Jim Worth

Poker Source: What is your favorite childhood memory?

Jim Worth: Favorite childhood memory…wow…it would probably be winning a championship in hockey or football. High school was pretty big, when we won a provincial championship in football.

I also used to competitively ski race – that’s where “KrazyKanuck” came from. That’s when I won my first downhill race. When I stood on the podium and won the gold medal, that’s a great memory

PS: How has playing poker changed your life?

Jim Worth: It has completely changed the direction of my life. It started off as a recreational thing. When I started playing full time two to three years ago, it wasn’t a planned change…no thought of ever turning professional. I never went back working. I retired. Poker opened up a whole new world; meeting exciting people, going to exciting places, making a little bit of money, living a rock star life.

PS: What has been your biggest extravagance since turning pro?

Jim Worth: The only thing I think I’ve purchased is new furniture and a big screen television. The only thing that has changed is lifestyle changes, like traveling to exotic places…that’s been the biggest benefit.

PS: If you weren’t a poker player, how would you be earning a living?

Jim Worth: I probably would have done one of two things. I would either be back in car business or I would have started another company in Toronto; I used to have a coffee company. I would’ve been grinding it out just like everybody else (pun intended).

PS: What is the worst part of being recognized?

Jim Worth: Not being able to play in peace. That’s more online than anything else. I got a little bit of a reprieve this morning because Ultimate Bet was not working well. There are often forty people watching asking two million questions. It’s tough to concentrate on your game sometimes. You get your occasional stalkers.

Live, you suffer a beat and you just want to walk out of the building, but there are a lot of people who want to talk to you. There are just times when you want to be left alone. I don’t mind it, but that’s the one downfall.

PS: What was the lowest point and highest point in your poker career?

Jim Worth: The lowest point in my poker career would have been about a year and a half ago when I think some personal upheaval affected my game in a number of ways. I busted my bankroll. Everybody has their ups and downs and you have to keep your personal life separate from work. I try not to let it affect my game.

The highest point was when I made the final table that Chris Ferguson won in Rincon, San Diego.

Editor’s Note: This was the $10,000 WSOP Circuit Championship held from February 27, 2005 through March 2, 2005. Jim Worth placed 4th and won $158,840.

PS: Where is your favorite place to hang out when you’re not playing poker?

Jim Worth: Probably at the cottage that my girlfriend has outside of Toronto. Sitting out on the lake in a boat and just relaxing is great.

PS: What is your most significant or proudest non-poker accomplishment?

Jim Worth: Winning my first stock car race! [Laughs]

One of the best things was when I surprised my daughter with a cruise a couple of years ago and seeing her eyes light up. She is my world.

PS: Who would play YOU in the Jim Worth Story?

Jim Worth: [Laughs] Funny, that would be a pretty boring story. It’s got to be somebody like Peter North.

PS: What is your least favorite interview question?

Jim Worth: It probably has to do with who is my least favorite player.

I don’t like questions that infringe too much on my privacy or ask how much I make. Sometimes reporters just get too personal – there are areas of my life that I just want to keep private.

Originally published August 2, 2005