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WSOP -- Peter Eastgate Wins the 2008 Main Event

Eastgate Becomes Youngest World Series of Poker Champion in History and Wins $9,152,416

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The final night at the 2008 World Series of Poker main event was a record-setting affair. New heights were reached for the longest $10,000 no-limit hold'em world championship final table ever, as well as the largest big blind (1 million) in the history of the event. At the end of play, another record fell when Peter Eastgate of Denmark became the youngest world champion in history at 22 years old when he defeated Ivan Demidov of Russia just after 2:30 a.m and took home $9,152,416 in prize money. Card Player was there to catch all of the action from the final table, which you can read about below.

First, a little bit about what these players had to fight through to get to the final match. In July, they had to battle amid a tournament field of 6,844 players, the second largest in history, to make a final table of nine players. After that, they had to wait 117 days before they could return to Las Vegas to play down to the heads-up match on Nov. 9.

Here are the payouts for those who fell yesterday during the play-down to the heads-up match:

3rd: Dennis Phillips -- $4,517,773
4th: Ylon Schwartz -- $3,774,974
5th: Scott Montgomery -- $3,096,768
6th: Darus Suharto -- $2,418,562
7th: David Rheem -- $1,772,650
8th: Kelly Kim -- $1,288,217
9th: Craig Marquis -- $900,670

After all of this, the only thing they had standing in the way of their poker immortality was each other. Here were their chip counts at the start of play at 10 p.m. on Nov. 10:

Peter Eastgate: 79,500,000
Ivan Demidov: 57,725,000

Here are the hands that defined the heads-up match, as featured in CardPlayer.com's live updates:

Ivan DemidovIvan Demidov Comes Out Swinging

Ivan Demidov came out of the gates strong in his heads-up match with Peter Eastgate, scoring the first three blows, the majority of them during the first hour, to pull even and then take chip lead with 73,645,000. He did so by accumulating most of the small pots that transpired while these two players warmed up and felt each other out at the beginning of their heads-up match.

Peter Eastgate Fights Back


Peter Eastgate bet 2 million preflop, and Ivan Demidov made the call. The flop was dealt 8 8 5, and both players checked. The A was dealt on the turn, and Eastgate bet 2.25 million. Demidov called, and then both players checked the 4 on the river. They turned up their hands, and Eastgate took down the pot with queen-high over Demidov’s jack-high. The pot put Eastgate back into the chip lead.

Eastgate Increases His Lead

Demidov raised to 1.75 million on the button preflop, and Eastgate made the call. The flop was dealt 9 8 4, and both players checked. The 3 fell on the turn, and Eastgate bet 2.75 million. Demidov made the call, and the river brought the J. Eastgate led out for 3.5 million, and Demidov mucked. The young Russian was knocked down to 55,975,000 after the hand. Eastgate was up to 81,025,000.

Peter EastgateEastgate Wins the Largest Pot So Far Heads-Up

Ivan Demidov raised to 2.8 million preflop, and Peter Eastgate made the call on the button. The flop was dealt A J 3, and both players checked. The J was dealt on the turn, and Eastgate bet 3.25 million. Demidov made the call, and the river brought the Q. Demidov checked, and Eastgate opened the action once again for 6.95 million. Demidov thought for a moment and then he called. Eastgate turned over A Q, and Demidov mucked. Eastgate held 86,325,000 after the hand.

Peter Eastgate Now Holds 100 Million

Ivan Demidov raised preflop to 2.75 million, and Peter Eastgate made the call from the button. The flop was dealt 9 7 6, and Demidov bet 3.625 million. Eastgate made the call, and the J fell on the turn. Both players checked, and the Q fell on the river. Demidov bet 7 million, and Eastgate made the call. They turned up their hands, and Demidov held A 10 against the J 8 of Eastgate. Eastgate held 100,300,000 after the hand. Demidov was knocked down to 36,600,000.

Longest WSOP Final Table Ever

During the last hour, the 2008 main event final table surpassed the 2005 main event final table that was won by Joe Hachem as the longest ever. That table lasted 14 hours and 10 minutes. This one will last much longer.

Biggest WSOP Blind Ever


It was announced that level 39 saw the largest big blind in the history of the WSOP. It was the first time the big blind has ever reached seven figures at 1 million.

Demidov Takes a Big Hit

Ivan Demidov raised to 2 million preflop from the button, and Peter Eastgate made the call. The flop was dealt K 10 7, and both players checked. The J fell on the turn, and Eastgate bet 2.5 million. Demidov raised to 8 million, and Eastgate made the call. The river brought the 3, and Eastgate checked. Demidov bet 12 million, and Eastgate made the call. They turned up their hands, and Demidov held A 9. Eastgate flipped over 7 4 and he won the pot with a diamond flush to take a huge lead. The 44-million pot kicked his stack up to 107 million, while Demidov held just 28 million after the hand.

The End is Near?

Petere Eastgate WinsIvan Demidov raised to 2 million preflop on the button, and Peter Eastgate made the call. The flop was dealt 8 8 5, and both players checked. The 3 fell on the turn, and Eastgate bet 2.5 million. Demidov made the call, and the river brought the 9. Eastgate bet 4.5 million, and Demidov made the call. Eastgate flipped up 3 3 for a full house, and Demidov mucked. Eastgate was now up to 117 million, while Demidov was floundering with just about 20 million.

Peter Eastgate Wins the 2008 WSOP Main Event ($9,152,416)


Peter Eastgate limped on the button, and Ivan Demidov checked preflop. The flop was dealt K 3 2, and Demidov checked. Eastgate bet 1.25 million, and Demidov made the call. The turn card fell 4, and Demidov checked. Eastgate bet 2 million, and Demidov check-raised to 6 million. Eastgate made the call, and the 7 fell on the river. Demidov moved all in for his final 7.95 million, and Easgate called him down. Demidov turnd up 4 2 for two pair, but Eastgate turned A 5 for a wheel, and he won the tournament.

Demidov was eliminated in second place and he will take home $5,809,595 in prize money. Eastgate has become the 2008 world champion of poker and he is $9,152,416 richer. He has also become the youngest WSOP main event champion in history at 22 years old, breaking the record set by Phil Hellmuth in 1989.