Team PokerStars Pro - Katja Thater

Katja Thater

Katja Thater was a horse breeder, competing with success in dressage tournaments, before turning to poker. While working as the director of a marketing company Katja would often go to casinos in time off to watch her husband play poker. It was this that would ultimately change her life.

While watching husband Jan von Halle, Katja played a hand of stud as Jan dashed to the bathroom. She had never played before but she’d learned enough to make the right moves and win the hand. That was enough for her to catch the poker bug and she has played since, starting with cash games but moving to the tournament circuit in 2006, cashing twice at the World Series.

In 2007 Katja would make her breakthrough starting with a final table at the Poker Stars EPT in Warsaw, where she finished in 5th. Then came the World Series of Poker* where after a modest cash in an early event she made the final of the World Championship Ladies event, again coming 5th. Years of Stud poker paid off just days later with a bracelet in the Razz event, triumphing over seasoned pros along the way. The prize money was good but it was the bracelet that was most important to Katja, which comes with the respect of all players. To cap the year off in style Katja was awarded the title ‘Europe’s Leading Lady’ at the European Poker Awards in Paris. Katja has also had success at the regular high stakes cash games she plays.

Away from the poker table Katja presents and commentates on German TV as well as contributing to IntelliPoker, an online poker school presented by PokerStars. She has co-written a poker strategy book ‘Poker Matrix’ along with several other top poker players in Germany. Riding her horses and spending time with her family takes up what time she has left.

With her remarkable record Katja is by far Germany’s biggest poker export and has no intention of easing off in her pursuit of more honours on the pro circuit. As a member of Team PokerStars Pro she plays under the name ‘KatjaThater’.