Katja Thater is the most famous female poker player in Germany. Mrs. Thater is also married to a professional poker player, Jan Von Halle. When not attending poker events, Katja Thater breeds horses for competition. Thater's poker competitions are given coverage on German television, fueling her popularity as well as the popularity of the professional poker.
Poker Nations Cup
The Poker Nations Cup is a European poker tournament involving 6-member teams of poker players from particular nations. The event is designed to be the poker equivalent of the Olympic or World Cup. The event has taken place in 2006 and 2007, and presumably will be held again in 2008. In the United Kingdom, the Poker Nations Cup is broadcast on Channel 4. The sponsor in 2006 was 888.com, while the 2007 sponsor of the Poker Nations Cup was PartyPoker.com. The teams come from Great Britain, USA, Ireland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
Each team is made up of five noted professional poker players from the respective nation, as well as one online qualifier each. In the Poker Nations Cup, there are six preliminary events, with a competitor from each nation in each event. In Preliminary Match 3, Katja Thater represented Germany. She was the runner-up in the event, collecting 2nd place points for the German team (Mahala Maria Roche was first on behalf of Ireland). In the Grand Final of the Nations Cup, the team captain selects three players to switch out in a final table setting (with chip stacks determined by the points accumulated in the preliminary events). Once again, Katja Thater was selected to begin final round play for the German team. The Germany team took 2nd place when Dave Ulliot of Great Britain eliminated Michael Keiner of Germany.
Women's Poker Open
Besides coming to the attention of the German viewing public due to the Poker Nations Cup, she also appeared at the Women's Poker Open.
World Series of Poker - 2007 Razz Bracelet
The biggest poker accomplishment for Katja Thater was her win at the 2007 World Series of Poker $1,500 Razz competition. This is an impressive poker feat, since Razz is considered a thinkings man's (or woman's) game, as well as the most frustrating games to play. In Razz poker, players win by making the worst possible hand.
Besides the winning of one WSOP bracelet, Katja Thater placed 5th in the World Championship Ladies Texas Holdem Event in 2007. She also placed 4th in the 2002 Austrian Classics Championship, which was her first major splash at a professional poker event. Her first known event entry was a Seven-Card Stud event in Osterreich in 1999. In all, Katja Thater has won over $300,000 competing in poker events.
Katja Thater - Lady Horror - Miss Slick
Katja Thater has received the dubious honor of a couple of poker nicknames, which comes with the territory of poker notoriety. She is known as Miss Slick to some in the cards scene, while other know her by one of my favorite poker monikers: Lady Horror. Currently, Lady Horror is a member of Team PokerStars.
Katja Thater - Other Interests
Katja Thater managed an events marketing company Germany before turning to professional poker. Her business was located in Hamburg. Katja Thater also bred horses and was a dressage competitor. Dressage is a horse-show competition, for those who (like myself) might not know the term. She continues to play poker while juggling her other interests, though her signing with Team Poker Stars is an indication that she intends on pursuing poker seriously in the coming years.
