Annie Duke on the 2009 WSOP Main Event, Phil Ivey’s Table Presence

Fresh off watching the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table pan out, Ultimate Bet pro Annie Duke discusses the wild action that unfolded from the Rio in Las Vegas and aired on ESPN.

Poker News Daily: Now that you’ve had a chance to check out the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table, give us your thoughts on what occurred.

Duke: The Main Event was really interesting. On the one hand, I don’t think there’s any question that it was the most skilled final table we’ve seen in a long time. Some of the play was brilliant, but at the same time, it also had some of the worst play we’ve seen. There were some very ill-advised plays at the final table.

The thing I worry about is that I’m involved with the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) and spend a lot of time arguing that poker is a game of skill. I understand that when someone gets their money in with deuces against jacks, they’re going to hit it 18% of the time. I have a concern that on a national stage, we came out on the weird end of variance. People are going to look at that and conclude that poker is a game of luck.

Darvin Moon did some crazy things and everyone could see that. Joe Cada got his money in with deuces and threes and hit both times. We can have arguments that he overplayed his hands, which proves that poker is a skill game. Because we can argue about it, it’s a skill game. The fact is he hit both of him and to the viewing public, it’s just luck. I actually think in that sense, it was unfortunate.

PND: Can you comment on a few of the other players at the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table?

Duke: Phil Ivey aside, who never got anything going, and Kevin Schaffel aside, it looked like Antoine Saout was playing amazingly well. I was impressed with him. I was also impressed with Eric Buchman and I think Steven Begleiter benefited from the coaching he received. You saw someone change the way they play because of the coaching in between. If you have four months and you’re a player who needs a lot of help, coaching is a good thing for you. If you’re already a really good player, coaching will hurt you. After four months, you’re trying to feel your way around the changes and trying to see where things apply. It’s not a good idea.

PND: What about Buchman impressed you? What were your thoughts on Cada?

Duke: When Ivey was there, people weren’t playing poker. Ivey is a huge presence and no one wanted to be the person to double him up. The other players didn’t want to get their chips in play because they were afraid of giving them to Ivey. Cada and Buchman were the only two playing during this period. They took advantage of that situation and did a good job of taking down the blinds and antes. That shows Cada has something going on. He recognized the situation and played accordingly.

PND: Did Ivey play too tight?

Duke: Ivey folding jacks is the big question. Everything else he did made sense. My guess is that Ivey was sitting there with Moon to his right and felt that he didn’t want to put his chips at risk. If he could double up, he had all of these chips sitting to his right. He was raising in early position in relation to Saout, who wasn’t playing aggressively and pushed in. Saout hadn’t been out there skating and Ivey probably would have called Cada or Buchman. Would I have called? Probably, but I’m speaking in retrospect and I don’t think I’m as good of a player as Ivey is.

PND: What makes Ivey so talented?

Duke: Ivey is the top-winning player in the history of online poker. He’s amazing in cash games. It doesn’t matter if it’s Mixed Games, Stud, or Pot Limit Omaha; pick a game and he’s good at it. His weakest game is probably Limit Hold’em and he’s still really good at that. He’s worked really hard and he puts in the time and hours. He’s good at the math and he’s also good at the feel. He has ridiculous heart and he has the follow-through.

PND: Does Ivey have the same intimidating table presence that your Ultimate Bet colleague, Phil Hellmuth, does?

Duke: Hellmuth’s advantage comes from somewhere else. Ivey terrifies people. No one wants to give him chips. Hellmuth has a different presence. People are so emotionally wrapped up in him that they cease to be able to think. People will throw chips at Hellmuth because they’re so pissed off at him. They want to beat him so badly. You try to avoid him because you’re afraid of getting yelled at or you want to show him up.

PND: What have other players you’ve talked to said about Jeffrey Pollack leaving his post as the WSOP Commissioner?

Duke: The community agrees that it may be bad for the players. What that speaks to, whether it’s true or not, was that he was a big friend to the players and that’s his legacy. What an amazing legacy for someone to have.

PND: What are your Thanksgiving plans?

Duke: I’m celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday as opposed to Thursday. My brother and everyone are converging on my house. I’m doing a small thing on Thursday as well. I love the cooking: turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, and all sorts of desserts.