Alexandra Botez, renowned for her Twitch chess streams, ventured into poker in 2023. From partnering with major brands and playing in broadcasted cash games, her name is becoming well-known. This article explores Alexandra’s journey and poker results, showcasing her transition from chess to poker.
Alexandra Botez’s Chess Career
Alexandra Botez, an American-Canadian chess player of Romanian descent, earned the FIDE Master title in 2016. Born on September 24, 1995, in Dallas, she later moved to Vancouver, Canada. Botez began playing chess at age six, becoming a Canadian girls' champion five times and once in the USA. Her peak chess rating was 2092 ELO points in 2016, while her current rating stands at 2020 ELO points.
Botez has participated in multiple chess Olympiads. She’s also involved with teaching the game to children and training coaches. She also organizes live chess events. Her sister, Andrea, is also a chess player and the two are responsible for BotezLive, a chess show on Twitch with 1.3 million followers.
Alexandra Botez started streaming in 2016 and was named "Chess Streamer of the Year" in 2022. Botez also maintains a small YouTube channel to document her poker journey, along with a shared channel with her sister. That channel, BotezLive, has a staggering 1.68 million subscribers as we write this article in late 2024.
How Alexandra Botez went from Chess to Poker
In 2022, Botez began playing online cash games on GGPoker. She transitioned to live tournaments in 2023. Her most notable achievement was winning a Caribbean Adventure event, earning $10,815 from a $550 buy-in.
Also in 2023, Botez cashed in her first World Series of Poker Main Event, finishing 1039th for $17,500. This impressive result came on her first attempt at the prestigious tournament.
Before these achievements, in 2022, GGPoker signed Botez for marketing purposes. Her illustrated character appears on the poker room's screensavers, increasing her visibility in the poker world.
It’s not difficult to see the practicality of signing one of the biggest chess stars to a poker brand. There is no information about current online results yet.
The same year as her GG signing, Botez participated in a Hustler Casino poker show in Los Angeles.
Tracking sites report impressive stats for a beginner: nearly $500,000 in winnings over 19 sessions and 75 hours. These results are considered extraordinary for a newcomer to the game.
It’s unclear exactly what Alexandra Botez’s net worth is, but estimates place it around $1 million. The highest estimates place her net worth at multiple millions of dollars.
Alexandra Botez’s Tournament Achievements
Alexandra Botez has cashed 11 times in tournaments, with 10 in 2023 and a WSOP-C event in 2024, totaling $61,383 in winnings. Her best results include:
• WSOP Main Event: 1039th place, $17,500
• PokerStars Caribbean Adventure: 1st place, $10,815
• WSOP No-Limit Holdem: 403rd place, $8,500
• WSOP 6-Handed No-Limit Holdem: 94th place, $5,700
• 888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event: 16th place, $5,422
See More Hall of Fame Players
Alexandra Botez's transition from chess to poker demonstrates the crossover potential between strategy games. Her early success in poker tournaments suggests a promising future in the game.
But Alexandra Botez is primarily a star in chess, secondarily in poker. Articles about top players are collected in the Hall of Fame on GipsyTeam. Notable figures like Phil Galfond, who created strategies and founded a leading poker school, are included.
We also included several online legends that might not make it onto classic lists. Learn about crushers like OTB_RedBaron, Limitless, and Isildur1.
Poker Training Resources to Improve Quickly
For those looking to improve their poker skills, GipsyTeam offers various resources:
• Countless articles explaining poker basics
• Course reviews for cash games and tournament materials
• Access to personal trainers specializing in different formats and limits
• Freeroll tournaments for beginners to practice without risking money
GipsyTeam's website features articles that cover poker fundamentals, including hand rankings, betting rounds, and decision-making at various stages. These resources can help players win at the lowest limits, such as NL2 ($0.01/$0.02 blinds).
If you need a starting point, an article on the 5 best ways to start learning is a good choice.
Start Practicing for Free and Compete for Real Money
Freerolls are free tournaments offering real money prizes. They're an excellent way for beginners to build a bankroll and gain experience. Many poker rooms offer freerolls regularly. Players can win up to $100 per month without depositing money.
On some sites, the freerolls start hourly, meaning there are plenty of chances each day to play. On top of that, each time you play costs nothing, offering only upside. You could win real money, but you’ll always leave with more experience than you started with, at the very least.
Freerolls provide a realistic tournament experience, but the first stages are very competitive as everyone tries to build a chip stack. However, if you can last until the mid and late stages, you’ll learn how a real poker tournament plays out. This helps newcomers develop their skills and build a bankroll.
