november nine:

$5.1 million later, life goes on for Darvin Moon

Justin M. Bowen

Darvin Moon thinks about his next move during the final round of the 2009 World Series of Poker early Tuesday at the Rio. Moon lost to 21-year-old Joe Cada for the $8.5 million prize.

By Case Keefer (contact)

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009 | 3:32 a.m.

World Series of Poker

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World Series of Poker 2009

Darvin Moon’s immediate plans after finishing second in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event involved kicking back in his hotel room at the Rio.

It won’t be long, however, until the self-employed logger and new millionaire is back in the woods of western Maryland.

“I’ve got to be back to work Friday,” Moon said. “I’ve got a piece of timber I’ve got to buy.”

As Moon has said all along, he will not change his lifestyle now that he has won $5.1 million. In fact, he’s not even going to make any purchases.

He said the money would immediately go into the bank. And that’s where it will stay.

“My wife just lost her lawnmower, so that’s what she’s hoping for,” Moon said. “We had a deal, first place, she gets a lawnmower. Otherwise, it doesn’t fit in the budget.”

Moon was not joking. As much as he enjoyed his run through the Main Event and learning about life outside of Oakland, Md., he said all of the attention has made him “uncomfortable as hell.”

The attention was certainly surrounding him into the early Tuesday morning hours at the Rio as he fell heads-up to Joe Cada for the championship. But Moon didn’t go down without a fight.

He held the chip lead for a large portion of the night. Cada said he was surprised by how well Moon, an inexperienced player who had only played heads-up once before, performed.

“Darvin played really well,” Cada said. “He mixed it up really well and put me in some tough spots.”

The toughest spot Moon put Cada in was when he pushed all in with a big chip lead. After Cada called, Moon showed only seven, eight — he needed the last card on the board to be a jack or six to make a straight. Cada had a pair of nines.

Cada’s lead held up after the river card.

“You can’t play 100 hands perfect,” Moon said, “so there it is.”

Shortly after, Cada put Moon all in. Moon’s suited queen-jack fell to Cada’s pocket nine to give Cada the bracelet.

“I knew where I was at,” Moon said. “That was my shot to take a tremendous chip lead and I didn’t get it.”

Still, it’s been an incredible journey for Moon. He won his spot into the Main Event by winning a satellite at a casino in Wheeling, W.Va.

The World Series of Poker was the first time Moon had traveled to Las Vegas. It was also his first time on an airplane.

Heading into the final table, he was the leader with more than 30 percent of the chips in play. On the final table, he knocked out the greatest player in the world, Phil Ivey.

But Moon is ready for things to get back to normal Friday. That means a day spent logging and a night playing poker in a local tournament — one with a $30 buy-in instead of a $10,000 buy-in like the Main Event.

Right now, the local tournament sounds better than a lawnmower.

“I can afford that,” Moon said.

Discussion: 9 comments so far…

By GrandmaCrabby

11/10/09 at 6:01 a.m.

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Congratulations Darvin on a great run. You played well, and you kept your head on straight throughout the tournament. You're a true gentleman. I'm glad to see that you're being careful with the money.
By lvdjlv

11/10/09 at 5:16 p.m.

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Mr. Moon - Just wanted to say I appreciated the fact that you didn't get caught up in the hype and just "did your thing" and passed on sponsorships and camera grabbing antics (Re: Hellmuth) and just played the game as well as you possibly could... Great run sir! Enjoy the Friday night tournament with your friends!
By Libra

11/11/09 at 9:01 a.m.

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It's refreshing to see someone with values, maturity, and the fortitude to say no to the hype. Everyone wants to cash in on those in the spotlight. It takes a very secure person to just say NO. Well played Darvin!
By VegasVeniceDude

11/11/09 at 3:21 p.m.

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Nicely done Darvin! Go Maryland!
By Babyboomer

11/11/09 at 4 p.m.

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I wouldn't put poker playing on my list of the 10 best jobs to lower your blood pressure....that's for sure !!
By Phargo

11/11/09 at 11:13 p.m.

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Darvin Moon just agreed to appear next year on Dancing with the Stars.
By Phargo

11/11/09 at 11:14 p.m.

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Darvin Moon just signed a contract with Dapper Dan hair jelly.
By 7pesos

11/12/09 at 9:36 p.m.

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how long will darvin moon be able to ignore that $5.1

million languishing in the bank.

guaranteed, that money will eventually consume

him....

money always does that.

it's like power... like sex.
By Laker

11/16/09 at 12:52 p.m.

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Buy your wife the lawnmower ... or at least invest in some sheep. lol

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