BY TOM SOMACH

Annette Obrestad, the 18-year-old poker player from Norway who just won the Main Event of the first-ever World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), is being hailed not just for that feat but also for being the first teenager and youngest person ever to win a WSOP or WSOPE event.

But are all the kudos derserved?

In reality, they are not.

That’s because it’s not possible for the winner of a WSOP event to be under the age of 21.

The reason? Because the WSOP takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, where the minimum legal gambling age is 21, and no one under that age can enter a WSOP tournament.

In London, England, however, where the WSOPE took place, it’s another matter.

There, the minimum legal gambling age is just 18, so many people under 21 entered the WSOPE and it isn’t surprising that someone under 21 won the WSOPE Main Event.

Yes, winning the first WSOPE Main Event is a tremendous feat and should be rightly feted.

But being the first teen to win a WSOP/WSOPE event is no great accomplishment.

It’s never been done before, but not because it was hard to do.

It’s never been done before because it was never possible to do before.

No one that young could qualify for a WSOP event, and before this year, there was no WSOPE.

So celebrate Obrestad winning the first WSOPE Main Event.

And celebrate her being the first female to win a WSOP or WSOPE Main Event.

And also being the first Norwegian to win one, for that matter.

But being the first teen to do so?

No teen ever had that opportunity before.

Until now.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com).