Born on October 28, 1967 in California, Kristy Gazes got her gambling start at age 21 when she began frequenting the Commerce Casino to play Pai Gow with her friends. It was during these trips to the casino that poker caught her eye; before long, she was playing Seven-Card Stud several nights a week.
For the next ten years, Kristy cleaned up in all the biggest mixed cash games she could find. When the action dried up, she switched to No Limit Hold’em tournaments and online play. In 2003, she won the World Championship of Online Poker Omaha High-Low Split event, marking her first big online score. In 2005, she won the Full Tilt Championship at Wynn Las Vegas for $250K, besting a final table that included Ted Forrest, Clonie Gowen, and Daniel Negreanu.
2007 brought Kristy her best year on the felt with two final tables at the Aussie Millions, including the main event. The combined cashes were worth $230K. In August, she won the World Poker Tour Ladies Night Out for $25K. All told, Gazes has more than $950K in live tournament earnings.
Despite her success, Kristy has always remained a part-time poker player. Recently she has turned to the stock market, trading options both in America and overseas. She currently plays only a few tournaments a month, but when she is playing, she can be found on the Full Tilt Poker tables where she remains a sponsored pro.
So just how does Kristy Gazes handle the pressures of her action packed life? In a recent blog, she answered that question, saying: “I started taking yoga, and I’m really into the meditation right now. I meditate every day. Things are pretty nutty out there, and I wouldn’t survive with my sanity unless I kept things up, spiritually.”