at The Black Whole (“raw, uncensored, urban commentary on sports and life”) wanted to know: What happened to Phil Ivey at the WSOP?

Yours truly stepped in Tuesday eve with SuperDave, Cityslickers, and Moopbrown (as the WSOP aired on ESPN) to try and explain, starting at about 44:30 in:

Also joined by poker-playin’ lawman Ricky Green.

This week’s episode was all WSOP. Huff spoke about the November Nine as a guy who has seen many a tourney, but never one like this. Caldwell and I offered our thoughts having seen development from freshman to sophomore year, BJ lamented being stuck in Foxwoods, but along with Gary shared how the experience transcended beyond Vegas via the internet and TV.

Oh, plus Phil Ivey, Joe Cada, and Darvin Moon. And maybe a little Antoine Saout.

on PokerRoad

The Poker Beat
Huff, Caldwell, Wise, Michalski, Nemeth, Stapleton
11/12/09

[audio:http://www.pokerroad.com/upload/radio/23/audio/PokerBeat111209.mp3]

A friend of mine who watched the WSOP final table with his 12-year-old son earlier this week sent me a note asking if I knew of any “poker little leagues” that he could enroll his son in. I don’t, but the question got me thinking. How young is too young to expose kids to the wonders of poker, and what’s the best way to teach them about the game?

With all of the coverage the November Nine has gotten – and will continue to get through reruns on ESPN – it should come as no surprise that a new, younger generation will become interested in poker, perhaps inspired by a 21-year-old world champion who got his start online years before he could play in American casinos.

The question is, what is the best, most responsible way to teach kids about poker and “gambling”?

For my part, I suggested my friend buy his son some chips and a number of quality poker strategy books that he must read before starting to play penny-ante games at the kitchen table. Anyone have better suggestions?

The RawVegas gang caught up with the new WSOP main event champ at the viewing party held at ESPNzone in New York, New York. Good little glimpse of what he’s all about, how he’s handling friends who will inevitably hit him up for money, and the process of amicably (presumably) parting ways with his backers Eric Haber (“sheets”) and Cliff Josephy (“JohnnyBax”) …

Watch WSOP 2009 Viewing Party at ESPN Zone on RawVegas.tv

Pauly and I size things up on the first break, and are there as a winner is finally declared.

Episode 9: Cutting down Moon
[audio:tao/TOP_N9_09_FirstBreak.mp3]

Episode 10: Cada’s Commencement
[audio:tao/TOP_N9_10_CadaWins.mp3]

It took 36 hands … back and forth for 34 of them … then came hands #35 and #36 (#s 363 and 364 of the whole final table).

From PokerListings:

Cada Wins It All!
12 minutes ago

After falling into an almost 3:1 chip deficit, Joe Cada grabbed control once again.

He made it 3 million preflop and Moon called.

The flopped rolled out Tc 9h 5d and both players tapped the table.

The 10d would bring some fireworks, however, as Moon check-raised all-in after a 3 million chip bet from Cada.

Cada leaned back in his chair for a few minutes pondering a call that would be for his tournament life.

Suddenly and decisively, he laid it all on the line making that call.

Moon showed 8s 7s for the open-ender and Cada’s Jh 9d was ahead.

Moon would need a six or a jack to win the Main Event title, but it was not to be as the 3h river fell, handing Cada the double-up and the chip lead.

Following the hand, Cada was up to 108 million and Moon ground down to 86 million.

A few hands later, the two got into a preflop raising war that saw Cada push in with nines and Moon make the call for his tournament life with Qd Jd.

The flop came 8c 7s 2c and chants of “Joey” filled the theatre. The turn brought the Kh and Cada needed to fade just one more card.

As the crowd murmured in anticipation, the river came the 7c and the Main Event title and $8.5 million was suddenly Cada’s.

A roar of approval could be heard all the way to Freemont Street.

Darvin Moon will take home $5.1 million for his second-place finish, but the World Championship and all the glory that goes now belongs to Joe Cada.

Level: 40
Blinds: 600,000/1,200,000
Ante: 200,000
Average Stack: $194,820,000
Players Left: 1
Tables Left: 1

Here are some pictures of what’s been going on off and around the table, during this $3mm+ heads-up match (because that’s really what they’re playing for) at the WSOP&T Theater:

You know how you would see fans at a baseball game watching the game live and on TV, usually with headphones? The poker version of that is this guy, who is watching the final update and following live updates on PokerNews.com.

The Joe Cada Michigan fan contingent. Alas, Rio security soon made them put on a little more clothing, despite Las Vegas’ general fondness for body paint counting as non-nudity.

HAND NOTE: The crowd tends to go rather nuts anytime a coordinated flop is followed by a related turn card.

Hey, look, it’s Annette_15 — presumably taking a special interest in any youngin’ looking for a big-time bracelet. We love Annette_15! Favorite 21-year-old young lady Betfair blogger! (Sitting with a Poker Royalty agent, plausibly interestingly.)

Joe Navarro would tell me this means Darvin Moon has the goods. However, when Cada re-re-raised him here, Moon folded.

UPDATE: Cada just doubled up, as Moon failed to get there moving all-in with an open-ender … (Cada called with two-pair, the second being his alone) … Cada dodged 8 outs to rake in 108 million chips, to Moon’s now 86 million.

Fans taking in the action.

Somebody forgot to tell this guy that Allen Kessler did not make the November Nine.

Not sure what to tell you off the bat … they’re about six hands in … and Darvin Moon has chipped up … he now has 90some million to Joe Cada’s 101ish million.

The WSOP&T Theater is packed-packed again … with plenty of folks lined up outside waiting to fill any empties.

So far I think I’ve seen the best ever rail-fan prop — about 10 rows from the stage, in Darvin Moon section of fans, a guy is holding up a toy chainsaw every time something positive for Moon occurs on the felt. Poker Loggers unite! Crap/LOL: domain name long taken/abandoned.

Lots of heckling, too … which gotta say, much to my surprise, Jack “Link’s” Effel is deflecting quite well.

MORE in this spot TK, at least for a while … keep refreshing.

— Everything intensified with such an audience watching. Even “checks” get gasps from the crowd … and mucks get “whoop whoop whoops!”

— Frat boy chants: “Let’s Go CA-DA! Let’s Go CA-DA!”

— Darvin now has the chip lead.

UPDATE: New level … and Linda “Tranwreck’ is the dealer … bad beats on the way?

NOTE: Blinds at 600k/1.2mm … exceeding the level where the 2008 WSOP main event came to a close.

STATING THE OBVIOUS: Barry Greenstein is a big fan of Linda Tran. @barrygreenstein tweets:

Linda Tran is the current dealer and she is beautiful and Asian. More incentive for me to final table next year.

via @WickedChops

–The gaming agents (not to be confused with gaming-agents) that Pauly loves to talk about are here … but either they have little business to attend to and are simply supporting their client Joe Cada … or they have learned how to prevent people like me from taking pictures of them looking devious by saying things like, “hey, how’s it goin’?” (Foiled!)

— Blinds are 600k/1.2mm … and with 195 million total chips in play, that means an average stack has roughly 81 BB

UPDATE CHIP COUNT:

Darvin Moon – 97,650,000
Joe Cada – 97,150,000

Excerpts from a post that never quite saw the light of day … my outcome predictions based on ESPN Inside Deal’s pre-Nov-9 episode and their interviews with seven of the players … some of my reads are quasi-spot-on!

(Not sure why that ep is no longer available … you’ll just have to trust my take on it.)

Half-penned on Nov 6-7:

Steve Begleiter — he’s eager and anxious to get playing, perhaps overly so. Just ask Karridy what that results in. Expect Begs to go out disappointingly early.
ED NOTE: Close!

Darvin Moon — he’s got more than a hundred friends and family members out here with him, some of whom he doesn’t know. Still too little info to call his fate. But he won’t win it. Probably 4th place. Maybe 2nd. But hey, if he gets there, than yeah … Moneymaker vs. Farha.
ED NOTE: Yep!

James Akenhead — good spirits, but joviality doesn’t matter when he’s still hung up on the bad luck that left him as the short stack. Even if he doubles-up twice, he won’t be prepared for being in that position. 9th or 5th.
ED NOTE: Got it!

Antoine Saout — too broken-English to call. He gives away little in this interview, so we’ll go with WCP’s take on why the Frenchman lacks the necessary killer instinct.
ED NOTE: Hey, French …

Joe Cada — just a kid havin’ a good time, enjoying it all. Care-free attitude could mean middle-of-the-pack, or if he runs good … 3.5 Months 8.5 Million baby!
ED NOTE: Boo-yah!

Eric Buchman — he’s all poker. He’s got experience and has clearly and carefully thought this thing through. Plenty of chips. It all means he’s a real real threat to take it down, but hey, gotta think his controversial handling of sponsorship deals could suggests he understands that even more’s at stake, and under pressure has a history of getting himself into non-ideal situations. 3rdish place. Maybe 6th or 7th.
ED NOTE: A little on, a little off!

Kevin Schaffel — he’s a lucky guy, enjoying it all, but in an older way than Cada. Congrats, Mr. Schaffel, on making the November Nine. You should be very proud, and hey, they were suited, right?
ED NOTE: Sorta right.

Phil Ivey — does not appear. But we all know what’s up — he’s got 40 big blinds! It’s Ivey’s table not just to win, but methodically destroy.
ED NOTE: Oops, wrong.

Jeff Shulman — also does not appear. We know, of course, he’s got a mathematical edge because he’sBut yeah, really, his to win, too, and he starts in a pretty good spot to do so. And we’re not saying. What is inevitable is he’ll put himself in a spot where he should win it, and he’ll suffer a bad beat for third place. Happy moans, Dad Barry smirks, Phil Hellmuth takes center stage.
ED NOTE: Wrong again, save for the bad beat.

Even earlier WSOP predictions here.