Liv Boeree

Team Pokerstars professional poker player, astrophysicist and philanthropist, Liv Boeree’s take on business  is unique.

From game theory applications to rational thinking techniques and decision-making, she plays on parallels between the psychology of poker and the skills needed to run a company.

As well as $3 million in live tournament earnings, the poker legend has achieved success as an in-demand model and TV presenter .

Liv caught the poker bug in 2005 after taking part in a British reality poker TV show and soon became a regular host on various poker coverage shows. It wasn’t long before she was making waves at the table herself.

Her first major live cash arrived when she won the European Ladies Championship in 2008 – a smooth $42,00 that was shortly followed by a string of other impressive money finishes at events around the world. Highlights include an impressive run at the 2009 Five Star World Poker Classic in Las Vegas, where she final tabled two side tournaments and made a top 40 finish in the $25,000 WPT Championship Main Event.

Then came the moment that would change Liv’s life forever, and make the poker world give her the credit her game deserves. Liv travelled to Italy to play at the European Poker Tour (EPT) Season 6 Sanremo event in 2010 - a tournament that proved to be one of the biggest ever, with a packed field of 1,240 runners. After days of intense action, Liv found herself on the final table, and duly went on to crush the remaining players to take the title and a massive $1,698,300 payday, confirming Liv’s status as one of the finest players the UK has ever produced.

Liv is able to comment on what it’s like being a woman in a (traditionally) men’s sport .

She has a first-class degree in Astrophysics from the University of Manchester and speaks on the topic of science  – specifically space exploration, physics discoveries, AI dangers, extreme weather, and encouraging women in STEM subjects.

A philanthropist, Liv also discusses ethics and philosophy – with a focus on effective altruism  (why some charities are much more important than others) – and environmental issues  (climate change, green energy, sustainable living, food production and animal welfare).