Single mum Amanda de Cesare is on track to become Australia's next international poker champion, reports Clare Rigden.
To say Amanda de Cesare was a novice the first time she played poker would be an understatement. Called in as a last-minute replacement for her husband's poker night, it was clear to everyone at the table they were on to a good thing — the minute she played her first hand.
"I was possibly the world's worst player at that point in time," Amanda says with a laugh.
"I sat down at that table with a printed off sheet from the Internet with all the hand rankings. I was a little confused as to why every time I had a great hand, everyone folded. And when I had a terrible hand, everyone bet," she says.
"Maybe it had something to do with the fact I was looking at my sheet and saying things like, 'Ooh, that's good' — I really had no clue."
Fast-forward four years, and Amanda, 33, is now competing in One HD's The Poker Star TV competition. Not only is she one of the finalists in the running for the $100,000 prize money, but part of the prize is also the chance to accompany Australia's World Series of Poker legend Joe Hachem to tournaments all around the world — a prospect she's clearly thrilled about.
So how on earth did she go from "clueless" to "card shark" in such a short space of time?
"When I had a free moment I would hop online and practise," she explains. "I was just playing to learn at that stage and I never risked any money."
The first time Amanda did throw her cash on the table was a year later, when she walked into Crown Casino to play only her second real game of poker — and walked away with $200.
"I sat down at the table and it was incredibly intimidating. It was such a boys' club in there. The first time I walked into the room I remember thinking, 'Am I even allowed to be in here?'," she admits.
"When I first approached the table I got the strangest looks from the other guys, like, 'Is she lost?' But I actually did quite well that night."
And she continues to, wining a series of tournaments in Australia .
Amanda, who is mum to 13-year-old Sarah and seven-year-old Chloe, has steadily seen her skill level rise during this time, to a stage where she's now competing professionally — and down to the final stages of Poker Star.
"If I win, it would be fantastic," says Amanda, who also works as a speech pathologist. "I separated from my husband two years ago, and I bought a house for me and the girls to live in. Winning would definitely take the financial pressure off me."
Not only have her skills at the table improved, she's been able to take advantage of her card-playing prowess at home, too. And her kids had better watch out!
"My children try to bluff me occasionally, but these days I like to think my ability to read people is pretty good," she says. "So now I can catch them out when they try to tell me they've done their homework."
