Alexandra Botez is a name that many may be familiar with around the chess world, but she is now making splashes in the world of poker, too.
The American–Canadian is a multi-talented chess player who has gone on to launch a successful YouTube channel with more than 1.4 million subscribers in September 2023 while also being extremely popular on Twitch (1.3 million), both of which she shares with her sister. Her own personal Instagram account boasts more than 713k followers, thus showing her impact on the world.
Now, it would appear that she could be about to take the poker world by storm, with those who have been playing poker online games at 888poker now able to find her as a brand ambassador. Chess and poker both have similarities in regard to the games are both strategic, therefore perhaps being a match made in heaven.
Alexandra Botez as an 888poker ambassador
Botez has already made a couple of appearances since she became an 888poker ambassador, and she has already managed to produce a couple of stellar performances while sitting at the table while wearing the brand’s logo.
In her first-ever appearance at the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2023, she managed to finish in the money after going on a deep run. She managed to reach the second payout threshold, meaning she was able to earn $17,500. It was a win that surpassed any expectations that anybody had had for her, thus highlighting that she could be a formidable player in the future.
She was unlucky not to have advanced further in the tournament. She was a massive favorite to advance on Day 4 when she had a pair of kings as her starting hand; the second-best available. Her opponent had a king-jack. Her chances appeared to be even stronger on the flop, as she revealed in a tweet that she had a 98% chance of winning after the turn of the first three cards. However, once the dealer completed the river, her opponent was able to win with a straight which saw her crash out at a very respectable stage for her main event debut.
Chess and Poker starting to come together
With both being games of strategy, being a chess player might have brought Botez a number of advantages when she hit the poker table for the first time. She would understand that there were certain scenarios that could be faced, and she would also recognize the need to think ahead and plan for any move that could be made.
Botez is not the only one to have made the move from the chessboard to the green felt of a poker table, though. There have been other examples to have done so, with some having been rather accomplished when doing so. Magnus Carlsen is one example.
With the recent success that she has shown, and the apparent desire that she has to continue to improve and learn about the casino game, it would not be a surprise if many others see the similarities between the two games and decide to try their hand at them.
Will Botez help the game appeal to more women?
Botez has revealed that she is also looking forward to getting even more involved in future tournaments, and as a brand ambassador for 888poker, it could help to have a huge impact on the game’s future among women.
While many women are enjoying poker online and playing when they have the opportunity to do so, there are fewer that are taking to the live tables. There are a plethora of reasons why this could be the case, but with the 27-year-old Twitch and YouTube streamer showing how it can be done, it may encourage more female players to take a seat in the biggest tournaments and compete against their male counterparts.
Of course, time will tell as to whether we will see more women appearing at the tables. But with Botez showing that anything is possible with a little practice and enthusiasm, those who are more experienced than her might be more willing to go up and compete with the men for the biggest prize pots available. Poker could be set for a very interesting time, and one that could make it even more popular because of Botez’s impact on the game.
