Victoria Livschitz: The Rising Star in Poker’s High Roller Scene
Victoria Livschitz emerged onto poker’s high roller scene in late 2021, and the connections she’s made over the last two-and-a-half years have led to growth in both emerging poker technology and efforts to grow the women’s poker community.
After dabbling in a handful of small buy-in live tournaments in the late 2010s, Livschitz’s interest in the game peaked at a time when going out to play a live tournament was entirely off the table. “I was cooped up at home for 18 months, like most people, and I discovered high stakes poker tournament final tables,” said Livschitz. “I just binge-watched everything I could find.”
By September 2021, as more of the world began to open back up, Livschitz was eager to find an outlet for all of the enthusiasm she’d built up for poker. That timing couldn’t have been much better, as the rescheduled 2021 World Series of Poker was set to kick off that October.
“Funny enough, the first thing on the schedule was the $25K, and I thought, well, here’s my chance to see all the heroes across the field,” said Livschitz. “And so a $25K bracelet event was my first introduction to big MTTs. I thought maybe something magical would happen, and something magical actually did happen.”
That “magic” didn’t manifest as a poker result, but rather by a chance encounter that’s helped shape Livschitz’s poker journey ever since.
“I had a star-studded table, and ended up busting late that day, by Sam Grafton,” said Livschitz. “But I got to meet him, and then I kept running into him. A few days later, I told him I was looking for somebody to teach me poker, and he agreed to be my first teacher. That was an amazing way to get to get started.”
That initial poker vacation featured some highlights at the table as well, including her first live tournament win and a deep run in the 2021 WSOP Ladies Championship. Livschitz went home with experience, a new poker coach and an even deeper appreciation for the game. Shortly after her WSOP foray, Livschitz met Bill Klein, from whom she learned more about the high roller events put on by PokerGO.
That December, Livschitz played her first PokerGO $10K during the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic. She ran well, made the final table, and any chance of Livschitz losing interest in poker for the foreseeable future faded away.
“Since then, it’s been two years of complete obsession.”
From Tech to Poker: How Victoria Livschitz is Shaping the Future of the Game
Beyond her 7th place finish in that tournament, Livschitz continued to make connections within the poker world at the table. In this instance, Livschitz met two people who would go on to shape the next few years of her life.
“In that first PokerGO $10K, Andrew Lichtenberger was seated at my table,” said Livschitz. “I didn’t know him, but he’s a very social guy and you don’t have new faces on the circuit that often. So naturally, he was trying to break the ice and we got into a conversation. At that final table, Nick Schulman was there, and that was the beginning of both of those friendships.
“I kept playing and running into them, and at some point, I think it was the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, Andrew had just won a $50K and spirits were high,” Livschitz continued. “They invited me to become part of their gang of friends that night. We talked about poker and poker tooling, and my journey, and I kind of unloaded on them on just what a terrible state poker tech was in.”
Livschitz entered that conversation with a deep pool of knowledge and experience to draw from. She founded Grid Dynamics, an industry leader in cloud computing in AI, in 2006. Before that, Livschitz spent 10 years at Sun Microsystems working on a multitude of projects including her role as Principal Architect of SunGrid, the world’s first public cloud storage system.
What Livschitz knew for sure was that as she dug deeper and tried to enhance her poker game, the technology at her disposal simply did not live up to her ambitions.
“I spent my career in technology, I just got here, and every tool I touch is terrible,” said Livschitz. “They asked me to explain why that is. I think we started at midnight, and by 5 a.m. we decided we’re gonna form a company and go fix it, and here we are.”
The result of those late-night chats is Octopi Poker. After a year-and-a-half of work, Octopi launched its private beta, with the company’s overarching goal of utilizing a team of poker experts and engineers with expertise in emerging technologies, cloud computing and AI to revolutionize the space. As an entrepreneur with connections beyond the poker world, Livschitz was a natural fit for the organization.
Even as Octopi Poker developed and evolved, Livschitz was leveling up at the table. She won High Roller events at Venetian and Aria in 2022, as well as a side event at EPT Paris in 2023. And in parallel with her new professional efforts and successes at the table, Livschitz became involved in another endeavor that struck close to her heart – the evolving state of women in poker.
Octopi Poker: The Innovative Technology Revolutionizing the Poker Space
The result of late-night conversations and a shared frustration with the state of poker technology is Octopi Poker. With a team of poker experts and engineers specializing in emerging technologies such as cloud computing and AI, Octopi is aiming to revolutionize the poker space.
Led by Victoria Livschitz, an entrepreneur with a background in technology, Octopi Poker launched its private beta after a year-and-a-half of development. The goal is to create tools and technology that enhance the poker experience for players, providing them with innovative solutions to improve their gameplay and reach their full potential.
As an avid poker player herself, Livschitz understands the limitations and frustrations of the current poker technology available. She believes that there is a tremendous opportunity to leverage advancements in cloud computing and AI to transform the way poker is played and experienced.
With Octopi Poker, Livschitz and her team aim to empower players with tools that provide real-time analysis, data-driven insights, and personalized recommendations. By using cutting-edge technology, Octopi Poker intends to create a more level playing field and give players a competitive edge.
The launch of Octopi Poker’s private beta is just the beginning of their mission to revolutionize the poker industry. With Livschitz’s expertise in technology and her passion for the game, Octopi Poker has the potential to reshape the future of poker and elevate the overall player experience.
Empowering Women in Poker: Victoria Livschitz’s Impact on the Women’s Poker Community
In addition to her contributions to the development of poker technology, Victoria Livschitz is also making a significant impact on the women’s poker community. Passionate about empowering women in the game, Livschitz has initiated various efforts to support and encourage female poker players.
Livschitz’s journey into the world of poker began in 2021, and by the following year, she was already involved in initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in poker. At the 2022 World Series of Poker, Livschitz was approached to donate funds to place women into the WSOP Ladies Event. This sparked an idea to provide training to individuals who had won seats in the event.
Building on this momentum, Livschitz formed a study group and created a Discord server called Pocket Queens. This all-women’s poker study group utilizes technology to connect women from all backgrounds and create a supportive community where knowledge can be freely
Analyst comment
Positive news. Victoria Livschitz’s emergence in poker’s high roller scene and her efforts to grow the women’s poker community are contributing to the growth of both emerging poker technology and the overall poker industry. With Livschitz’s expertise and passion, the market can expect advancements in technology, enhanced player experiences, and increased female participation in poker.
