On December 6th, the World Series of Poker Paradise series begins in The Bahamas, with 15 WSOP bracelets on offer to players from all over the world. One player who will be determined to become the first player ever to win both the WSOP Paradise Main Event and the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas is all about the gold – Jamie Gold.
Back in 2006, Jamie Gold won $12 million as the world champion, a top prize that was only surpassed by Daniel Weinman’s $12.1 million victory in 2023. After 18 years passed in the blink of an eye, can Jamie Gold turn back the clock and become the champion in Paradise?
Rerun the Fun
“Last year’s WSOP Paradise was one of the best trips I have ever had.”
While Jamie Gold’s victory went into the history books for the top prize he took home, a great deal of fondness still exists in the poker community for the manner of his victory. Gold’s win further cemented the belief propagated by Moneymaker’s win three years earlier that anyone from any background could become the world champion.
Today, the growth of poker since the TV producer made his debut had changed the game hugely, something Jamie sees as a great thing.
“We are seeing the next poker boom and it’s so exciting,” he says. “Tournaments of all types and levels are breaking records for attendance and prize pools all over the world. It’s just a matter of time that TV and media coverage will catch up, more traditional brands are seeing the value of the massive community we have in gaming. Online and live, it’s a great time of growth.”
In case you haven’t seen the moment of victory for Jamie in 2006, here’s how Gold won gold in Las Vegas nearly two decades ago.
After a superb inaugural series in 2023, the 2024 WSOP Paradise festival is widely tipped to be another smash hit with poker fans and players. Gold can’t wait to go back after attending 12 months ago.
“Last year’s first one was truly special and impressive. It was one of the best trips I have ever had. The combo of a beautiful paradise vacation with WSOP poker events and GGPoker online events, all night cash games, Nobu and Jose Andres restaurants, and so many friends there is just wonderful. This year I’m much more prepared on how to focus my time to maximize everything, poker and the vacation aspects much better now that I know the place well. I am so excited!”
The Evolution of Jamie Gold
Back in 2006, Jamie was famous for aggressive pre-flop confrontations, either between hands or with players. The two decades that have almost passed since have mellowed him as a character and his play has developed over the years too.
“My game is in constant evolution based on everything available to learn, how other players think I play, and all the new styles of the next generation of pros and old school players adjusting to that,” he describes. “I think there are both positive and negative aspects to technology and AI (Artificial Intelligence), GTO (Game Theory Optimal) solver availability and how some abuse it. We all have to make the best of it and avoid the potential problems. There’s plenty of opportunity with growth though. I’m a lifelong student of this beautiful game that no human can master yet! – which makes it that much more interesting.”
Since he first burst on to the scene, Jamie’s game has been influenced by many players that he’s met along the way. Winning a $12 million top prize meant he could sit at virtually any poker table in the world. Uniquely, perhaps, some of his biggest influences haven’t always come from across the felt.
“People assume it’s famous professionals but for me it hasn’t been mostly,” Jamie says. “I was fortunate to learn from many brilliant legends of the game in the past, but if I’m looking at who has had the most impact it would be my closest friends over the last 20 years that are not famous but high level poker and analytical gaming minds. They have spent the most time with me learning and growing our games together.”
Game of Changes
”It’s as close as you can get to being in the event yourself.”
Poker has changed a lot since 2006. Selling and buying action has never been easier, with PokerStake now a market leader in helping players trade in minutes. Jamie thinks that it is only going to make the game of poker more accessible for players and fans all over the planet.
“It’s such a great option for players and friends and fans. I’ve been friendly with Josh [Arieh] for 20 years and have great respect for him as a poker player and business mind,” says Jamie. “The company understands what everyone needs and how to take care of the process. They have made it really simple and easy and it’s only going to get better, with more players offering and more backers winning and having a blast being part of the action. It’s as close as you can get to being in the event yourself, there’s a great energy to it.”
As a former poker producer of great repute, Jamie has always had a keen eye for what makes poker popular on television. The game has grown on screen too, and Jamie can foresee more improvements on the horizon.
“I love the way we can choose to see every hand and every moment of the entire game, and there’s much more that can be shown,” he says. “The current streams allow us a real-time experience of the actual play and it’s great for serious fans. I think the massive untapped general audience wants to see other aspects though and have it delivered in different ways for more engagement.”
Televised poker, along with the buoyant live poker scene, encourage Jamie that the game of poker is only going to get bigger and better.
“It’s a great time to be in the poker world, there’s so much potential to capture that old old-school excitement of the past and deliver new tech-supported content to expand the reach.”
Playing Poker in Paradise
”I’d love to win for the backers on PokerStake.”
Jamie Gold’s poker prowess in the 2006 WSOP Main Event was legendary. Amazingly, that event was the last ranking tournament he won, with his biggest result since a runner-up finish worth $139,820. That came in the 2016 Bicycle WSOP Circuit event where Antonio ‘The Magician’ Esfandiari got the better of him. What if Jamie Gold was to win the WSOP Paradise Main Event in 2024?
“I’m sorry you must mean when I win?” he laughs. “I don’t think it would change my life much at this point, [other than] some instant adrenaline and making my family and friends really happy. I would love to win it personally though – it would mean a lot.”
After so long since a trophy lift, Jamie promises to be philosophical about any results, focusing more on how he performs at the felt.
“As long as I played my best, got it in good in the right spots, understood exactly where I was in each hand, got to my highest level in my flow state, that’s what’s in my control.” He declares. “Some run good or just not to run bad could then be enough to go deep. I’d love to win for the backers on PokerStake of course, it just wouldn’t enhance my ability to raise and donate large funds for charitable causes I care about, as that was largely created by my 2006 win.”
As we leave Jamie, he’s ready to switch up from interview mode to full focus on the games ahead of him in December in The Bahamas.
“I’m focused and clear minded. I have to get back to studying, so I’m as prepared as possible.”
Jamie Gold’s WSOP Main Event win changed the face of poker back in 2006. The transformation of the game is such that in 2024, a repeat victory would have less of an effect on poker purely because of the immense growth Jamie himself contributed so much too.
One thing will never change, however, and that is Jamie Gold’s desire to win. Could it push him over the line once again 18 years on from his famous World Championship? You can follow his action, back him in WSOP Paradise events and track his results via his PokerStake staking page.
Check out the full range of players who are selling their action to WSOP Paradise 2024 via the official WSOP Paradise PokerStake page.
