As a child, Poker Power Instructor Abby Merk played Othello, Connect 4, and card games, like Gin and Gin Rummy, with her parents and two sisters in their Wilmette, Illinois, home, about 15 miles north of Chicago.
Her love of strategy games and competition initially prompted her to sign up for Poker Power lessons. When she learned of the organization’s goal — to get one million women to learn crucial life skills such as risk management, strategic thinking, decision-making, and budgeting through the game of poker — she was hooked.
In just two years, Merk went from basic Poker Power classes to competing in her first World Series of Poker (WSOP) Tournament.
In the fall of 2021, she joined 6,000 players in the Millionaire Maker event, where she placed ten people away from making the money, which is known in poker terms as a bubble. Merk went on to play in the four-day Ladies No-Limit Hold ’em Championship, where she was able to navigate the bubble correctly and ended up cashing in.
Learn how Abby applies negotiation on and off the felt.
Ready to gain skills like negotiation, confidence, and risk assessment? Sign up for our community lessons today!
