Baldor crowned the king of Madrid

Pablo Baldor outlasted his opponents to take down the ParadisePoker Madrid after a gruelling final table lasted deep into the night.

The cash game pro finished the job by making a fine hero call with Q♥5♠ on a 7♠K♥5♥-2♥-2♠ board.

His opponent Jose Maria Somolinos had put the last of his chips into the pot on the river with a missed straight draw, but Baldor held his nerve to claim the PPT trophy plus the €4,000 added prize money.

Here's what he had to say after following in the footsteps of fellow Spanish pro Miguel 'Miki' Rodriguez, who won the 2010 event.

How does it feel to have won the ParadisePoker Tour Madrid?
It’s really nice to have won because I live in Madrid – this is my casino – and I’m not really a tournament player. This was just a bit of fun to be honest and it’s been just that, not just because I won but also because I played with friends along the way. I’m a professional cash game player right now but I enjoy tournaments, they make a nice break from the routine. If I can travel playing tournaments as well – that’s even better!

The one thing you don’t get in a cash game is that sense of being the winner, as opposed to up or down for the session, so is that a special feeling?
It’s a great competition and I enjoy that element but I’m not new to tournament poker, so while I’m happy to win I know luck played a big part along the way. I don’t feel like a world champion or anything!

You won back-to-back hands to knock out Robert Haigh on the final table when he had Aces and then Kings. When things like that happen, does it feel like destiny is playing a part for you?
The whole tournament I had things go my way. When we were at the bubble I won with QQ vs KK, so that has to be one of the key hands of the tournament. On Day 1 I won a big pot with Aces vs KK and another KK. The first hand with Robert, I called from the big blind with pocket 7s and flopped a set. I check-min raised him and although he called on the flop, he’s a good player and he made a great lay down on the turn. The second hand I had AQ in the small blind and I had a very big stack; he slow-played Kings and I had made the decision to check-raise all-in on the flop. Obviously he called and I hit runner runner diamonds – the rest is history!

The final table was a long one, lasting until past 5am in the morning, so were you still enjoying it as time wore on?
Getting to the final table in the first place was very tough but I used to play online tournaments, sometimes for 12 or more hours at a time, so it’s not a problem for me to play for so long. I tried to focus because although this was fun, it’s also my job and the money is important. The title is important too though.

With that in mind, the last four players made a deal and played on for €4,000 extra, so was it the money motivating you at that point or the prestige of winning the ParadisePoker Tour Madrid title?
Both. I don’t have a sponsor at the moment and this kind of win can help me achieve that goal. I’m a cash player so this is my best chance to get some recognition.

How much did it mean to have your girlfriend in the crowd cheering you on?
We agreed that if I had any chance to win the tournament, she would come here to cheer me on, hold the cheque in the photo and share the glory! {laughs} She’s already planned how to spend the money!