Black Friday changed the lives of poker players from around the United States. Among them was T.J. 1bigaceholeUlmer (pictured), who relocated to Montreal, Canada in order to continue playing online poker. The decision paid off, as in recent weeks, Ulmer walked away with a $67,000 bankroll boost for winning the PokerStars Sunday $100 Rebuy. Down the stretch, he contended with several brand name PocketFives members, including Mike timexMcDonald and Kenny Hixx Hicks, both of whom made the top 10.

We caught up with Ulmer to break down his post-Black Friday living situation and discuss the Sunday $100 Rebuy win. As a reminder, if you or anyone you know wants more information on relocating to poker-friendly countries like Canada, Costa Rica, and Panama, visit Poker Refugees.

PocketFives: It wasn’t your biggest score ever dollar-wise, but tell me how the Sunday $100 Rebuy win compares to other online cashes you’ve had?

T.J. Ulmer: Since Black Friday, the opportunity for a big score has become rare, so winning this $100 Rebuy on Sunday was definitely one of my most exciting cashes. Also, with 18 players left, I had an extremely tough table. Winning a tournament always feels more satisfying when you outlast a tough crowd.

PocketFives: It was interesting to see you and Mike timexMcDonald (pictured) at the same final table. Can you evaluate his game a little bit?

T.J. Ulmer: Everyone hates seeing timex at the same table as them. He’s a great tournament player and definitely one of the most solid players around. I seriously don’t think I’ve ever seen him make a mistake.

PocketFives: Has the field of the $100 Rebuy changed much since Black Friday?

T.J. Ulmer: The $100 Rebuy became much softer the first couple of months after Black Friday because not many of the regs had moved yet. Also, PokerStars changing the start time seemed to add more inexperienced players to the field. Unfortunately, a lot of the top tournament regs have relocated and the field seems just a bit softer than it was before Black Friday.

PocketFives: You used to live in the United States. Why did you move and tell us about picking Canada as your destination? How has the transition been?

T.J. Ulmer: Just like everyone else, I was in complete shock in the days following Black Friday. I had a stable life in the United States and thought I was close to settling down. However, I was so accustomed to this lifestyle and my friends were already on board that it was an easy decision for me to relocate. Canada was the most convenient choice; we had a friend who lived close to Montreal, so we decided to move there.

The transition was very smooth. I was very lucky that I had a group of close friends relocate with me. That made it much easier and I don’t think I would have moved if it weren’t for them. I also fell in love with Montreal right away; it’s a beautiful city.

PocketFives: If there were legalized intrastate online poker in the United States, would you like to move back or are you comfortable where you are now?

T.J. Ulmer: That doesn’t cross my mind too much because there is a good chance I am going to be staying in Montreal even if things go back to the way they were before Black Friday. I don’t think intrastate online poker will be profitable enough for people to move back to the United States. There won’t be enough players or tournaments to make it worthwhile.

PocketFives: You’ve been a member of PocketFives since 2006. Did you ever see online poker lasting this long as a career?

T.J. Ulmer: No way. I started playing in 2003 and it was a way for me to pay my car insurance when I was in school. I thought it was amazing that I could make $200 a week playing poker instead of mowing lawns like my friends did. I feel like I was very lucky and ran amazing my first couple of years playing. I didn’t really have a clue what I was doing, but I won a few tournaments and never had to get a job. That’s all I wanted out of poker. I always planned to get a real job after school.

While I was in college, I was fortunate enough to become friends with some great poker players who taught me a lot. It took me a little while to catch on, but I started to win consistently and decided that I would try poker for a few years after I graduated. Without my friends, I definitely would not be playing poker right now.

PocketFives: You were once ranked as high as #10 in the PocketFives Rankings. Is getting back into the top 10 important at all?

T.J. Ulmer: It was a great feeling to be ranked in the top 10, but I don’t pay too much attention to the Rankings. It’s more important that I make the most money possible and keep improving my game.

PocketFives: What live or online poker players do you look up to the most?

T.J. Ulmer: There are tons of guys who I look up to as players, but the ones I respect the most are the guys who are able to keep poker separate from the rest of their lives. It’s very difficult to do and something I often struggle with.