Born on August 5, 1975 in Victoriaville, Quebec, Isabelle Mercier’s foray into the poker world was fueled by nothing but hard work and determination. Initially, she studied law at the University of Montreal, but after having her license for only six months, she decided that a 9 to 5 job wasn’t for her.
Isabelle’s only goal was to travel the world and thus, since she thought the gaming industry would aid her globetrotting aspirations, she applied to more than a hundred casinos worldwide. Eventually, she caught on with the Aviation Club de France (ACF) in Paris and began working the night shift. Driven by ambition, Mercier quickly became a manager of ACF’s poker room.
Working the poker room not only kept Isabelle in contact with the game’s biggest names, it also opened her eyes to the possibility of becoming a professional poker player. Soon after, she hit the road in search of poker glory, selling most of her possessions to bankroll herself.
In 2004, her risky decision paid off as she won the World Poker Tour Ladies night, a tournament that was worth $25K. It was also during this event that WPT commentator Mike Sexton gave her the nickname ‘No Mercy’, in reference to her aggressive and merciless style of play.
In the wake of her success, she signed with online poker giant PokerStars as an international spokesperson. It was her final step towards stardom, and with the sponsorship, Isabelle Mercier became one of the most widely known women in poker.
Since then, Mercier has had some other notable success at the tables. In 2005, she finished tenth in the European Poker Tour grand Final in Monte Carlo, earning $30K, and also cashed in three WSOP events. In 2006, she made her first EPT final table, finishing seventh in Deauville. In 2009, she won PokerStars’ Ante Up for Africa tournament and also cashed in third in the Sunday Million for $115K. All told, her tournament poker winnings exceed $1 million.
Today, Isabelle Mercier remains a world class player and an ambassador of the game. She has released an autobiography titled Profession: Bluffer, and an instructive DVD, both of which have done well on the international market. She currently resides in Monaco, where she’s involved in the development of the Sun Casino in Monte Carlo. As of 2010, she is sponsored by BetClic Poker and can be found playing online as ‘No Mercy’.
