Friday Poker News Link Dump

Been a busy week for the Entities. Catching up on some poker news from around the so-called "Internet."

:: Best Tao of Poker post ever? [link]

:: Like this "Poker in Pictures" post on Up for Poker. Reminds us how much we fucking love U.S. America. [link]

:: So maybe there was an attempt to get the November Nine^TM some more mainstream exposure...they just didn't want it. [link]

:: These Goldman Sachs and Lehman guys have the right idea. [link]

:: After taxes, Peter Eastgate will have earned less from the 2008 WSOP Main Event than Ivan Demidov. Go socialism! [link]

In the meantime, not sure if you've seen the below video. But basically the scenario is this: Andrew was brought on the Maurey Povich Show to take a paternity test to determine if he was the father of this child. Andrew was like, "You know, cute kid and all. But I'm not sure I wanna be a dad, especially to this chick who I just hit it with one night." Then Andrew found out he was not the father and was like, "Whew, that's a relief. That would've greatly impacted my life had I been the father. You know what, I think I'm going to dance now." Then he danced.

Peter Eastgate Wins 2008 WSOP Main Event; At 22, Becomes Youngest Champion

More to come throughout the day but Peter Eastgate defeated Ivan Demidov to win the 2008 WSOP Main Event.

On the final hand, Eastgate turned a wheel, Demidov hit two pair, all the money went in, and that was that.

At 22 years-old, Eastgate now becomes the youngest Main Event champion in history, breaking Phil Hellmuth's record.

For the win, Eastgate banks $9,152,416. Demidov will take home $5,809,595.

UPDATE: Interview below with Eastgate.

Ivan Demidov Isn't Nervous

For our latest webisodes of The TOKE, we talk with Ivan Demidov and Peter Eastgate.

Demidov said he thinks Eastgate was the best of the remaining November Nine^TM and shares his thoughts on Tiffany Michelle's performance.

WSOP Finalist Ivan Demidov pre- 2008 World Series of Poker final table news conference

Meh for Poker

Who would you rather?

Well, we're kind of at a loss here.

The 2008 WSOP Main Event will come down to a Russian vs. a Dane, with Ivan Demidov going heads-up against Peter Eastgate sometime around 10pm tonight.

Barring some info on either that we don't know about yet, we can say that neither of them would be categorically bad for poker.

But we're not sure if either would be categorically good for poker either.

Which, like last year when that one guy beat the other guy, they are more likely just categorically Meh for poker.

Categorically.

The good news is that neither appears to be a fluke, like the guy who won last year. Demidov finished third at the WSOP-E Main Event, cementing his poker creds. Eastgate appears to be the real deal too. If Eastgate does win, he'd break Phil Hellmuth's record as youngest Main Event champ, which would get some decent press among the so-called poker media and maybe some mainstream pubs.

But bottomline is neither is a U.S. American, a woman, or a particularly dynamic personality. Daniel Negreanu they ain't. So we can't see either moving the needle much and getting more than a few die hards excited. More likely, the winner will be greated with a collective "meh" and shoulder shrug from the mainstream public.

Outside of the soon-to-be rich Demidov and Eastgate, the big winner in this is really Poker Stars, who can promote the hell out of these guys in Europe, where poker is still booming and where these two may have some broader appeal.

For a more play-by-play recap of the action, go here or to Dr. Pauly's here.