We have a new world champion. In the early hours of Tuesday, Peter Eastgate became the youngest ever winner of the World Series of Poker.
He is very much the new breed of player: 22 years old, Danish, mathematically brilliant, wearing a PokerStars logo; gave up a fledgling accountancy career to "turn pro". The great Phil Hellmuth, who loves his records, will be gnashing his teeth at no longer being the youngest poker world champion in history.
It is good to see a European take the title, and break a record. But, still, there is less interest in this world championship result than any in the past few years. Why? Because of the crazy decision taken by Harrahs casinos and broadcaster ESPN to delay the final table until November. The World Series — with all the side events and the initial 10 days of the main event — happened in July. In July, World Series fever reigned. In July, thousands of players travelled to Las Vegas to try their luck. In July, millions of other players tuned in online to follow results.
I warned (as did many others) that a four-month break before the final would dilute interest rather than, as Harrahs and ESPN claimed, multiplying it. We were right. On Monday night, I played a charity tournament in London, full of enthusiastic amateurs; I then went to London's Victoria casino (British poker's HQ) to play with grizzled pros. Although the World Series main event was down to heads-up, nobody in either place was talking about it. They didn't care.
Well done, Eastgate, but badly done, Harrahs. Don't repeat the mistake next year. It wasn't broke. You shouldn't have fixed it.
