Fresh off her victory at the 2019 World Poker Tour Los Angeles Poker Classic $25,000 High Roller, Maria Ho joins a list of female poker players who are making it big in the tournament circuit.
The Taiwanese-American player defeated Global Poker Index leader Kristen Bicknell after a heads-up bout. Ho took home 276,690, marking her second largest career cash to date.
Her runner-up victory in the 2011 World Series of Poker $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em event where she cashed out with $540,020, is still her best victory till date.
Ho Inspiring New Poker Players
Maria Ho has a number of key achievements under her belt. She was the “Last Woman Standing” twice at the 2007 and 2017 WSOP Main Event, and also had a similar performance in the WSOP Europe Main Event in 2011 and 2017.
Ho is also frequently heard and seen in the poker media, with her connection to the Heartland Poker Tour. She’s currently working with ESPN and PokerGo for their summer coverage of the WSOP. Ho is definitely one of the poker pros that a lot of aspiring female players look up to for inspiration.
In an interview for a recent episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show, the L.A. native shared some advice for players to improve their skills.
#Keep Learning
Ho emphasized the importance of taking advantage of all videos and training resources that can be accessed online, and via poker outlets like PokerGO. She said new players can get an idea of how the top poker pros do their thing by watching these videos which enable them to learn new concepts and techniques as they take new steps in their poker journey.
Allocating time on a regular basis to fully analyze the videos will help players enhance their game. The poker pro admits that she still spends time watching poker videos which help her reinforce what she already knows. The key is to be honest with yourself and to never stop learning.
#Put Your Ego Aside
Ho said players must be prepared to test themselves against players of all skill levels. You don’t need to play against the best players all the time. Putting your ego aside will help you climb up the ladder and improve your strategy.
When it comes to playing at prestigious tournaments, her first tip is for players to learn the art of pacing one’s game based on the format involved. Second, as a beginner, you don’t need to force the action or get overexcited as you will only end up making mistakes. Instead, you can let the game play out and allow your opponents to make the wrong move.
