- New York Times best-selling author Maria Konnikova has rejoined PokerStars as their brand ambassador.
- Konnikova will head PokerStars’ newly unveiled North American division, making her the fourth ambassador to rejoin the company.
- She rose to prominence on the live poker circuit five years ago, transitioning from a poker novice to a professional player in just fourteen months.
- Konnikova won the January 2018 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure National event and finished 42nd in the PCA Main Event.
- She was the first woman to win a Platinum Pass to PokerStars Players Championship 2019.
- Konnikova’s role moving forward is unclear, but her return shows PokerStars’ dedication to depicting poker as a game of skill and mind sport.
PokerStars has officially welcomed back Maria Konnikova, the renowned New York Times best-selling author, as their brand ambassador for the second time.
Konnikova, who has a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University, was first signed by PokerStars in June 2018. However, the partnership was short-lived, with Konnikova announcing her departure in November 2019, merely months before the awaited launch of her book, The Biggest Bluff.
Nearly four years later, the duo has reunited, with Maria Konnikova now spearheading PokerStars’ newly unveiled North American division. She also becomes the fourth ambassador to rejoin PokerStars for a second term, after Brazilian football icons Neymar Jr., Ronaldo and André Coimbra.
“Maria’s ability to communicate the virtues of poker is unrivalled,” said Steve Preiss, VP of PokerStars North America in a press release. “She will be integral in our goal of expanding the game to new audiences.”
