Maria Ho – Poker Player Profile
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Maria Ho moved to the United States with her family when she was four years old. As she grew up in Arcadia, California, it looked as if her future career would be in music, as she played piano and violin and sang. At the University of California, San Diego she sang in an a capella group, performed in musicals, and even performed with her sister’s band around Los Angeles.
But she got bitten by the poker bug while in college and once she graduated with a degree in Communications and a minor in Law and Society, there was no looking back.
She first caught the attention of the poker public in 2007 when she was the last woman standing in the World Series of Poker Main Event, finishing 38th and winning $237,865. That was actually her third of eight career WSOP cashes; her next best performance came in 2009 when she placed 11th in the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Event. After three small cashes in the 2010 WSOP, she once again turned heads while the Main Event was going on by placing 10th in the $10,000 Championship at the World Poker Tour‘s Bellagio Cup VI.
All told, Maria Ho has won $400,000 on the live tournament circuit, ranking her 38th on the women’s all-time money list.
Already a poker celebrity, Maria became a crossover celebrity in 2009 as she teamed up with friend and fellow poker pro, Tiffany Michelle, to compete on the 15th season of the hit CBS reality show, “The Amazing Race.” The poker duo placed 6th out of 12 teams.
Away from poker, Maria enjoys working in her family’s real estate business. She is also involved with several charitable organizations, including the Ronald McDonald House, the One Step Closer Foundation, and the National Kidney Foundation.
Related Poker News:
- Off the Felt with Maria Ho
- The PokerNews Interview: Maria Ho
- The Nightly Turbo: Maria Ho and WinStar, World Poker Tour Player of the Year, and More
- Brittany’s Bleacher Conversation: Maria Ho Talks Poker, ‘Amazing Race’
- PokerNews Podcast: That’s Not a Knife feat. Maria Ho
- The Nightly Turbo: Maria Ho Re-signs with WinStar, John Duthie Leaves EPT, and More
- The Weekly Turbo: PokerStars Upgrades, Maria Ho Patches Up, and More
- Maria Mayrinck Talks Brazilian Poker & PokerStars Split
- Love Them Or Hate Them?: The Entertainment Media Reacts to Tiffany Michelle & Maria Ho’s Amazing Race Debut
- I Want Your Job: Professional poker player
- Tennis Aces Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick in Love, with Poker?
- The Nightly Turbo: Maria Ho Signs with UB, Washington Residents No Longer Able to Play on Full Tilt Poker, and More
Poker terminology:
- S&M - Sklansky & Malmuth. Generally refers to the ideas and algorithms published by these two authors. When used in a 7-card stud context, often refers to "7 Card Stud For Advanced Players", and when used in a Hold'em context, often refers to "Texas Hold'em For Advanced Players".
- FORCED BET - In some stud games a player may be required to make a bet to start the action on the first card. This is similar conceptually to blinds and antes, but in this case is dependent on the cards shown rather than player position. Usually the weakest hand is forced to bet.
- MANIAC - A player who bets, raises and reraises without regard to the quality of his hand. Most often found in flop games.
- OUT - [1] A card that will improve your hand, often substantially. A hand with many OUTS is preferable to a hand with only 1 or 2. [2] Folded, ineligible to bet or win this hand. "I'm out" is often a synonym for "I fold".
- SPLIT [THE POT] - To split the pot between two or more players. Related term: QUARTER.
- EDGE - An advantage over an opponent, either specific or subjective.

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