Eric Baldwin wins 2009 WSOP bracelet in event 3426-year old poker pro and Henderson, NV resident Eric Baldwin won his first career WSOP bracelet last night in 2009 WSOP Event #34, $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em. This bracelet should fit nicely in his trophy case which already includes a NCAA Division III National championship in baseball, which came in 2005 while he was a senior and played center field for the Warhawks from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. With multiple six figure cashes under his belt and a $521,932 payday last night, it’s safe to say his poker career is paying off.

Here were the chip counts at the start of final table play.

Seat 1: Jonas Klausen – 2,535,000
Seat 2: Andrew Youngblood – 895,000
Seat 3: Martin Jacobson – 686,000
Seat 4: James Taylor — 859,000
Seat 5: Eric Baldwin – 1,586,000
Seat 6: Eric DeFontes — 385,000
Seat 7: Benjamin Scholl — 1,075,000
Seat 8: Steven Bradbury — 942,000
Seat 9: Roland de Wolfe — 419,000

It did not take long for the final table to have its first casualty, as Eric DeFontes finished in ninth receiving $60,355 after his pocket fours failed to outrace Jonas Klausen’s Ah10h. He was followed to the rail by Martin Jacobson ($65,487) who got all in preflop with Ad9s against Eric Baldwin’s pocket queens, and the ace-free board sent him out in eighth place, good for $65,487. Shortly before the dinner break, Baldwin moved to second in chips after he doubled with kings versus Bradbury’s pocket queens.

On the first hand after the dinner break short stacked Steven Bradbury pushed all in with As 6c and was called by James Taylor’s 9h6h. Unfortunate for him a nine came out on the flop sending Bradbury home in seventh to collect $74,352. In a blind versus blind pot Jonas Klausen flopped a straight against Andrew Youngblood’s flopped set of sixes. The board failed to pair and Youngblood was to the rail in sixth place to collect $89,222.

Roland de Wolfe attempt to join Brock Parker and Phil Ivey as multiple 2009 WSOP bracelet winners fell a little short as he finished sixth for $112,957. Following de Wolfe to the rail was Benjamin Scholl ($150,133) when an Ace came on the river to best his flopped pair of kings.

Three handed play lasted for quite some time with several changes in chip lead. The streak of no eliminations finally burst when Baldwin shoved on the 3s5d7c flop with 7d9d and Taylor called all in with KhQs. No help came on the turn or river, sending Taylor home in third place, worth $213,046.

When heads up play began Eric Baldwin held a slight chip lead over Jonas Klausen. The lead went back and forth for a while early, until a key hand that saw Baldwin raise to 190K, Klausen call and the flop come 10s4sQh. Klausen checked, Baldwin bet 255,000, Klausen check-raised to 805,000, Baldwin instantly moved in, and Klausen snap-called. It was a cooler for Klausen as Baldwin had 4d4h for a flopped set, while Klausen showed Qs10h for top two pair. Klausen could win the tournament if another queen or ten appeared, but the 2c and 3h turn and river dropped him down to 1,350,000 while Baldwin had over 8,000,000 to take a commanding chip lead.

On the final hand Baldwin raised to 165K, Klausen immediately shoved and Baldwin made an instant call as he turned over 10c10h while Klausen showed AhQh for a classic race situation. The board ran 6d Js Ks 6h 5s and Jonas Klausen was the runner up receiving $322,371 and Eric Baldwin was the 2009 WSOP Event 34 champion.