Liz Lieu was born in Vietnam in 1974 on August 2nd and started playing Chinese Poker at a very young age. She remained interested in poker and started learning new games throughout her early years. When she was legal age she became a poker dealer and that is when she started taking poker seriously and as another source of income.
Her big break in poker came in 2005 when John Phan pushed her into a $1,500 No Limit Texas Hold’em event where she ended up placing in fifth place earning nearly $170,000. In 2005 she continued with a ton of tournament success cashing in tournaments across the United States. She currently has over $650,000 in career tournament winnings and is now involved in ownership of Chili Poker and acts as a sponsored player. How long have you been playing poker? I have been playing poker for 12 years and professionally for the last 4 years. I just started playing poker tournaments actually and since my fifth place finish this year I am hooked. What is your favorite poker game? I only play Hold’em. In side games I mostly play Limit Hold’em but I am getting more into No-Limit Hold’em cash games as well. For tournaments, I prefer No-Limit Hold’em. I like to play at the Bellagio, usually Limit Hold’em and from stakes of $60-$180 and up, whatever their biggest game is. Will you only play in Hold’em events in this year’s WSOP? Yes, I know how to play the other games, but I don’t want to put my money in there and be the donkey at the table (laughs). How would you describe your playing style? Very aggressive. I used to finish on the bubble (meaning one spot out of the money) every time, but this is the style you should play in order to have the best shot at winning a tournament. What do you have to say about being a poker professional, is it a lot of hard work? It is very, very tough. Poker players often pay a big price for being successful doing this. You have to sit at the table for so many hours and it can ruin your looks and make you age faster. What does your future look like? I am very determined to win a bracelet and I see a bright future for me in poker. I learn something new every time I play and will only continue to improve my game. interview from pokerlisting.com Recent Tournament Cashes 2006 WPT = Season 4 - Placed 19th - $17,075 2006 WPT = LA Season 4 - Placed 1st - $66,348
2005 WSOP - Event 2, $1,500 No-limit Hold’em 5th $177,000
2005 WSOP - Event 13, $5,000 No-limit Hold’em 12th $24,090
