Darvin Moon – The Maryland Logger who became a poker legend

Card players usually conjure up a certain kind of image. Usually it involves a soft, James Bond-esque, black tie aesthetic born from popular culture. But every now and then, a real everyman breaks into the high-stakes games, shattering these perceptions. One of those people was Maryland native Darvin Moon.

Wallpaper by Darvin Moon

Darvin lived in Oakland, Western Maryland. In the shadow of Backbone Mountain, his existence was modest: he lived in a caravan with his wife. Darvin was the owner of a logging company.

Living and working with nature gave him the passion for his work in the forests of Maryland. When he wasn’t exploring, he was practicing the skills his grandfather taught him, and those poker fundamentals would later lead to his success.

World Series of Poker

His breakthrough came during the 2009 World Series of Poker. This was just before the growth of internet casinos and before online poker was available in Maryland. Nowadays, learning your trade is easy thanks to the best poker sites offering easy access along with help and tutorials. They also have a wide selection of games, allowing new players to try out a variety of rules and variations. Still, Darvin passed the hours in retro fashion, losing two satellites before claiming victory in his third $130 game. This gave him access to the World Series of Poker.

His first few days at the World Series were extremely fruitful, or some might say lucky, as he was dealt multiple pocket aces and had a series of great hands. He also knocked out several high-profile players en route to the final two seats, where he lost to Joe Cada.

Although his run was spectacular for an amateur player, he received several critics for his playing style and lack of experience. Much of this stemmed from a big bluff he made to win a relatively small pot. Yet there were just as many people who congratulated him, because they found his courage and strict workman’s personality refreshing.

After the World Series

After the tournament, Moon said he was done with the game. Because of this, he played many of his poker games locally, preferring to play with friends rather than indulge in the bigger tournaments. He continued to play poker, although he never reached the same lofty heights in other tournaments. He took part in some major events, especially in some of Las Vegas’ largest casinos. In his follow-up in the 2010 World Series, he was eliminated on day two.

In 2011, he signed a deal to become an ambassador for the Heartland Poker Tour. This was an international poker television show, so he was going to be a household name. In fact, Darvin was the perfect match to bring poker into the living rooms of people around the world. The show’s tagline was “Real People, Unreal Money” and no poker game was more realistic than Darvin.

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