Playing poker is often about being put to the test for all your chips. Sooner or later, you’ll be down to 15 big blinds in a poker tournament and how you deal with that situation reveals your character. Our ‘15 Bigs’ are a set of questions that will test each player to the limit.

This week, Game of Gold champion and poker legend Maria will face those twisty teasers as she bids to double-up and not miss the board completely. Maria is an inspiration to players of both sexes all over the world and has racked up over $5.47 million in tournament results alone, with 11 ranking event victories.

Maria’s victory in the debut series of smash hit poker series Game of Gold was a superb display that also showcased her personality as well as her razor-sharp skills at the poker felt. Can she survive our 15 Bigs? Let’s find out.

You’re on a long-haul flight and can only choose one TV Show or Movie to watch on repeat, which is your pick?

I would watch Game of Thrones. It’s one of the all-time greats, and every time I watch it I am picking up on something new since the storyline and character history is so intricate.

If you were stranded on a desert island with one book for company, what would it be?

I would read Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. It will hopefully give me hope and optimism during my solitude and help me find a way to cope with being stranded.

What’s the song you could listen to on repeat forever?

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong. I am a very spiritual person, and I enjoy worship music from time to time and this song just gives me all the feels.

What’s your favourite place to play poker and why?

The PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. It is such a comfortable and relaxing environment to play in, away from the hubbub of the casino sights and sounds. On top of that, Paul and the entire tournament staff are a well-oiled machine!

If you were to be shot at dawn, what would be your last meal and drink? 


The freshest, most expensive toro in the world and a bottle of 2016 Mujak Junmai Daigingo Sake to wash it down.

Where’s your favourite non-poker holiday destination?

South Africa wine region (Stellenbosch and Fransschoek area)

You can play poker every day for a year or play no poker for a whole 12 months – which do you choose?

No poker for a whole 12 months. My 21-year-old self would have picked the former though.

Who is the person you don’t have around anymore that you miss the most?


My maternal grandmother who helped raise me and my sister growing up.

Which person would you most like to meet but never have?

Bill Gates. I admire his philanthropy and level-headedness despite being extremely wealthy.

When was the last time life put you on tilt?

Honestly, I try to be pretty Zen these days and try not to let things bother me too much or for very long.

If you couldn’t play the WSOP Main Event next year, which family member would you put into the action in your place?

My dad. He knows how to play and can definitely be a wild card. He can play pretty loose and aggro, which is a style that can win with the right timing!

What’s your best poker skill?

Being in tune with game flow and table dynamics.

And your biggest leak?

Not always finding the level of focus required to play my best. I try to not be on my phone or get distracted, but I can definitely be better about it.

If you could make one rule change to poker, what would it be?

Dealer abuse of any kind incurs an immediate one round penalty.

You have just ten seconds with the person of your dreams… what do you say?

That you love them and how much they mean to you. You never know when you might not get another opportunity.

OK, Maria Ho slayed it! Just like in Game of Gold, just as in every WSOP Main Event she’s ever played, ‘The Queen’ proved she still has the crown. Now if they ever recast Game of Thrones…

Watch how Maria Ho won Game of Gold in the sensational finale right here: