Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day 4 Completed
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2018 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,795,500
Entries
1,330
Level
32
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000
Level 32
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Eric Baldwin won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2009, over nine years ago. Today, he won his second in Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em at the 2018 World Series of Poker.
On the extra fourth day of play, he started out with a dominant chip lead over Ian Steinman. Steinman didn't go down without a fight, though, and it took a suckout with ace-jack versus kings for Baldwin to win.
"It was a lot of hours of poker and a lot of short-handed play, that really sucks your mental energy," Baldwin said after his win. "But man it's fun! I wish everyone could experience this. It's so cool!"
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Baldwin | United States | $319,580 |
| 2 | Ian Steinman | United States | $197,461 |
| 3 | [Removed:4] | Germany | $140,957 |
| 4 | Aaron Massey | United States | $101,819 |
| 5 | Robert Georato | United States | $74,434 |
| 6 | Michael Finstein | United States | $55,077 |
| 7 | Stephen Song | United States | $41,257 |
| 8 | Gilsoo Kim | United States | $31,290 |
| 9 | Mathew Moore | United States | $24,032 |
On the last scheduled day of the tournament, the field quickly played down from the twenty that started to a final table of nine. Jason Guarinello was the first to fall at the final table after losing a race to Michael Finstein.
It took nearly twenty hands until Mathew Moore was sent home next. He lost a coin flip to Rudelitz to be sent home in ninth place. Gilsoo Kim dropped in eight place after shoving pocket jacks into the pocket kings of Robert Georato.
Next up with his head on the chopping block was Stephen Song. He finished in seventh place when he shoved jack-seven into Georato's ace-deuce and couldn't catch up.
Right after, Baldwin won a massive pot against Aaron Massey in a cooler situation to take the chip lead. Baldwin bet the flop, turn, and river on a board where he made a backdoor flush with ace-three of clubs. Massey showed nine-ten of clubs for a flopped middle pair that had made runner runner flush as well.
"That was an incredible runout for me obviously, just a nasty cooler for him," Baldwin said afterward, reflecting on the hand. "It definitely propelled me, and I believe it gave me the chip lead."
Michael Finstein fell next in sixth place after losing a flip against Baldwin. Baldwin's pocket threes flopped a set and sent Finstein home. Baldwin eliminated Robert Georato in another coinflip when his pocket nines held up once again, this time against king-ten.
Aaron Massey was never quite able to recover from the cooler, and he was sent home in fourth place, losing a flip to none other than Baldwin. This time, Baldwin's eights held up against king-ten.
The final player to fall on Day 3 was [Removed:4] who got it in with ace-five against Steinman's queens and couldn't catch up.
"Heads up did not start well, and I ended up needing to get lucky allin one time, and then built back up some momentum," Baldwin said of the start of the heads-up on Day 3.
After two hours of play, the two remaining players got the option to either play another level or come back the next day. Baldwin wanted to continue. He had the lead, the momentum, and he wanted to be home the next day to celebrate his wife's birthday. Steinman, though, was more a fan of the idea to continue the next day and so the bags came out, and play was halted.
When the action resumed on Day 4, Steinman was the first to take a hit when Baldwin made two pair in a sizable pot.
Steinman won it all back doubling with sixes versus ace-king, and won some more getting two streets of value with a flopped top pair that he checked behind on the flop. That got Steinman up to his highest point, trailing with 4 million to 6 million.
Steinman wouldn't hold on to his newfound chips. He lost some smaller pots, doubled back with king-six against queen-deuce, but eventually lost it all in another pre-flop all-in situation. Steinman got it in good with pocket kings against the ace-jack off of Baldwin. The latter turned a jack and rivered an ace to win the tournament, $319,580, and the bracelet. Steinman had to settle for $197,461.
Baldwin celebrated his win with his supporters on the rail. Not only fellow poker players had come out to cheer him on, as a surprise, his mother had come out as well. "It's surreal. My mum came out and surprised me. I had no idea she was coming, so it ended up being a blessing that we didn't finish last night. It gave her a chance to get out here and see it."
His mother hadn't been present when Baldwin won his first bracelet in 2009, and his dad, unfortunately, missed out on that one too. Since his first bracelet, his father came to Vegas anytime Baldwin made a final table but was never lucky enough to catch his son win his coveted second bracelet. "He kept coming out and trying to catch me when I'd make a final table, but I could never win one, including a grueling second place [to Matt Waxman in 2013.]"
Eric Baldwin's father passed away three years ago, so Baldwin junior dedicated his win today to him. "In a lot of ways, this one is for him," Baldwin said while wiping away a tear.
His mother chimed in; "He was here... His presence was here."
Baldwin reflected on the changes the game has undergone since that first bracelet in 2009. "A lot has changed in the game, but at the same time, it's the same game. You're sitting at the table with the other players and try to take each other's chips."
He was critical as well; "A lot of the advancement in strategy gets taken too far and can maybe seem intimidating to the recreational players. There are always trends in strategy, and there's always people talking like they're super smart."
Baldwin offered a tip for newcomers to the game: "Don't be intimidated by something like that, this is an awesome event that's going on out here, and it's still something that's incredibly enjoyable."
Not only the game has changed since 2009, his life has changed dramatically as well. "It seems like a different lifetime ago because so much has happened between then and now. I started a family. I'll tell you, it makes you treat it a lot more professionally," Baldwin said laughing.
"We got real responsibility, comparatively. It's been an evolution and just the coolest thing in the world. My wife Mary [...] is an absolute superhero. She's so good with our kids, and I'm incredibly lucky. All of my support; I'm incredibly blessed. My mum, my sister, my grandma still follows [my poker career], and they're all just super supportive and incredible people. So I'm very lucky, in more ways than just this."
Eric Baldwin claims his second WSOP gold bracelet after battling Ian Steinman heads up in Event #37.
Photography ©Joe Giron
Level 32
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Hand #270: In the 270th hand of the final table, Eric Baldwin raised his button to 300,000. Ian Steinman glanced at his cards and cut out 950,000, leaving himself 2,185,000 behind.
Baldwin took a good look at how much Steinman had behind. He then announced all in and Steinman quickly called.
Ian Steinman: 
Eric Baldwin: 
Steinman's rail shouted for a king in the window. They wouldn't get it, but the 
flop wasn't too bad either.
The 
on the turn paired up Baldwin but it wasn't enough just yet.
The dealer burned the top card and put the river out: 
!
With the rivered two pair, Baldwin was celebrated as the winner of Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em. Steinman and Baldwin shook hands before the official bracelet photos were taken by Joe Giron.
An extensive recap of the final table and today's action is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 32
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Hand #267: Ian Steinman raised to 250,000 and Eric Baldwin called. Baldwin checked on 
and called as Steinman bet 200,000. The 
on the turn made four-to-a-straight on the board and both players checked, The 
completed the board and Baldwin checked again. Steinman bet 450,000 and Baldwin folded.
Hand #268: Baldwin limped in and Steinman checked. Both checked on 
before the 
hit the turn. Steinman bet 120,000 and Baldwin called. The 
on the river was checked by both and Baldwin showed a winner with 
.
Hand #269: Steinman raised to 250,000 and Baldwin folded.
Level 32
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Hand #262: Eric Baldwin called on the button and Ian Steinman opted to check. The flop came 
, Steinman check-called the 140,000 bet of Baldwin. The turn brought them the , now Steinman check-called the 300,000 continuation-bet of Baldwin. The 
on the river completed the board. Steinman checked for the last time. Baldwin fired another 675,000 over the line. Steinman pondered for a bit but then folded.
Hand #263: Steinman limped in and Baldwin raised to put Steinman all-in. Steinman thought about if for a minute but folded in the end.
Hand #264: Baldwin called on the button and Steinman opted to check. The flop came 
, Steinman check-called the 160,000 bet of Baldwin. The turn brought them the 
, Steinman checked again. Baldwin barrelled another 460,000 into the pot. Steinman called. The 
on the river completed the board. Steinman checked for the last time. Baldwin put in a stack of gray chips worth 100,000 each to put Steinman at risk. Steinman mulled it over, but then folded.
Hand #265: Steinman moved all in and Baldwin folded immediately.
Hand #266: Baldwin put Steinman all-in and Steinman looked at his own stack and cards. Steinman called.
Ian Steinman:
Eric Baldwin:
The board ran out 
to give Steinman a gutshot straight draw on the flop and Baldwin a straight draw on the turn but the river just gave Steinman a pair of sevens with the king as the kicker to double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,070,000
-430,000
|
-430,000 |
|
||
|
|
2,780,000
430,000
|
430,000 |
|
|
||
Level 32
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Hand #255: Ian Steinman made it 250,000 to go and Eric Baldwin called. Baldwin and Steinman checked on the flop of 
before the 
on the turn paired the board. Baldwin checked and Steinman bet 200,000. Baldwin check-raised to 575,000 and Steinman folded.
Hand #256: Baldwin limped in and Steinman checked. Two checks followed on 
before the hit the turn. Steinman bet 120,000 and Baldwin called. The 
hit the turn and Steinman check-folded to a bet of Baldwin.
Hand #257: Steinman folded to give Baldwin a walk.
Hand #258: Baldwin limped in and Steinman checked. The flop came 
and Steinman check-folded to Baldwin's 120,000 bet.
Hand #259: Steinman limped in and Baldwin checked. Both checked on and the 
hit the turn. Baldwin checked, and then folded to Steinman's 120,000 bet.
Hand #260: Baldwin gave Steinman a walk.
Hand #261: Steinman made it 250,000 to go and Baldwin called. Baldwin check-called 200,000 on before check-folding to Steinman's 400,000 second bullet on the 
turn.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,500,000
270,000
|
270,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,350,000
-270,000
|
-270,000 |
|
|
||
Level 32
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Hand #248: Eric Baldwin raised to 300,000 and Ian Steinman folded.
Hand #249: Steinman limped in on the button and Baldwin opted to check. The flop came , Baldwin check-called the 120,000 bet of Steinman. They both checked through the 
on the turn and the on the river. Baldwin tabled 
for the win.
Hand #250: Steinman got a walk.
Hand #251: Baldwin's turn to get a walk.
Hand #252: Baldwin raised to 300,000 and got no call.
Hand #253: Steinman raised to 250,000 and Baldwin called. The flop came 
Baldwin check-folded to the 200,000 bet of Steinman.
Hand #254: Baldwin raised to 300,000 and Steinman called. The flop came 
and Steinman check-called the 300,000 continuation-bet of Baldwin. The turn brought them the , Steinman checked again. Baldwin now continued with a bet of 420,000. Steinman contemplated for a while but then folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,230,000
1,305,000
|
1,305,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,620,000
-1,305,000
|
-1,305,000 |
|
|
||
Level 32
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Hand #242: Ian Steinman limped in but folded to Eric Baldwin's push.
Hand #243: Baldwin limped in and he folded to Steinman's push.
Hand #244: Baldwin limped in and Steinman checked. They both checked the flop before Steinman took down the pot with a bet of 175,000 on the turn.
Hand #245: Steinman limped in and Baldwin checked. They both checked on 
and Steinman took it down with a bet of 175,000 on the turn as Baldwin check-folded.
Hand #246: Baldwin limped in and Steinman checked. The same pattern was seen once again as the 
flop was checked before Steinman won the pot with a 175,000 bet on the turn.
Hand #247: Steinman limped in and Baldwin checked. The flop of 
was checked by both once more and the hit the turn. Baldwin check-called a bet of 175,000 this time, before check-calling 500,000 more on the river. Steinman tabled 
and Baldwin mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,925,000
-1,340,000
|
-1,340,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,925,000
1,340,000
|
1,340,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 20,000