Spotlight on Kathy Liebert
A Tennessee native, Liebert's ascent to poker fame began in 1994 when she joined the ranks of tournament play. Honing her skills and enjoying some notable successes, it wasn't until her cool $1 million 1st place win at the inaugural Party Poker Million in March 2002 that she was recognized as one of the best players, male or female, in the world.
Most recently she claimed the $100,000 first prize in the GSN Poker Royale: Battle of the Sexes, beating a field of 11 men and women and acknowledging that part of the fun of winning was prevailing over some large male egos. Liebert however, credited many of her opponents as hard to read, recognizing WSOP leading player, Layne Flack, as a very tough competitor.
Liebert's growing fame has enabled her to broaden her professional horizons. Liebert is riding high right now, enjoying the play of bigger tournaments and more lucrative stakes. But she's no stranger to the financial and emotional strain that the road to poker stardom can bring, admitting "It's a tough world, tough for any one, not just women. You have to be competitive and it's a stressful lifestyle."
About losing, Liebert says, "It hurts, especially when you are playing for big money. You try to play your best and stay focused for the next time. You are going to have big swings. You have to keep going in and playing your best and not let it affect you." Liebert does seem to follow her own advice. Playing the Party Poker Million, she went into a tough final table, going heads up and taking the lead, and then going all the way down to $1,000 before taking the win.
Asked how to avoid going on tilt, Liebert says "Sometimes it happens if people show their bluffs and you know you laid down your best hand. Anytime that people give you information or you give information can alter your game or how people play against you. Don't show bluffs or give away information."
Regarding new players who are trying to manage their bankrolls, Liebert uses her won careful approach as an example, noting that even when she had a good bankroll, she would conservatively play small and medium limits. Observes Liebert, "Most people play too high and take too many risks. There may be big rewards, but you can also go broke. New players especially, should play at a level that is smaller than they can afford."
For women just getting started in the game, Liebert offers this advice, "Learn the game. Practice online playing small games. Read books written by the leading players. When playing at a table, watch other players' body language and tells. When players are first learning, they don't realize that they are giving away information in what they say and do. Be patient while you learn and be aggressive while you play."