Almira Skripchenko says appearances can be deceiving

Checkmate: Chess master Skripchenko finds the felt
Monday, Oct. 5, 2009

By Martin Derbyshire

On the surface, it appears there are very few similarities between chess and poker.

However, international chess champion turned poker pro Almira Skripchenko says appearances can be deceiving.

And after she made a final table appearance in the 2009 World Series of Poker‘s $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em event this past summer, it’s hard to disagree with her.

“I just think that chess players are naturally skilled to become poker players because chess involves a lot of strategic thinking,” she said.

“Yes, of course, there is a lot of math in poker, but this is more important than math. Math can be mastered by everyone and all the strategic and analytical skills, you have to develop.”

Born in Moldova in the former Soviet Union, Skripchenko began playing chess at just six years old.

By 15 she had won the Under-16 World Youth Chess Championships, at 21 she became the European Ladies Champion and she has achieved both the International Master and Woman Grand Master titles from the FIDE World Chess Federation.

Here is the full article.