Katy, Texas native David Baker, confused by many with online poker stud David “Bakes” Baker, was seated at the feature table on Day 7 of the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Despite squaring off against the menacing lineup that included John “$JMONEY$” Racener, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, bracelet winner Hasan Habib, Matt “mcmatto” Affleck, and William Thorson, Baker thrived.
Baker helped his cause earlier in the day, doubling through Evgeny Shnayder with A-K of spades against A-9 of diamonds. Neither player’s hand improved and Baker shot up to nearly four million in chips. He turned in an impressive 2010 WSOP prior to the Main Event, finishing third in one of six open $1,000 No Limit Hold’em events and cashing for $203,000. In the $10,000 buy-in feature poker tournament, Baker finished 17th for $396,000.
In a $3,000 HORSE tournament during the 2010 WSOP that featured bracelet #8 for Full Tilt Poker pro Phil Ivey, Baker finished sixth and picked up $50,000. Counting the Main Event, Baker logged an impressive seven in the money finishes at the 2010 WSOP, held yearly at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
In 2009, Baker finished 29th in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship, banking $49,000. One year prior and back at the Rio for the WSOP, Baker landed in third on the leaderboard in a $2,000 Limit Hold’em event for $78,000.
One of his largest cashes came all the way back in 2006, before many poker players reading this were serious about their games. Baker was busy taking down a $2,425 No Limit Hold’em event during the L.A. Poker Classic for $71,000 in a final table that also included Al Barbieri and Full Tilt’s Gavin Smith. In 2007, he made a run at the WPT Championship, but this time came up short in 23rd place for nearly $100,000. That year, of course, former WSOP Main Event winner Carlos Mortensen edged out Kirk Morrison for the $4 million top prize.
