Over the last few days I’ve had the chance to catch up with a few of Daniel Cates WSOP2012 “Doing Good Deeds” film makers. I was pretty keen to talk to Charles Nda as I really wanted to know how he came up with such an innovative video.
Hey Charles thanks for taking the time to chat, well lets start with basics: age, city, and of course when did you first start playing poker?
I’m 34 years old. I live in Nantes (France) and started playing poker 2 years ago.
So what stakes and poker games do you normally play when playing online or live? Do you mainly play online poker, live poker, or a mixture of both?
I play SnG and tournaments, I’m a casual player of cash game too. I like the story told by a game of poker (even bad beats!). I like to take my time to look at the other players. That’s the reason why I do prefer deepstack tournaments.
I play PLO and NLH, online (80%) as well as live (20%). I’d like to play more live tournaments, but time is precious and, for now, it’s impossible – I have first to take care of my kid born a few months ago! But I have been a member of a poker club since 2011 to improve my poker skills and to play some live tournaments.
Ever played in a major event such as a WPT, EPT, or WSOP tournament?
Yes! I took part in the WSOP Event #54 in 2010. An amazing story : I took a real interest in poker in 2005, when WPT tournaments started to be commented on French TV by a famous French actor (Patrick Bruel). I had some money in a poker room and I played my first online tournament in April 2010 (buy-in: 5$). I won the first one and got a free ticket to another one, that I won! Winamax told me : “Congrats! You won 1500$ to take part in the WSOP Event #54 and 1500$ for your travel and subsistence expenses!” It was like a dream. I remember I was checking WSOP rules in the plane!!
Unfortunately, I was out on Day 1 (AA v. straight draws). But I have absolutely no regret. I look at the bright side of it and it was like a living dream. I met professional poker players and had a very good time in Vegas.
I think I wasn’t ready to play in such a big tournament, but I promised myself to come back to the Rio one day.
Nice, well tell us then what other hobbies and interests do you have outside of poker? Any interesting facts about yourself that you’d like to share?
I really like movies, silent movies (Charlie Chaplin, not “The Artist”!) and Michel Gondry’s poetry.
I like history of art, or more specifically the history of the artist behind the art. I like to understand how an artist can express his emotions and the difficult moments he went through in his life just in a painting or a sculpture.
I write screenplays and novels (projects I’d like to complete at least!). I like to get outside with the girl I will soon marry and to observe the birds. And I like sports, all sports (soccer, of course, but not only); I have a blog called “Objectif Sport”
Do you have a day job or do you play poker professionally? Still in school? Some combination of all of the above?
I’m a lawyer but I’d rather be a movie maker, a photograph or a sport journalist!!
Who are some of your favorite professional poker players? Which players would you be most scared to see at your table? Any pros you hope to play with?
Phil Ivey, Scotty Nguyen, Tom Dwan, Bertrand Grospellier (not only because he’s French) impress me and I’d hold them in awe!!! But the one I’d like to play with is Daniel Negreanu (the “Ki(n)d Poker”!) – and the legendary Doyle Brunson of course! Ohh wait of course Tony G. because he always says that French people are the worst poker players in the world!!
Can you tell me how you came up with such a a good video?
As I’ve already said, I promised myself I’ll come back one day to Vegas to play a WSOP tournament. When Daniel Cates and PartyPoker launched his contest and I learned that people had to send videos, I looked at my son and I told him that it was my chance. He smiled at me and I said “Okay! You’re right, Go!”
Then, I started thinking “What good deeds?” (like you can see in “Good deeds 2.0”). My fiancée and I wanted to make a movie about a bear who will do different good deeds by saving some animals, but I had no costume! So I decided to do a funny tribute to one of my passions; special thanks to James Cameron and David Cronenberg for this! And to PartyPoker and Jungleman, who gave me the opportunity to make this film. It was very fun!
Thanks so much Charles, and of course good luck !
So if you missed it here’s Charles video, and remember head on over to the ‘Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates WSOP Main Event Challenge – So Who Would You Pick?’ page, watch all the videos, like which ones you want and tell us which ones rock in the comment box!
