Game Changers: People Who brought Poker Exposure To The Next Level
March 11, 2010
Poker, as with any competitive game or sport, reaches plateaus; periods where the game does not progress. That is, until someone comes along and changes the game. I will write about the players who have contributed to changing the game of poker, but here I want to address those who helped broaden the exposure of poker and bring in waves of new players and new fans.
The popularity of poker, particularly Texas Hold ‘em, can be attributed to Texas poker legends like Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim. These men brought poker out of dingy basements and back rooms, and put it onto the world stage. Since then, there have been a lot of legends of the game born, but very few players have elevated poker to entirely new levels of exposure.
Ask anyone who got their start playing online and progressed into the professional level, and they will no doubt cite Chris Moneymaker as an inspiration. Moneymaker was an amateur online poker player working as an accountant when we won an online satellite to enter the 2003 World Series Of Poker Main Event. He defeated Sam Farha to win the Main Event Championship (with a $2.5 Million prize) and began what was coined as the “Moneymaker Effect”, creating an online poker craze where amateur players flocked to poker sites, propelled by the knowledge that an amateur could topple the pros, even on poker’s grandest stage. Moneymaker opened the flood gates for amateurs looking to make a name for themselves.
The mysterious an enigmatic “Isildur1″ has captured the online poker world’s imagination in the last 8 months alone, and has sent the popularity of online poker to new heights. Isildur1 burst onto the online scene in September, engaging in epic battles with Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, Patrick Antonius and Brian Hastings. Appearing to have the pros’ numbers, Isildur1 managed to run up winnings of over $5 Million. The question that gripped the online poker world’s players and fans was “who is Isildur1?” He later suffered losses against Dwan, Antonius and Hastings that left him nearly crippled, and Isildur1 disappeared. Only a few months later, however, Isildur1 returned and has won back his losses and has quite a feud with Hastings. Tom Dwan has tried everything in his power to get Isildur1 to play him heads-up in a live setting, but so far Isildur1 has declined, wanting to keep his identity secret, and the mystery alive.
Darvin Moon may be the new unofficial poster boy for amateur players looking to make it big, as his recent rags-to-riches story may eclipse that of Moneymaker’s. Moon is a self-employed logger in the Maryland panhandle who taught himself how to play poker – and finished runner-up at the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event! He was the chip leader going into the final table and eliminated several pros, including David Benyamine and Phil Ivey. Moon was humble and self-deprecating at the table, often citing his lack of experience. With the second place finish and 5.1 million prize. Moon created an “if he can do it, I can do it” belief for many amateurs.
While these players have left their mark on poker’s popularity, it is only a matter of time before someone else comes along.
Ryan Smith is a contributing blog writer for GR88.com
