Updated
2/4/2020

Maria Ho's biography

Maria Ho
Maria Ho (41 years)
USA/China
Female
3/6/1983
over $4 060 000
Offline prizes
exact amount is unknown
Online prizes
The best result:
$540 020 (the 2nd place in the tournament No Limit Hold'em for $5 000 at WSOP in 2011)
Main achievements:
popular host of poker events, twice the best female player at the WSOP Main Event, top-5 WSOP female players for prize money and cashes, 6th in Women's All Time Money List for 2019, co-author of “Winning Women of Poker: Secret Strategies Revealed”, member of Women's Poker Hall of Fame
Can be found by nickname:
Maria Ho

Maria Ho is a professional poker player and TV host. Thanks to her success she entered top 5 of the best women-players of the world.

She got acquainted with poker since a college. At first she played with friends and then proceeded to the limit cash-games. After graduating from the University Ho began to play high stacks games with the help of which she built a bankroll up to the size that allowed her to start a career of professional poker player.

For example, in 2007 at WSOP Main Event Ho took the 38th place and earned 237 865$. That result was the best one in the tournament among the women-players. After she left the game only the men remained in it. After it Maria Ho twice took an honorary title “WSOP Main Event Last Woman Standing".

In 2010 she finished at the 10th place at WPT Championship Bellagio Cup VI and got 40 783$.

2011 was a record year for Maria. In January she took the 2nd place at Aussie Millions Poker Championship and got 69 200$. In this month she played heads up at WSOP and fought for the bracelet, but she wasn’t able to take the 1st place. Maria admitted that at that time she thought about bracelet rather than about many because she was one step ahead of it. She knows that she played very good and Ho is proud of it, but being a purposeful player she desires more. Despite of the second place the prize amount she won was the largest money prize which woman-player had ever won at WSOP.

At the present time Maria is living not far from Los-Angeles. In her free from poker time she can be met at Hollywood music concerts, she also engages in a charity and works at successful family business that specializes in real estate.

Maria Ho's photo

Interesting facts:

  • Maria Ho was born in traditional Chinese family in Taipei, Taiwan. When she was 4 years old Ho’s family moved to USA and settled not far from Los-Angeles in Arcadia. Despite of moving to America Maria can speak Chinese fluently.
  • Ho is talented and artistic person. At school she played at such musicals as “Marriage of Figaro” and “Anything Goes”.
  • She studied at the University of California in San Diego with a specialization in "communication" and «jurisprudence”.
  • Maria was fascinated by the music and she was a member of group “A capella group UCSD Daughters of Triton”.
  • Magazine “Bluff” nominated Ho three times for getting “Readers Choice Awards” in the nomination “the best woman-player”.
  • In 2007, 2011 and 2014 she got the title “WSOP Main Event Last Woman Standing”, i.e. the woman-player who lasted in the tournament the longest.
  • Ho took part in the 15th season of a show “Amazing Race" on channel CBS that is awarded by “Emmy”. She also took part in a TV show “Anderson Cooper 360” and “American Idol”. She participated in World Mahjong Tour in Hong Kong.
  • In 2016 Maria became the manager and captain of a team “LA Sunset” in Global Poker League. The team entered playoff but lost in the semi-final to the future champions from “Montreal Nationals”.

Maria Ho in GPL 2016

  • She is known on the channels NBC Sports, CBS Sports as TV host and commentator "Super High Roller Bowl" and "The Final Table". She also is a commentator of the show “Heartland Poker Tour” on ESPN 360 and a TV host of “Poker Night: The Tour”.
  • Maria is a spokesman of “WinStar World Casino”.
  • Ho is one of the authors of a book “Winning Women of Poker: Secret Strategies Revealed”.
  • She is the best friend and colleague of Tiffany Michelle.
  • Maria Ho is in the relationship with German professional high roller Rainer Kempe.

Maria Ho and Rainer Kempe

  • In 2018 Maria Ho was inducted into Women's Poker Hall of Fame.

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