It's that time of year again: when we wake up on Wednesday morning, there will be a new world champion of poker. Sadly, it will not be the British contender, young Sam Holden, who was the first player out of the final (in 9th place for $782,000). Neither will it be the Irish hero, Eoghan O'Dea, who went out 6th for $1.7m.
They played down to three on Sunday before, oddly, taking a day off. Jeez, these TV people know how to spin out a World Series. Maybe next year they can take a week's break every time a player is knocked out, and play the final table over two months?
The three remaining are: 22-year-old chip leader Pius Heinz, a Team PokerStars pro from Germany. Martin Staszko, a 35-year-old Czech professional. And Ben Lamb, a 26-year-old Las Vegas pro who has already won a bracelet at this year's World Series, in the respected $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha event.
Yes: all pros. That makes me sad. I wish there was a Darvin Moon in the field; back in 2009, I loved saying "One of the finalists is a woodcutter from Maryland."
Who will you root for this time, and why? Do you go for the traditional "local boy" hope, and pick the German because he's from closest to home? Do you want to see age triumph over cocky youth in the form of the Czech? (At 35 he may not be a pensioner, but relative to the modern World Series field, he might as well be.) Or do you go for the American, whose glittering series of previous cashes would be the best evidence of skill over luck?
Hand on my heart, with the Brits and Irish out, I find it hard to care much. To find out who won, go to pokernews.com.
