PokerWorks

There was Catwoman, the film starring Halle Barry in a tight black catsuit. Now, the world of poker has Catgirl, its own version of a sexy yet mysterious woman looking to dominate the poker world in her own way and with her own “catsuit,” which is nothing more than body paint. Her real name is unconfirmed, thus her official game statistics are untrackable. But her ability to turn heads everywhere she goes is definitely undeniable.

Catgirl is a 23-year old Russian woman with some special talents. Not only is she a contortionist, able to move her body into Cirque-de-Soleil-type positions to the amazement of everyone watching, but she is a poker player who has been working on her game for several years. And the combination of her skills, which include a photographic memory and mathematics expertise, and appearance got her noticed and subsequently sponsored by the Pokertrillion online gaming company.

“I have decided to make a name for myself by doing something a bit different, a little bit risqué,” Catgirl admitted. “There are very few female pros on the circuit and I like to think that I’m adding a bit of sex and glamour to the game, but people shouldn’t underestimate me, it’s all just a fantasy really. There’s much more that lies beneath.”

Sure, she comes to poker tournaments in nothing but body paint and a smile. Therefore, her assertion that her approach brings sex and glamour to the game is correct, though many would argue that it is unacceptable behavior at the tables. Others would say that if her poker abilities are on the level that she claims, notoriety should come from play and personality, not exhibitionism.

But Catgirl has proven her abilities at the tables in events like the Party Poker World Open, where she finished her first table second only to John Tabatabai but beat players like David Ulliott and Surinder Sunar. She has also done well in tournaments like Les Ambassadors and the European Ladies Championship. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise that she excelled in the Paddy Power World Strip Poker event.

Catgirl added, “The challenge of breaking into what is a predominately a male dominated game gives me that extra bit of motivation to make it, and that’s partly why I’ve created the Catgirl character, so I can use my sexuality to gain a competitive advantage over my opponents at the table.”

Time will tell if Catgirl has a long-term future in poker. Most likely, it will take more tournament appearances and a stellar performance at one of them for doubters to get over her outward appearance and realize that she brings skills to the tables. But she is determined to prove that she has what it takes to win at poker. Catgirl looks as if she’s in the poker world to stay.