AOL World Series of Poker Profiles: Dawn Baleno

AOL sent six lucky winners to the World Series of Poker 2008 in Las Vegas this year. We had such a great team this year! One even placed in the top 100! AOL games are running a series of winner interviews of our top players. Our poker studs beat out tens of thousands of other players to get a shot at the World Series of Poker Championship. AOL games is a family. For our next player spotlight, representing the ladies of poker, Mrs. Dawn Baleno

Dawn you are under the AOL games spotlight

How do you feel about representing AOL in the World Series of Poker?
I was proud to represent AOL in the WSOP it's where I practiced and learned the most in tournament play. I told a lot of people that I won the chance to be in the WSOP and when they asked how I did it I was excited to say AOL sent me.

What is your occupation?
I am a housewife, mom and college student.

Tell us about your family and who will be accompanying you to the WSOP?
I live in Rochester New York, My husband is Chris Baleno we have three children, one son (Kevin) and two daughters (Amanda and Kirsten). Unfortunately my husband couldn't get the time off from his job to go to Las Vegas with me. So I brought someone that would enjoy the trip almost as much as I would, my brother Christopher Boulis who is a huge poker fan.

What is it about poker that so engrossing for you?
It's a thinking game, anyone can have any hand at anytime, you may not have the best hand but if you play like you do and are convincing enough you can steal the pot. Luck is a big factor but skill is what usually takes you further in the game.

Is there any advice you would give to the online poker playing public?
Play calm, stay focused and try not to let your emotions control how you play. e.

Do you have "lucky" items?
I have a few lucky items. My mom gave me her cross necklace, A pair of earrings I'm going to wear from my daughter Amanda, another pair from my husband Chris, a card from my son Kevin that plays the song "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers a picture of my daughter Kirsten on my cell phone where she "wrote no guts no glory" on the screen, and a coin with special meaning to me.

If you win a huge prize, what will you do with the money?
This is the easiest question for me, I don't even need to think about my answer. I would pay off my bills, my house, then put some aside for my kids for their future. If I got final table kind of money then I would give my parents, my sister (Debbie) and my brothers (Donny, Ray and Christopher) money to help them pay off their bills. They are all hard workers they have been their whole life it would mean the world to me if I could make things a little easier for all of us.

What did you do when you won your online tournament and found out you'd be going to play in the lives WSOP?
I screamed and jumped up and down with my daughter Kirsten, she was there watching me play, encouraging me and telling me at certain times "remember mom, no guts no glory".

Do you play other games on AOL?
Yes, I pretty much stick to card games, I usually play Spades, Hearts, and Euchre.

Are you making any special preparations for the WSOP?
Yes, I watched a couple of Annie Duke's DVD's on Texas Hold 'em. I also went to Seneca Niagara Casino where I played in a couple small tournaments to get use to playing with people in person. I have to say Thanks to Amanda at Seneca Niagara she helped me with all my questions I had about real tournament play.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After playing in the tournament, we asked Dawn about her experience-

Did playing online WSOP Poker prepare you for the real thing?
I think playing online helped me learn the game and was a great way to practice especially for free. But it isn't exactly the same as the real thing because there are so many people online that goof around and will go all in the first hand knowing they have nothing real to lose. To be honest the people that do that online are the ones that helped me learn to be patient and not get so emotional when I play, so actually I should thank them for the way I play now.

What was it like to play in the Main Event at the World Series of Poker?
It was an absolutely amazing experience, I was excited, nervous and wanted to prove I was good enough to be there too, it's something I will never forget. I have AOL to thank for one of the best times of my life, Thank you to everyone that helped me with the trip of a lifetime.

Did you have any big hands where you won a lot of money?
Yes, I had pocket K's that doubled me up against one player and knocked out another. That hand put me in the third spot on the leader board, which was very cool to see (I even have a picture of it).

What was your last hand?
My last hand also happened to be pocket Kings's, I lost to a person who put me all in, all they had was a gut shot straight draw and they caught it on the river.

If you could compete in the Main Event again, what would you do differently?
I honestly believe I played a pretty good game I was knocked out by a bad beat, the only thing I think I would change is to learn to bet better so that I don't let players in a hand that don't really have anything. I made it easy for them to play cheap and get lucky against me more than once.

Did you have a strategy going into the tournament? If so, what was it and did it work for you?
My only strategy was trying not to be so awe struck by all the people that I've watched on TV so I can't focus on my game lol. I was so excited when I walked around seeing all the professional players and celebrities, but once I sat at the table I was all business.

Describe the whole experience of being a player at the 2008 WSOP? What was the best moment? What was the worst?
It's hard to describe the experience, it was so amazing that I have a huge smile on my face now just thinking about all the exciting things I saw and did. There isn't really a way to explain the feeling and expect someone to fully understand unless they experience it themselves. I had such a rush of excitement, and panic come over me the minute I walked into the poker room to find my table. The best moment for me (at the table) was when I doubled up through one player and knocked out another player in one hand with my pocket K's. I have two favorite moments away from the table, the first one was when I showed up at the Rio to check in, my sister Debbie surprised me by being there waiting for me with a gift basket and a good luck balloon. I wasn't expecting her to be there I was disappointed when she said she couldn't make the trip with me. Seeing her and knowing she came there on her own to support me made me realize even more how lucky I really am, money can't buy everything and what my sister did for me was proof of that. Playing in the tournament on AOL $0 getting a seat at the WSOP $10,000 buying new pair of sunglasses for the WSOP $15 .... my sister surprising me at the Rio Hotel ....priceless :) The second best moment for me was meeting two of my favorite players and finding out they are as nice in person as they seem to be on TV, Daniel Negreanu and Antonio Esfandiari. My worst moment was being knocked out by a bad beat with my pocket K's. That stung a bit but I got over it after a while when I looked out my window realized where I was and what I did was already an accomplishment. So other than a few sulking hours after a bad beat my trip was amazing and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Real people do win on AOL I'm proof of it :)