Some thoughts about the 2009 WSOP Final Table

Spoiler Alert! - Don't read if you are waiting for the ESPN broadcast!

Again I spent the whole night to follow the Final Table audio broadcast and I don't regret any minute. Not as exciting as the 2005 Final Table with Hachem, Black, Matusow but still very interesting.

I feel very sorry for Phil Ivey and his bad beat. It would have been much fun to see him playing a big stack at the Final Table. This year obviously was the year of the bad beats. One of the toughest was the exit of my personal favorite Kevin Schaffel on 8th place (AA vs. KK with Kings improving to Quads). After seeing his exit interview I am even more sorry that he had to go so fast ... this guy would have been a great ambassodor for poker because he has just the right perspective about the game! Still happy that he was my number one pick.

From what I saw during the Final Table Steven Begleiter had improved his game a lot. Another guy I would have loved to see ending in a better position. Jeff Shulmann played a good game too but although he somewhat apologized for his bad comments I am relieved that he didn't win the bracelet.

So it's now Cada vs. Moon and you get the impression that the luckiest players made it into the heads-up. Both obviously didn't show the best poker play in the universe but nobody should call them donks. Nobody who survived over 6,500 opponents should be called a donk. But I have to retract my previous support for Moon. After getting to know more about him I think he wouldn't be great for poker. Not only will he most probably never be back on the big poker stages but he although showed some very bad moves. As said before Cada was very lucky too but I would say he's definately the more skilled player and can be marketed much better.

I will be routing for Cada on Monday and hoping for a long and exiting heads-up (but honestly I doubt it will take very long).

Can't wait to see the ESPN broadcast. Even after knowing the results this will be fun to watch.