5
min read

Poker Strategy and Lessons for finding Love at the Tables

Kyle McCague
Contributor

Here at Pokercode, we're all about knowing where we stand, whether it be pot odds, the implied odds when making decisions or just knowing we've got a significant other who will be waiting with a couple of beers after a long grind (even better a significant other grinding with us)

Valentines Offer

With valentine's around the corner, if you still need a present but roses and chocolate are off the table, don't worry! Here at Pokercode, we're giving you the chance to treat yourself!

Starting today (Friday 11/02) until Midday (CET) Tuesday (15/02), we're offering:

Quarterly Memberships at 189€

Annual Memberships at 599€

These memberships offer a mass of benefits:

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  • Review and learn about poker strategy with our Pokercode Range Viewer
  • Discounted partnership deals including Odin & Primed Mind

To celebrate this deal along with the day of St Valentine, we are going to run through our three favourite Poker Love Stories, with Poker players who understood the implied odds and, knowing what they could win, decided it was the right choice to go all in.

Jason & Natasha Mercier

Jason's come a long way since rubbing shoulders with our blog manager Kyle, and one of his defining moments came when he was on the rail rather than at the table.

It was July 2016, a-then Natasha Barbour was starting the final day of the $5k WSOP no-limit hold-em event 3rd of the remaining six players. Unfortunately for Natasha, she fell in 3rd, meaning she wouldn't be securing her first career bracelet. Still, luckily, Jason was on hand with a much better jewellery option.

After being eliminated, Jason hopped the rail gave her a consoling hug before dropping to one knee and popping the question, Natasha gave a resounding yes, and the Amazon room erupted in arguably the biggest applause for a player who'd just busted.

There's not much to be found on the beginnings of Jason and Natasha's relationship, but since their engagement, things have only continued to get better.

Their wedding day in November 2016 was described by Natasha as “the best day of my life”, however as a father myself; it could be that after being blessed with three beautiful baby boys, they reset the bar on happy days.

While they may not get to grind as much as they used to, they're playing more than ever by looking at their social media accounts!

Jason Mercier & Natashier Mercier Proposal
Jason Mercier proposing to his now wife Natasha Mercier at WSOP 2016

Kristen' Krissyb24’ Bicknell & Alex Foxen

Whilst of late they've attracted a lot of attention for their views on Covid-19, long term circuit grinders Alex and Kristen have been regarded as some of the top players in the live & online streets. It culminated in them winning GPI player of the year and GPI female player of the year back to back in 2018 and 2019, arguably cementing them as the Poker Power couple!

There has been some controversy, too, specifically back in June 2018 when the pair somehow ended up in a 3-handed situation with Kahle Burns in the $5,000 MSPT Venetian. In fairness, both Alex and Kristen brought up the idea of chopping things up 3-handed pointing to the ICM implications exasperated by an overlay (likely aware even subconsciously they may take less aggressive lines against one another), but Kahle chose to battle it out.

Unfortunately for Kahle, things didn't work out, and poker's power couple was able to scoop a combined $439,000, with Alex securing the title after the pair made a deal to chop up the majority of the cash heads up.

Things outside the poker arena have continued to blossom for the couple. However, in May 2021, Alex popped the question in 2021, and Kristen quickly reached the Twitter streets to confirm she'd say Yes!

The newly engaged couple haven't rested on their laurels, with the All-in Order Poker Tracking App, a joint venture between the two, launched in September 2021. Initially getting a bit of stick for their price-point, but with many solid reviews on Twitter so far, it seems like this could be an excellent app for those wanting to track their live poker.

Kristen Bicknell & Alex Foxen as MSPT Venetian
Kristen Bicknell & Alex Foxen after Alex's Victory at MSPT Venetian

Daniel' Kid Poker’ Negreanu and Amanda Leatherman

After a brief fling back in 2010 and some pretty serious chemistry on The Big Game GG Poker Pro Daniel "Kid Poker" Negreanu and TV Host Amanda Leatherman.

The original TV poker couple rekindled their relationship in 2018, wasting no time getting engaged that same year on New Year's Eve.

Their wedding was a day with more well-known poker faces than an episode of High Stakes Poker. Phil Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari, Jason Somerville, David Williams and Maria Ho were only some of the names in attendance at the grand 2019 affair. A fully Vegan menu, a given with both the bride and grooms Vegan lifestyle, rounded out what looked like a phenomenal day in California for all involved.

Kid Poker was on a tear in 2021, hitting the poker solver streets before his heads up battle with Doug Polk, where he got taken for the tune of $1,000,000. Fortunately, it wasn't all bad for Daniel, as he became one half of Pokers favourite bromance and certainly improved his heads up strategy, maybe the most expensive poker lesson anyone has had to date?

He followed this up with a massive Autumn as the WSOP returned to the live arena, with $1,052,773 in buy-ins and 18 cashes to the tune of $1,451,798 Kid Poker turned a profit shy of $400,000 to close the year out nicely.

Daniel Negreanu & Amanda Leatherman tie the knot in 2019
Daniel Negreanu & Amanda Leatherman tie the knot in 2019

Igor Kurganov and Liv Boeree

High Roller Crusher Igor Kurganov and his partner British Poker Pro, Astrophysics Graduate, TedX Speaker, and occasional Television Presenter Olivia' Liv' Boeree are Rounding out our poker love stories.

The couple began dating in 2014 and arguably have the poker power couple to rival that of Alex and Kristen's back to back GPI awards; as a pair, they won the 2017 $10,000 WSOP tag team championship.

In all honesty, though this win is only the tip of the iceberg in what is a mammoth back catalogue of prestigious wins, EPT High Rollers, EPT Main events and Pokerstars Championships litter their trophy room. That's before we even take into account any of their online exploits.

They're also a known class act away from the table, co-founding Raising for Effective Giving (REG), a non-profit whose members pledge to donate at least 2% of their income to several charities every year.

Aside from crushing Poker, speaking on some of the worlds biggest stages and helping to raise millions for charity every year, both Igor and Liv are known to enjoy letting their hair down. Frequent visits to Burning Man are their unwind of choice, which Liv describes as a 'microcosm of utopia' where they're free to shut out everyday life's pressures, stresses, and anxiety.

Igor Kurganov and Liv Boeree at Burningman
Igor Kurganov and Liv Boeree at Burning Man

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