Poker News Daily: You took sixth in a €1,500 buy-in preliminary tournament held during the Irish Poker Open. Talk about the poker scene in Ireland and connecting with your roots.
Gold: I went because PaddyPower invited me. I’m Irish and was actually born Jamie Usher, so it’s in my blood. It’s why I don’t tan very well. They invited me to come trace my roots. When I got there, they said that I could say anything I wanted to during the tournament. I could actually say my hole cards out loud. The people are so into it and the speech play is amazing. There has to be a limit to it, like if you scream at people, but I believe in the psychology of gamesmanship. I got some people to make unbelievably bad calls and lay down hands. It absolutely gave me an advantage, but Ireland has become one of my favorite places to play. However, I will always love the World Series of Poker because it afforded me the opportunity to do what I do today. It’s the most important tournament series because it has the best players in the world.
PND: Tell us about PaddyPower’s hospitality.
Gold: The day I got there, Liam Flood, who is a very successful longtime European player from Ireland, greeted me. Right away, they made me feel at home. The people at PaddyPower are so much fun and happy to be alive. Some sites are so overworked, but these people were having a blast. They do a really great job.
PND: Talk about the play of those in the tournament.
Gold: They are very loose and love to gamble. They are not really concerned with whether they’re ahead or not. There were a lot of people who bought in that, chances are, wouldn’t win the tournament because they wouldn’t make enough proper choices when it counted. However, they didn’t care.
The only place I can remember with more gamble was the Master Classics of Poker in Amsterdam. In that event, I didn’t think there was any chance that I wouldn’t make the final table. The people there are also so generous, kind, and friendly; Marcel Luske is the best host. Ireland reminded me a lot of Amsterdam. They’ve had poker there forever, but they don’t take it as competitively and seriously.
PND: Talk about your team’s win in the Dream Team Poker event at Caesars Palace in March.
Gold: It was a blast to play, but it was a very tough field. You had people like Mike Matusow and Phil Hellmuth on the same team. People were smart about picking the best players. I was doing it more just to have fun, so I picked a friend and my ex-girlfriend. It was so cool to be rooting for someone else and it made me play much better. I played carefully at certain points and also caught a couple of lucky breaks. When I was about blinded out, I waited and got aces on the big blind. That was pretty fortunate. There were moments when I would have normally pushed, but didn’t. Team poker makes you play really carefully. It’s also a great thing that, if you bust out first, you can still win.
PND: Can you see the concept of team poker catching on in the United States and around the world?
Gold: In this economy, it would make a lot of sense. In general, I can’t believe no one has thought of it. I think it should be a WSOP event. To me, poker in and of itself can get a little mundane. That’s why I’m starting to get into Omaha and other games. Omaha is such a bluffer’s game and as a bluffer, it’s a blast. In three or four years, I think it will overtake Hold’em.
PND: You are in the process of organizing a charity poker tournament featuring Edward Norton in Cannes prior to the annual Film Festival. What can you tell us about it?
Gold: We’re putting together the ultimate celebrity poker charity event at the Cannes Film Festival. I’m hosting it along with Edward Norton. The list of people is unbelievable and I’m going to host and emcee it.
PND: Explain why charity is so important to you.
Gold: I try to do as many as 30 events per year. When I started my Foundation, I figured out that I have to pick the organizations that are closest to my heart. Playing poker is such a selfish endeavor and charity makes you feel like you’re giving something back. If I can help affect change in a positive way, I feel like my life is worth something.