Darvin Moon is an American self-employed logger and amateur poker player who was the runner-up of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) US$10,000 no-limit Texas hold'em main event.
Darvin Moon lives in the western Maryland town of Oakland,at the foot of Backbone Mountain. Prior to entering the World Series of Poker, Moon lived in a 14 by 70 feet (4.3 by 21 m) trailer with his wife, Wendy. Moon owns and operates a small logging company with other family members.
Darvin Moon earned his seat in the 2009 World Series of Poker no-limit Texas hold'em main event by winning a $130 satellite tournament at the Wheeling Island Casino in Wheeling, West Virginia.
On the first day of the tournament, Moon was dealt pocket aces six times and got three-of-a-kind on the flop three times. He performed well on the first day and continued a successful streak throughout the tournament, although he himself proclaimed it was luck. He eliminated several professional poker players during the tournament, including David Benyamine. He eventually obtained the chip lead and kept it until the seventh day of play. At that time he fell to tenth place, but won a few big hands to recover and ended the day back in the lead.
After the tournament ended, Moon was congratulated by professional poker player Phil Hellmuth, who said, "I'm proud of you, Darvin." Some were critical of both Moon and Cada. Mike Matusow, a professional poker player with a reputation for trash-talking, called the heads-up contest between the two "a new low for poker as a skilled game".
Moon played few major poker games since the 2009 World Series of Poker, preferring instead to play local games among friends in the Oakland area. When asked how he had done in those games, Moon replied, "I've done all right. I've held my own."
Moon joined 63 other players in the 2010 National Heads-Up Poker Championship at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He paid the $20,000 buy-in from his personal funds. Moon was paired against online qualifier William Huntress in the first round of the tournament on March 5.
Moon displayed a humble and self-deprecating manner during the World Series of Poker, repeatedly acknowledging his lack of poker experience throughout the tournament, and often attributing his success to luck and a high number of strong cards, rather than talent.
With thanks to Wikipedia