Gaëlle Baumann lays down her crown
Par dans General
She spent thirteen years with Team Winamax, making her mark on French poker while becoming an international star. Today, Gaëlle Baumann is leaving poker behind.
"I'm very happy to have had this adventure. I was 26 when I joined the Team, and so much has happened!" she confided before her last tournament in Dijon, during a freeroll on the Winamax Poker Tour. It's a great way for the woman who started playing the game as part of a poker association to come full circle...
Over thirteen busy years, Gaëlle has represented Winamax with class and professionalism, without ever losing touch with the fans. Whether at prestigious tournaments like the European Poker Tour or at local events, she always displayed the same enthusiasm. With no nostalgia or regrets, she feels she's "been around the block". And with plenty of future plans. "But what are they?" we hear you ask. Well, we'll tell you all about them. But first, let's take a look back - a long way back.
WSOP 2012: the beginning and a turning point
The 2012 WSOP will certainly be staying in the history books for Gaelle: still a novice, she got through the long hours of the Main Event with remarkable composure, despite the intense pressure. "I wasn't used to withstanding such tension for so long." Her performance, crowned by a win of almost $600,000, made a lasting impression, although that 10th place finish was difficult to accept for a long time. "Looking back, I think I did the best I could with my experience."
From then on, year after year, Gaëlle Baumann's every move on the Main Event was closely scrutinised by American TV cameras, all too happy to see the return of the "gazelle". It was a love affair that would endure, with a new deep run four years later, finishing on the doorstep of the Top 100, again with the honorary title of Last Woman Standing. It took her just one more year to find herself back in the spotlight, this time on Day 1, via a hand that has become the stuff of WSOP legend, against another female legend of the game, Vanessa Selbst. Four of a kind versus full house: a move that sent shivers down the spine of Las Vegas and strengthened the aura of our Pro across the Atlantic. Baumann will always remember this fame with an ambivalent mixture of pride and embarrassment, as if she couldn't understand what she had done to deserve so much attention.
"2013, the year after, was completely crazy," she recounts, still surprised by the events. "As soon as I arrived in Vegas, my taxi driver glanced in his rear-view mirror and said something like ‘I recognise you... Oh yeah you play poker!' A few days later, I'm out shopping and a guy shouts out in the mall: ‘Gaëlle Baumann! Come on, let's take a photo!' And as I was leaving with my bags under 45° weather, another guy recognised me and offered to give me a lift to my flat. I also remember another time, in the Eurostar station, when a guy screamed through the window to get his photo... which he ended up getting. It calmed down after that, but it still happens from time to time, and it's got my mates who aren't into poker in a tizzy. That's when you realise how many people play poker."
A model of longevity
Over the years, Gaëlle has remained close to amateurs, taking part in local events and supporting clubs such as MAD Poker Club in the French department of Drôme. Her other notable results on the circuit include a 2nd place finish at the WiPT Grand Final in 2014. However, she admits that she has struggled to keep up with technical developments in the game, often settling for traditional methods. Despite this, she was able to remain competitive, thanks in part to her solid groundwork.
Her departure marks the end of an era for Team Winamax, of which she was one of the emblematic figures. "She was always humble and efficient," says her coach Stéphane Matheu. If she leaves the professional circuit, Gaëlle is not ruling out playing in more fun tournaments in the future, such as the SISMIX or the WiPT final. "I want to rediscover the fun I lost, to play for pleasure."
Thirteen years wearing the W patch leaves a lasting impression on a team. "She's an emblematic figure in the team, continues the coach. After Davidi, she was the second oldest member. Inevitably, it feels like a page is being turned." We also have Dav', who has been alongside her at every stage of her career and life. "I have a lot of good memories with the gazelle over the years: the adventures when we were young and carefree, then the stage when we became parents. She's mellowed a bit with age, but she's always kept her little touch of madness and need for fun in her life! She was always up for philosophical discussions accompanied by a little drink (and then a second), until nightfall if necessary. I'm going to miss all that, but I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again very soon!" Pierre Calamusa has the same opinion. "She's a legend of the game who's leaving. When I think of her, my head is full of memories... It's very sad to see her go. I'm also losing a friend, she was without doubt the person I was closest to in the Team. I'm going to miss her."
Finding the fun again
For Gaëlle, the next step will involve a number of things. Poker? Probably, as long as she rediscovers some of that "lost fun". "Being part of a team like Team Winamax means a lot of obligations. I'm completely OK with that, any job comes with its share of constraints, but it really ended up weighing on my motivation. I'm relieved to be leaving, because it's no longer what I liked to do. But I'm lucky to have chosen how I depart: it's my decision, and everything ends on good terms."
Especially as... it's not really over, is it? "We'll be running into each other again, yes! I'll probably come and play in the final of the Winamax Poker Tour in Aix-en-Provence, which is just down the road from where I live, and get my kicks on at SISMIX. I want to rediscover the pleasure of playing in 500-euro tournaments. That's why I don't feel nostalgic: I don't really feel like I'm leaving."
As for the rest, Gaëlle has no shortage of ideas. "I have a real estate project that I hope will come to fruition this year. I'm also interested in trading. I've got all the technical work to do, but I feel I could enjoy it. I've got the mindset, the bankroll management, the ability to manage risk... There are a lot of similarities with poker, without the disadvantages because I can do it from home, with simpler hours." Any final words? "I'd obviously like to thank the bosses at Wina, Christophe and Alex, for putting their trust in me over all these years, and all of you for your support." Thank you Gaëlle, we'll be seeing you soon!
2012 - 2025: memories
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