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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Hollywood player wins one of poker’s big pots


Jamie Gold, of Malibu, Calif., celebrates after winning $12 million at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas on Friday. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Ryan Nakashima Associated Press

LAS VEGAS – When Jamie Gold bluffed, his opponents folded. When he had the best hand, they threw in all their chips.

With a run of cards, a huge chip stack and an uncanny knack for reading other players, Gold, a talkative former Hollywood talent agent, cajoled his way to victory Friday at the World Series of Poker for the $12 million grand prize.

“I was just lucky sometimes, and sometimes I outplayed people,” said Gold, a 36-year-old Malibu, Calif., resident. “I just feel really fortunate. I was playing some great poker. The best poker of my life.”

The 12-day marathon ended with the flourish that Gold made his trademark. With $3.9 million in chips in the pot, Gold declared “all in” and stood beside the pile of cash at the table to convince the last remaining player, Paul Wasicka, it was his for the taking.

“I knew that he was weak, but he had a hand. And then I knew it was my chance,” said Gold. “I went all in, and then I just went into my act.”

Wasicka, a 25-year-old former restaurant manager from Westminster, Colo., had seen it before. Earlier, Gold took down a $3 million pot from him and sixth-place finisher Richard Lee by bluffing while holding only an unsuited two and three.

On the final hand, Wasicka held pocket 10s – or two 10s as hole cards – with a board of queen, eight, five. Wasicka said later he thought Gold was drawing to a straight. Instead Gold had a queen and nine, for a better pair, when the turn revealed an ace and the final, or river, card was a four.

“He did a really good job tricking me on the last hand,” Wasicka said. “I felt like based on the previous half hour he was in a gambling mood. My gut just told me to go for it, and I just went for it, and I was wrong.”

Still, second-place earned Wasicka $6.1 million.

In the midst of a poker boom fueled by the Internet and televised coverage, the no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em event drew a record 8,773 entrants this year, a dramatic jump from the 5,619 who played last year.

This year, the Texas Hold ‘Em event was a physically punishing one, and seven of the last nine surviving players were in their 20s or 30s.

Gold said he slept little during more than a week of play, but shunned sugar or caffeine. Instead, he drank vitamin-enriched water and ate two or three bowls of blueberries a day.

Gold said he would share the money with friends and supporters and give the rest to help his father, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease.

When the lights went up and play was over, Gold flipped open his cell phone and called home as the cameras rolled.

“Hi Dad, it’s Jamie, are you there? I just won.”

Gold plans to return to work in Hollywood next week. He is now the production head of Buzznation, a production and marketing company. But he will return to next year’s tournament.

“I’m not saying I’m anywhere near the best,” Gold said. But “I want to be the best poker player there’s ever been.”