Play slowed down for a bit as Demidov picked his spots carefully to try and grab chips where he could in the face of Eastgate's lead. Finally, the dam burst and the two players collided in another massive confrontation. Demidov opened with a raise to two million from the button, and Eastgate called. Eastgate checked the Kd Td 7c flop, and Demidov checked behind. Eastgate fired out 2.5 million when the Jd hit the turn, and Demidov raised to eight million. Eastgate called, and then checked the river when the 3s came down. Demidov thought for a moment before betting out 12 million, and Eastgate made the call in the biggest pot yet in the heads-up match. Demidov showed Ac 9s for ace-high, but Eastgate tabled 74d for the diamond flush and dragged a pot worth over 44 million.
I sucessfully dodged all spoilers for two days and that made me happy. Before the final table was even decided I really felt this would be the year for the young internet pro, and I was hoping Hellmuths record would be broken and it was! There are just too many of these amazing young kids now for one to not clinch the big one you know?
Moreso I'm happy that a very capable competent player won this year and not a half decent amateur riding a once in a lifetime wave of luck like the last two champs Jerry Yang and Jamie Gold. It's not to detract from their skill, but only to pump up Peter Eastgate's abilities. His win may not bring a slew of new players to the game like a Dennis Phillips win would have, but to me that's ok. Poker's still going strong for now and ultimately I think the defeat of the UIGEA will help usher in a new online boom more than any WSOP champ at this point.
I think the 4 month delay wasn't as bad or as good as everyone thought it would be. I did like the change of venue and having it be in the Penn and Teller theatre, I think that should stay. But as a poker fan I'm still extremely unsatisfied that a 4 hour heads up match can be boiled down to 2 hands. I wish there was a way we could still get ratings and advertising dollars but at the same time show some more actual POKER and not just all-in hands and bustouts you know? People on 2+2 had mentioned doing it Poker After Dark style and chopping it up into multiple episodes and I don't see why it couldn't be done? If it's a matter of scheduling, then don't televise so many prelims, I dunno.
I just think there's so much potential to make it better than it is now. Someone just needs some balls to take a risk and keep experimenting with the format.
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