On Tuesday, PocketFives.com member Eric basebaldy Baldwin was officially unveiled as the newest member of Team UB.com. The 2009 CardPlayer Player of the Year, Baldwin becomes the latest pro of the USA-friendly online poker site, a stable that already includes Matt mattg1983 Graham, Adam Roothlus Levy, Billy Patrolman35 Kopp, Annie Duke, and 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth. PocketFives.com sat down with Baldwin to recap his dramatic run through 2009.PocketFives.com: Congratulations on your deal with UB.com. Tell us about your decision to sign with the site.
Eric Baldwin: I was fortunate enough after I won the Player of the Year award to have some options, which was flattering being an online grinder from Wisconsin. I really like the new brand in UB.com and the direction they’re heading. I love the team of pros and the staff I’ve worked with there so far. I’ll be appreciated and not lost in the mix as one of hundreds of pros of another site. I feel like I’ll be able to help with the new brand and give my input.
PocketFives.com: Talk about being associated with some of your peers in the online poker world like Graham, Levy, and Kopp (pictured at left) on UB.com.Eric Baldwin: I love those guys. It’s going to be great doing various functions with them and becoming better friends with them. It’s also only going to help me become a better player. We all have somewhat different styles, so I really think we’ll be able to learn from each other and have fun at UB functions.
PocketFives.com: Give us a recap of some of your poker highlights of 2009, which ended with you taking down the CardPlayer Player of the Year award over Cornel Andrew Cimpan and Yevgeniy Jovial Gent Timoshenko (pictured at right). What stood out the most?Eric Baldwin: My first big score of the year, a win in a $2,500 buy-in event at the Venetian, was awesome because it came right before the WSOP. It gave me a bankroll to play WSOP events without having to worry about draining my bankroll. The highlights were winning the Player of the Year and my first bracelet. That was an incredible experience.
PocketFives.com: Talk about your run during the WSOP. You took down a bracelet in a $1,500 buy-in Limit Hold’em event and, a week later, finished third in the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em.
Eric Baldwin: I was something like 0-for-15 at the WSOP coming into the event I won. I felt like I was playing great and it goes to show you how funny poker can be. I could have taken a beat early and gone 0-for-the-WSOP. Instead, I’m in the top three for the Player of the Year. I don’t think anything was tremendously different, though. If you put yourself in a position to win enough times, things will work out.
PocketFives.com: How difficult will it be to manage an online schedule on UB.com with a live slate of events?
Eric Baldwin: I enjoy online poker and live poker. This year, winning the Player of the Year was my goal and I ended up not playing online much as a result. Next year, I don’t see myself skipping many Sundays. It’ll be nice to not to feel like I have to go down to the Strip if I don’t want to.
PocketFives.com: What has helped elevate your game this year?
Eric Baldwin: My group of friends has grown and I’ve learned so much from different types of players. I have aggressive cash game players, tighter cash game players, and a variety of tournament players as friends. Talking to them and learning from them have helped me tremendously, even if it’s not something that I incorporate into my game. It allows me to understand how those types of players think.
Also, all of the experience I gained live really started to culminate in feeling super confident at the tables. I used to take my online game and go play live. Now, I’m starting to look for live tells and I feel comfortable picking up information.
PocketFives.com: What have you done to reward yourself for an amazing 2009?
Eric Baldwin: I haven’t done anything too extravagant. During the second half of the year, I was literally playing, coming home, eating, sleeping, putting hexes on my competition, and playing again, so I haven’t had time to enjoy it yet. I don’t have any big plans as of right now. I’m looking forward to going home over Christmas to see friends and family I wasn’t able to see during the grind.
PocketFives.com: When are you headed home to Wisconsin for Christmas?
Eric Baldwin: I’m filming Fox Sports Net’s “Poker2Nite” on Tuesday. After the filming, I’m flying to Milwaukee and then going home to Beaver Dam.
