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The World Series of Poker Main Event is finally over and Joe Cada is champion. Darvin Moon becomes this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant”, also known as the runner-up in the WSOP Main Event. Most of you are saying, “He isn’t irrelevant! He won $5 Million.” While that is true, can you tell name me at least 3 runner-up finishers in the last 10 years? Two are Hall of Famers.

Jerry Yang Knocked Him Out of the Main Event and Apparently Out of Tournament Poker

Let’s look at the 2nd place Main Event finishers for the last decade and see if we can jog your memory:

2008 – Ivan Demidov: This is the most recent runner up, so if you named him, it is not surprising. He had a great run in 2008, including a 3rd at the WSOP-E.

2007 – Tuan Lam: Hell, I didn’t even remember this one and I follow poker regularly. Of course, I think I have good reason. After finishing 2nd at the Main Event, he has went 0 for life since.

2006 – Paul Wasicka: Paul is a fierce player and has had a lot of success since finishing runner up to Jamie Gold. He final tabled the L.A. Poker Classic Main Event and won the 2007 NBC Heads-UP National Championship. He finished 10th in the same event this year.

2005 – Steve Dannenmann: After finishing 2nd in the WSOP Main Event in 2005 and 5th in the Tournament of Champions that year, Dannenmann really hasn’t done much. He has some cashes, but nothing major. He hasn’t finished in the money in an event since September 2008.

2004 – David Williams: By far, one of the most successful runner-up finishers of the decade. A bracelet in Seven Card Stud, a circuit event win, and many strong finishes has earned him a lot of respect in the poker world. Only half of his $6 Million in career earning was from the 2004 Main Event. Not many runner-ups can say that about their career total in the last decade.

2003 – Sam Farha: Sam is probably the other name that you blurted out if you named runner-up finishers. Sam will always be linked with Moneymaker and was part of the legend that started the boom. Kinda hard to forget someone like Sammy anyway.

2002 – Julian Gardner: For many newer poker fans, not only do they probably don’t know Gardner, they likely don’t even know the 2002 winner Robert Varkonyi. Gardner is a good player with over 2 Million in career earnings, but after his final table run in 2002, his best payday was in 2007 for a 3rd place in the LadBrokes Poker Million. He has not cashed in a live event since 2007.

2001 – Dewey Tomko: 2001 was really the last year of the old school era of poker. Most everyone knows Tomko’s track record. He is a three-time bracelet winner and two time runner-up in the Main Event.

2000 – T.J. Cloutier: T.J. finished 2nd in the Main Event twice and has six bracelets. He is hardly a irrelevant player.

The point is to remind everyone that people remember who won, not who finished 2nd. Darvin Moon’s story is a nice footnote to the event, but other than hardcore poker fans, very few will remember him in about 2 to 3 years.