Maria Comes Back for More

Mario Ho burst into the poker scene last year when she was the last woman standing in the main event of the 2007 World Series of Poker. She finished 38^th overall to win over $230,000, and returns to this year's event with even higher expectations.

Ho, a recent graduate from the University of California-San Diego, is competing in the final session of day 1 play and spoke with Card Player magazine during an afternoon break between levels.


Cameron Yoos: You have about $14,000 in chips through the first two levels (four hours) of play on day 1. You're not short-stacked, but it isn't where you want to be.

Maria Ho: It's not, but there are so many tournaments where I have like $10,000 and the blinds are 100/200 with a quarter ante which is going to be the next level, and I feel good. It's only because I started with 20,000 that now I feel like "Oh, I need some more chips". I mean, granted, with the structure, I feel fine. But I'm having trouble taking that into perspective.

CY: Is patience something that comes natural for you, or is it something that you've had to develop.

MH: You know, I've always had a lot of patience in deep stack tournaments. Last year I felt like it helped me get through the first day or two, so it comes pretty natural to me, but it feels like I'm having some trouble today, for some reason.

CY: What kind of expectations do you bring into this year's main event, after the success you enjoyed last year? Are you tough on yourself?

MH: I am so tough on myself, and I think that's why I just have to have more fun with it. I feel like I'm playing as well as I could be, so really, I think the pressures are all my own. If I can lift those off my shoulders, then I can be my utmost.

CY: Did your preparation change for this event, as opposed to last year?

MH: Not really. I feel my game has really improved from last year, so all I've really done is party. I wish I got some more rest, but . . .

CY: I know there were some people saying they didn't want to play July 5 because everyone would be hungover from July 4.

MH: To me, it was either going to be the first day or the last day, so I didn't have to play Friday or Saturday. But then it turned out I partied Thursday, Friday and Saturday. So that didn't turn out too well for me.

CY: I wonder how you feel about some of the attention that other female players are receiving these days. You look across the room and see someone like Shannon Elizabeth, who has television cameras and photographers and countless fans along the ropes watching her every move. You've been in the public eye since last year, you were recently featured in a magazine article. Are you prepared for what may possibly lie ahead for yourself?

MH: I feel like I'm ready for that. I've already gotten a little taste of it from last year, and all the preliminaries from this year. But I wouldn't know what it's like to be Shannon Elizabeth. That might drive me a little bit crazy. But at this level right now, I feel I can handle it and I'm not too distracted by it. I'm comfortable.

Card Player Live Player Database – Maria Ho