What would happen if Moneymaker didn't win the WSOPME? - Poker News

This year we're celebrating the 10th anniversary of Moneymaker's bink, and I wonder what could have happen to poker hadn't it happened. Obviously poker wouldn't be that big of a deal unless someone else binked (like Darvin Moon), but I'm thinking about the other aspects of the game (especially when we consider the financial crisis the world is into)

- Would tournaments like the WSOP keep on growing steadily, to like past 2k players on the ME? And would the boom happen eventually because some other average joe was bound to win it one day?
- Would Party Poker still be online's big name? And would there be HUDs, tracking sites and whatever other tools available?
- Would the game still be softer? I mean, would there be so many books, coaches, strategy sites, bootcamps and whatever? And what about the development of poker theory, would 2+2 still pretty much own the market?
- Would all the fight for poker rights take off, with the likes of PPA even existing? And what about the UIGEA? And would poker be allowed in the USA?

In hindsight, so much stuff happened that it's hard to think about where would poker be if Sammy's JT held and he went on to win it all.

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03-06-2013 , 07:46 AM

.isolated

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who ****ing knows? he did win it.

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03-06-2013 , 07:51 AM

MichaelScarn

grinder

Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 647

Moneymaker was not the sole reason for the boom. The World Poker Tour, Increased Poker Advertising, Thousands of Poker books being released. Light-hearted pros like Phil Gordon and Gus Hansen were gaining popularity. People started to trust the RNG, Party and Stars were great options. And everyone had the dream that they could win the WSOPME as well.

Moneymaker was just another part of it.

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03-06-2013 , 07:52 AM

Genius84

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Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 237

Then probably Phil Ivey would have win the thing

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03-06-2013 , 07:53 AM

Kralex

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Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 2,349

Poker would have stilled boomed. A satellite winner made life changing money and Stars would have promoted that hard.

Sammy Farha wouldnt have been a bad winner either. He certainly gave off a great image of a professional poker player imo.

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03-06-2013 , 07:54 AM

woodys

old hand

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You wouldn't have started this thread

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03-06-2013 , 08:24 AM

River Monster

centurion

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Maybe it was the holecam and ESPN coverage that introduced mainstream America to poker, and not Moneymaker?

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03-06-2013 , 08:33 AM

HotSource28

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Quote:

Originally Posted by woodys

You wouldn't have started this thread

^^this is all we can say for certain

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03-06-2013 , 10:44 AM

mooknam

journeyman

Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 203

If Moneymaker didn't win the WSOPME I would have a ton more money myself. sigh.

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03-06-2013 , 11:01 AM

#10

unlucky4me

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People might be talking about the Tomer Benvenisti effect instead

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03-06-2013 , 11:04 AM

#11

RonMexico

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,323

Guys, you have it all wrong. It was all caused by the Fed. Summon LirvA. Queue up #politards. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

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03-06-2013 , 11:19 AM

#12

xalas

◄Valar Morghulis►

Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 5,667

If MM came 2nd the boom (maybe a bit smaller) still would had of happen PokerStars was already getting ton of free advertising however if he busted out of the money is could had profound effect on ps at the time ps was just an internet upstart that was a couple years old with competition like Planet Poker, Ultimate Bet plus giants like Paradise Poker and Party Poker the online boom wouldn't had been the flash meme tread but i think it still would had taken off maybe at a slower rate but hole card cams + the internet had much to do with the poker boom but you might be playing Paradise Poker or another up-start right now rather then ps

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03-06-2013 , 11:20 AM

#13

localface

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stranger

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i was actually thinking about this exact thing yesterday. It was along the lines if iveys full house held up against moneymaker, theres a good chance i wouldn't be such a degen. such a brutal river ace

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03-06-2013 , 11:41 AM

#14

luckofficial

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adept

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i would take it a step further and say what if internet hadn't been invented

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03-06-2013 , 11:58 AM

#15

sharpyetblunt

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The Moneymaker effect is bull****. People didnt make their decision after Moneymaker had won they made their decision after watching the ESPN coverage and having a million adverts shoved down their throat. It was the smallest piece of the puzzle. Internet poker was coming no matter what. Its just a more romantic story to say that this 'david and goliath' story inspired millions instead of improved internet, improved tv coverage and blanket advertising from poker sites like Party.

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03-06-2013 , 12:11 PM

#16

BEANO52

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adept

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Then we wouldn't of had to deal with this:

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03-06-2013 , 12:33 PM

#17

Lee Jones

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[Yes, I work for PokerStars. Yes, I'm a bit subjectve. On the other hand, I've gotten to watch things unfold from up close]

IMHO it was huge. Not least because Chris is a fun, gregarious guy who has been an awesome ambassador for the game for going on ten years now. He's extremely approachable and people genuinely enjoy hanging out with him.

Obviously we'll never know for sure, but when I walk through the hall at the WSOP and see that replay of Sammy staring Chris down during The Bluff, I stop, my blood runs cold (again), and I say (under my breath, so they don't haul me away), "Don't call, Sammy; for the love of god, don't call."

Regards, Lee

P.S. And to those of you dragging up YouTubes, I have this to say: were it not for Chris's win in 2003, we wouldn't have this (at 2:06).

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03-06-2013 , 12:41 PM

#18

pocket_zeros

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Then Marty Mcfly would have never been born.

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03-06-2013 , 05:29 PM

#19

2OutsNoProb

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Quote:

Originally Posted by River Monster

Maybe it was the holecam and ESPN coverage that introduced mainstream America to poker, and not Moneymaker?

This x100000. It would have made next to no difference who emerged victorious that year. The hole-card cam and increased televised coverage is what made the game instantly popular.

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03-06-2013 , 05:34 PM

#20

JoeDiego

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Moneymaker was a small part of the boom. The real reason was hole card cam technology coupled with online poker. Farha wins it's the exact same result.

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03-06-2013 , 06:06 PM

#21

-sham-

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old hand

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,751

Id be $80 richer instead of losing to Moneymaker at foosball in the PS suite.
damn that quick slapshot!

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03-06-2013 , 06:15 PM

#22

PeteBlow

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All the fish would have unlit cigarettes instead of shades.

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03-06-2013 , 06:44 PM

#23

SpeedLimiter

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I'd have a job

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03-06-2013 , 06:47 PM

#24

El_Padroni

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old hand

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Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteBlow

All the fish would have unlit cigarettes instead of shades.

lol

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03-06-2013 , 06:47 PM

#25

fightingcoward

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Jones

He's extremely approachable and people genuinely enjoy hanging out with him.

This is true, my friends had a blast hanging out with him in the players lounge at PCA playing foosball (hes a world champion in that too).

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