While PokerStars is reportedly cutting back on its sponsorship of pro players, UB.com has re-signed Eric Baldwin. Calling the move “a no-brainer,” Baldwin says he’s “really feeling the new, younger Team UB.” The UB team definitely skews younger following the late 2010 addition of Prahlad Friedman and the shedding of Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth just before New Year’s. Man, how old must Doyle feel, if Annie Duke is considered skewing old?
Carbon Poker, last seen trotting out the totty via new spokesperson Tina Wallman, is to debut a brand new look, logo and VIP program on March 1. Poker News Daily quoted Carbon’s head of acquisition Atil Singh as promising the new & improved site would offer ‘great rewards, benefits and functionality.” Riveting stuff, but honestly, we would have preferred to have learned this from Tina’s lips…
March 1 will also see Liv Boeree making her debut as TV analyst for the UK & Ireland Poker Tour broadcasts over Channel 4. Boeree will appear alongside commentator Nick Wealthall, who will no doubt have a hard time getting noticed whenever the camera’s on the pair of them. The first episode will cover the recent event in Galway, while Nottingham will be filmed Feb. 11-14, with future stops in Manchester, Cork, Edinburgh and Dublin.
Finally, actress/poker pro Jennifer Tilly says playing the live game in Las Vegas can take its toll on a body over the long term. Tilly told StyleBistro.com that “human beings aren’t meant to live under fluorescent lights with artificial oxygen.” Living and playing in Vegas for months at a stretch creates an environment in which “there’s a lot of smoke in the air, you don’t get out in the sun, so you don’t get Vitamin D.” To stay in top form under these conditions, Tilly employs a personal trainer who also delivers lunchboxes of prepared healthy foods to the casinos. Don’t think for a moment that fact entitles you to have a bucket of KFC delivered to your local card room.
