23-year-old online poker player Dario Minieri won his first bracelet at the 2008 WSOP.

2008 was a big year for internet players getting more press and attention. Online poker rooms are giving more sponsorship deals to successful internet players, banking that these players will do well in the live tournaments. Since 2003, amateur players have made a big splash at the WSOP. But that didn’t work very well this year. The professional players made a comeback, with 11 big-name pros winning bracelets, and most events having one or two big names at the final tables.

Dario Minieri was one bright spot for the big-name internet players. He won his first bracelet in the $2500 No-Limit Holdem 6-handed event. Most players at the WSOP are internet players to some degree, but the big-name internet players were not a force at the biggest poker tournament in the world. I guess the new generation of player isn’dt ready to dominate yet.