We have finally crowned a champion and only after having to wait four months to do so. It happened in the early morning of November 11th when the last hand was finally dealt and the winner was declared. His name is Peter Eastgate and when the hand was over the look on his face was that of someone that couldn’t believe it himself. When the hands were flipped over Peter’s face was as still as a rock and not until he grabbed a brick of cash did a smile crack over his young face. There is also another big story to know about and its one that has been 19 years in the making. That story is Phil Hellmuth is no long the youngest player ever to win a World Series of Poker Main Event, which Phil did when he was 24 years old. It is now time for Peter to have his name written above Phil Hellmuths as the youngest player to win the World Series of Poker Main Event which Peter Eastgate accomplished at the young age of 22. Just think when Phil Hellmuth won his WSOP Main Event bracelet, Peter was just a toddler.
The heads up match between Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov was a long one in fact it lasted nearly five hours including the twenty minute breaks that were here and there. Actually this was the longest final table since the fourteen hour final table back when Joe Hachem was crowned the champion in 2005. Another record that was captured was the heads up match between Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov saw the highest cost for blinds in World Series of Poker history once the blinds reached $500,000/$1,000,000 with a $150,000 ante.
During the heads up match between Demidov and Eastgate the chip lead was exchanged early and just for a very short time when Demidov took a nice pot from Eastgate. The only problem is Eastgate did not let Demidov keep that chip lead for long and a couple of times actually pulled away with a very strong chip lead. But you have to hand it to Demidov, because time after time Demidov was able to mount a comeback but every time he would fall just short of taking over the chip lead before Eastgate would once again start to pull out to another comfortable lead.
It was then after a couple of gigantic pots did Ivan Demidov start to get down to life support in chips, but then a twenty minute break was called which seemed like it could only help Demidov who looked like he needed a break. Unfortunately on the first hand after the break Demidov was dealt two pair which forced him to go all in on the river, but unfortunately Eastgate called his all in bet with the wheel straight. That being said Peter Eastgate wins the 2008 World Series of Poker and in just one tournament he tops the great Phil Hellmuth by winning the Main Event two years younger then Phil.
Congrats to Peter Eastgate you sure did deserve to win this monster of a tournament and we are sure this will not be the last that we here of you. Good luck in the 2009 World Series of Poker on your run to hopefully be the first player to repeat as World Series of Poker Main Event champion since the great Johnny Chan.
This was a battle of titans. Ivan just got cold decks. He punched, he weaved but in the end Eastgate does a perfect job of poker and takes home the bracelet. Great job by ESPN. Just wished they’d show more of the event then two hands. For an event that lasted 4 hours, two hands just didn’t do it justice. I’d like to see ESPN re-edit this for another air play or release a two DVD set with out takes. There were some great interview with the former pros, The crowd on both days was funny and rude. Give a few people a beer and watch what happens. The fans were great and the players were eager to show the good side of this sport.
This had to be one of the best events WSOP and ESPN have ever put on. How they are going to run 2009 is just a question but the 3 month lag wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Ylon Schwartz probably played the game of his life and it was a pleasure to see that high a level of play and 4th isn’t first but it’s freakin close. No Sleep till Brooklyn. And the Cheese? It’s been shipped!
Scott Neuman