Darvin Moon, the Maryland logger who 11 years in the past turned an unlikely star on poker’s greatest stage, has died due to issues arising from surgical procedure. He was 56.
Darvin Moon received the respect of the poker world by means of his integrity and humility moderately than his prowess on the desk. (Picture: WPT)
Moon’s second-place end to Joe Cada on the 2009 World Sequence of Poker was probably the most memorable runs by an novice within the event’s historical past. The self-taught leisure participant charged by means of a discipline of 6,494 to win $5.2 million, taking some severe scalps alongside the way in which, together with that of the nice Phil Ivey on the closing desk.
Moon certified for the event by successful at a $130 satellite tv for pc throughout a visit to the Wheeling Island On line casino in West Virginia, his closing haul representing a 40,000 p.c return on funding. However such was the perilous state of the logging enterprise on the top of the final recession that he virtually cashed within the $10,000 successful ticket earlier than the Sequence even began.
Cheering the Underdog
Moon was first to confess that he lacked talent on the desk, however he discovered different methods to earn the respect of the poker world – by means of his integrity and humility.
He turned down profitable sponsorship gives to put on on-line poker-operator branding on his method to the ultimate desk as a result of he “didn’t wish to reply to anyone.” As a substitute, he wore a New Orleans Saints hat for the period as a result of he stated he “favored cheering for the underdog.”
And he promised the cash wouldn’t change him – not a lot, no less than. After the WSOP, he saved his small logging enterprise going out of loyalty to the employees.
We’ve lived on 20 to 25 thousand {dollars} a yr for 26 years. I can now stay the remainder of my life comfortably. I’m nonetheless working, as a result of my total household was raised that means,” he instructed Card Participant in 2010.
“I’ve had guys who labored for me who saved me alive the primary 25 years, and I can’t simply inform them, ‘You don’t have a job’. So I simply maintain working.”
Had His Critics
Moon’s play was extensively criticized on the ultimate desk. Terribly, the primary time he had ever performed heads up poker was when he confronted off in opposition to Joe Cada for the world title, and his lack of expertise shone by means of.
He didn’t play an excessive amount of poker after his win, though in 2011 he turned an envoy for the Heartland Poker Tour and was a preferred determine among the many tour’s gamers.
“Thanks for the recollections Darvin Moon,” tweeted the World Sequence of Poker on Sunday. “You impressed so many individuals and starred in probably the most memorable closing tables in WSOP historical past. We’ll always remember. Relaxation In Peace.”
