Cada Wins 2009 WSOP Main Event - Heads-Up Rec

Joe Cada is the new poker World Champion after defeating Darvin Moon headsup. Cada pockets $8 Million, a coveted WSOP bracelet and is our new ambassador of poker.

The World Series of Poker Main Event was down to its final two players, Darvin Moon and Joe Cada.  Cada entered into heads-up play with 135,950,000 chips and Moon held 58,850,000.  $8.5 Million and the bracelet were on the line for what promised to be a final table that could either end in one hand or go all night.

First Hand Evens Stacks

The very first hand of the final table proved to be a huge hand.  Cada bet 3.5 Million into a flop of Ks-3s-2d and Moon raised to 10 Million.  Cada called and then checked to Moon when the turn fell the Ad.  Moon bet out 10 Million more and received a call.  The river fell the Kc and this time both players checked.  Cada held pocket nines and Moon pocket queens.  Moon's queens moved him up to 82.5 Million and chips and Cada held 112.3 Million.

Moon Takes Commanding Lead

Play between the two see-sawed a bit for a while with Moon taking brief leads, but Cada holding onto the lead the majority of the time.  That all changed in two hands.  Moon took the chip lead after winning a sizable pot with a pair of eights and then extended his lead after a pot that didn't even see the turn.  Both players saw a flop of 3h-5d-Ac and Moon bet out 5 Million.  Cada decided to apply pressure and raised to 13 Million.  Moon was not going anywhere and came over the top, raising to 25 Million.  On Moon's three-bet, Cada mucked his hand immediately.  At this point Moon led Cada 144.3 Million to 50.5 Million.

Moon Draws Air and Loses Chip Lead

Darvin Moon looked in great shape to win the WSOP Main Event, but one key hand turned out to be the turning point in the event.  Both players saw a flop of 10c-5d-9h and both players checked.  The 10d fell on the turn and Cada bet 3 Million to see where he was at.  Moon immediately went all-in and Cada went into tank mode.  He thought for several minutes while the whole room wondered what he had.  Ultimately, Cada made the call with Jh-9d and was ahead of the 8s-7s of Moon.  If Moon hit his straight, he would become the new World Champion.  The 3h fell on the river and Cada doubled up to 108 Million and the chip lead.

Moon Flips and a New Champions is Crowned

In the 88th hand of heads-up play, the new World Champion was crowned.  Cada made a pre-flop raise to 3 Million and Moon made it 8 Million to go.  Cada then shoved all-in to put Moon at risk.  Moon amazingly made the call and showed only Qd-Jd.  Cada held pocket nines.  Cada led, but was only 52% to 48% to win.  The flop fell 8c-2c-7s and Cada stayed in the lead.  Cada got a bit of a scare on the turn when it hit paint, but the paint was the Kh.  Cada had to avoid six outs to win.  The river was the 7c and it was all over.  Darvin Moon finished as this years footnote to history, taking home $5,182,928.

Joe Cada is the new World Champion of Poker.  He is the youngest WSOP Main Event champion in history at just 21 years of age.  In addition to the bracelet, Cada won $8,547,042.

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See all historic last hands in the WSOP Main Event here!