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Do you have to be young to win the WSOP now?
So Joe 'The Kid' Cada is now the youngest ever WSOP Main Event winner, taking over where Peter Eastgate left off. It took 19 years after Phil Helmuth won it for Peter to beat the record, now Joe has done it the year after.
Coincidence? or is this a sign that youth and stamina / internet play is beginning to dominate.
Take a vote and lets have a discussion.
Comments
2. Eric Buchman Age: 29
3. Steven Begleiter Age: 47
4. Jeff Shulman Age: 34
5. Joe Cada Age: 21
6. Kevin Schaffel Age: 51
7. Phil Ivey Age: 33
8. Antoine "Tonio" Saout Age: 25
9. James Akenhead Age: 26
Average age: 34.5
I was listening to some of the final on the internet, and they were talking about this very issue. The session playing down to the last two was so long, that it was being criticised and there was a question of whether it should have been played over two days. They were talking about moon appearing to fall asleep at the table. I dont know if that was the case, but either way, it could be argued that the structure certainly suited the younger players.
The overall spread of ages however suggests that youth is not a huge advantage.
It does seem, however, that with internet poker being so popular, players are playing millions of hands in a much quicker time frame these days, and therefore getting to the highest standards that much quicker. I think this will inevitably see the average age of winners drop in the years to come.
"2years till vegas baby"I HOPE LOL
It could also be because a poker pro is not looked down on anymore as it was when tikay was growing up lol.
Now loads of american players are coming out of collages like harvard and are taking up the sport so i would guess the average poker player iq is probably higher now than before.
can just imagine him now in the school shorts,
hustling the other kids out of their pocket money .
It does seem like the younger generation are getting to more final tables, but experience shines through and the 'Old Guard' will still have it's day in the WSOP.
Just to pick up on the above from deuceak47, i wouldnt call poker a sport. I suppose it is a good debate and maybe a thread on the topic has been discussed/ will be discussed, but its not a sport for me. Sure, we can see that it is becoming a younger persons game, and stamina was definitely a requirement due to the wsop structure, but over all, this is a mental game, with elements of luck, and not so much physical skill.
I have heard people saying they'd like it be in the olympics etc, so perhaps i am in the minority?
But seriously, you need insane run-good, and being awesome at poker helps aswell.
Poker transcends age, It just happens that the internet generation have played so many more hands than the old guard that its only natural thet they will be better players.