Maria Ho: “I Want People To Love The Game As Much As I Do”

When it comes to respected professionals in the poker community, Maria Ho has really made a name for herself while building a résumé that is hard to beat.

The Taiwan-born, Los Angeles-raised poker pro has managed to not only find success on the felt as one of the winningest female players of all time, but also has made her mark as a respected voice for other women in the game, as well as a fan-favorite commentator on numerous poker broadcasts and livestreams. (You may have even seen her on some non-poker TV like The Amazing Race, Deal or No Deal and even American Idol.)

The Women In Poker Hall Of Fame member has racked up close to $5 million in career tournament earnings while also more than holding her own in big cash games. She was the last woman standing in the WSOP on three different occasions and has several WSOP final tables, coming tantalizingly close to her first bracelet just last December at the WSOP Paradise series.

Card Player spoke with the 41-year-old to catch up and reflect on some of the major milestones of her nearly two-decade career.

Jesse Fullen: Your first recorded tournament cash came back in January of 2005, nearly 20 years ago. Can you talk about what poker meant to you at that time?

Maria Ho: I discovered poker my first year in college, at UC San Diego. I instantly fell in love with the game and it spoke to my competitive spirit. In 2005, I was set to graduate that summer and still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do immediately out of college.

That first score was actually the first tournament I had ever played, and making the final table solidified that I wanted to take it to the next level. My enthusiasm and interest in pursuing the game on a professional level was definitely peaking around this time.

I had only played in home games and cash games at my local card room until this point, and had never experienced a tournament format. Seeing people get eliminated and the room get emptier around me and the idea of playing down to one winner was really exciting. Making the final table on my first tournament cash ever was exhilarating. I thought I was going to win the whole thing!

JF: Then you started making trips to the WSOP. Could you have imagined that you would still be doing it all these years later?

MH: I had just graduated from college with a bachelor’s in communications and a minor in law. I decided a few months before I graduated that I would take the year off to travel and play poker with the money I made/saved up from playing poker recreationally. After the year was up, my plan was to go back to grad school and get a master’s in business administration.

That was my first time playing in the WSOP as I had just turned 21 in March. I remember feeling incredibly intimidated when I sat down at my first event. I only played three events that summer, so cashing one out of three was a good result especially since I went in with no expectations.

At this point it had been almost a full year since I graduated, and in the meantime, I was primarily playing cash. Fortunately for me, things had been going well so I had given myself an extension from one year to two years that I would take off before going back to school. Having a five-figure score that was worth 26 buy-ins less than a year after I started playing poker more seriously was very rewarding. Cash games were still my bread and butter, but that big score absolutely gave me more motivation to keep going.

JF: You really started to make a name for yourself in poker in 2007, when you finished 38th in the main event and earned $237,865.

MH: This was the second time I played the main event. I satellited in my first time in 2006 but did not cash. Going this deep in my second $10,000 buy-in tournament ever was a surreal experience. Looking back, it feels like a blur.

I remember being so exhausted after play ended every night and was running on pure adrenaline. Given how green I was back then, I think ignorance was bliss for me. I’m sure I made so many mistakes, but it worked out because I was fairly aggressive and felt like I was underestimated by my opponents and got away with a lot.

JF: Did it surprise you that people made a big deal about being the last woman standing? (A feat she would repeat three more times, including once in the WSOP Europe main event.)

MH: Being the last woman standing wasn’t necessarily a goal of mine or something I paid much attention to in the moment. I didn’t know that was even a thing or an accolade that garnered attention. I was more focused on playing my best and wasn’t worried about what was going on around me.

I remember one of the ESPN cameras came up to me while I was bagging for the night at the end of day 4 and they asked me, “How does it feel to be the last woman standing?” and my response was, “I don’t want to be the last woman standing, I want to be the last person standing.”

Going super deep in the main and getting such a big score helped validate my decision to step away from returning to academia. I always felt like my ambitions and desires in life never fit into that perfect box that my parents wanted for me, and poker was something I did that felt like it was just for me, and not something I was doing to please someone else.

JF: Suddenly you weren’t just paying the bills with poker, but living a jet-set poker life. How was your life changing and what were your goals at that time?

MH: For me, the best part of being able to play poker for a living was getting to see the world. The experiences I had interacting with people from all different walks of life and learning about other cultures were the most fulfilling parts for me. Poker can feel very lonely at times, and quite adversarial, so the things I did away from the table that brought me joy really grounded me.

It was nice to see the results continue to come, as I felt like I was improving by leaps and bounds. I wanted to see how I stacked up against players from all over the world, and it definitely helped my confidence to hold my own against all kinds of opponents.

I enjoyed the immense amount of freedom I had, both with how I chose to spend my time and not having to answer to anyone but myself. It also made me realize how important it was to treat poker with the discipline and respect that you would for any other job. Longevity has always been the most important thing to me, so I always made sure to manage my bankroll wisely, and not fall prey to some of the vices that can come with being in a casino environment all the time. My goals at this time were to continue to get better and hone my craft so that I could keep moving up stakes and challenging myself.

JF: The one thing missing on your list of poker accomplishments is a WSOP bracelet. You’ve had several close calls, most notably a runner-up finish in the $5,000 event for $540,020, and a third-place just last winter in the $1,500 event for $200,000. You’ve had nine top-six finishes overall.

MH: With the second-place finish, I knew it wouldn’t be easy as my opponent was Allen Bari, an accomplished professional player at the time, but I was ready for the moment. You never know how many opportunities you will get to be back there, so I tried to enjoy it, win or lose.

It would have obviously been the defining moment of my career up until that point. Winning a bracelet in my mind was the ultimate poker accomplishment. But at this point in my life, although I would still love to win a bracelet, I don’t think it would define my career. I feel pretty satisfied with my achievements and what I have done in the game, and although a bracelet would be a great addition to my résumé, it wouldn’t make or break it.

My goals these days are to just continue improving as a player, staying ahead of the curve, and help innovate ways in which to keep poker a mainstay for many, many years to come. I also would like to help improve the environment that we play in so that everyone feels welcome.

JF: In addition to gracing our ears with your lovely voice during the WSOP main event broadcast (a nice contrast to Lon and Norm!), you also had 16 cashes this summer.

MH: I am happy with my performance this summer overall and the most important thing is that I feel like I played well. It’s important to stay consistent, and the more cashes you have, the more opportunities you have essentially to be knocking at the door of a win.

JF: Is that how you define a good summer?

MH: How well did I play? That’s first and foremost. The rest is just variance.

I think when I was younger the scoreboard was pretty important, but it’s less so now. Of course, we are doing it to be profitable, but the process is just as important. How focused I am going in, how well studied I am for the situations I will face, and how mentally resilient I am during the long and draining grind makes me feel most prepared to have a good summer.

JF: You are now eligible for the Poker Hall of Fame, although it appears there is a long waiting list there. The Women In Poker Hall Of Fame, however, inducted you back in 2018.

MH: It was an incredible honor to be the youngest to ever be inducted. I have so much respect to the women who came before me and blazed that trail, so to be voted in by them was very humbling.

JF: There weren’t a lot of female role models in poker back when you were getting into the game. Was there anybody who inspired you or who you wanted to model your game after?

MH: I always looked up to Jen Harman because she was often the only woman playing the highest stakes and competing against the best of the best. I also look up to Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher for their passion and dedication to the game.

JF: How important is your legacy in the poker world to you?

MH: Legacy is important to me to the extent that I hope I leave poker a better place than when I came in, whether that is being a part of providing a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and environment to play in, or breaking glass ceilings and inspiring others to do the same. I want people to love the game as much as I do, and to show my appreciation for everything poker has given me and the opportunities it has afforded me.

JF: Do you have any wisdom to share with those who want to build a lasting career in poker like you have?

MH: My best advice would be to always be a student of the game. The game is so intricate and complex, there will always be more to learn. The results will come if you put the time and effort in. Most importantly, find the confidence to take a seat at the table, and don’t allow other people’s perceptions of your abilities make you doubt yourself! ♠

Notable Tournament Scores

*Photos by PokerGO, World Poker Tour, & Maria Ho