Q&A with Nikki Limo, Poker Pro and Ignition Partner

Nikki Limo is a poker player, content creator, and influencer who got started with cards at the tender age of 9. Growing up in a large Filipino family, she learned to play poker early, and her early experiences playing with family (just for candy!) sparked a lifelong love for the game. Though she played casually throughout college, it wasn’t until the pandemic that Nikki began to take poker seriously, immersing herself in books, solvers, and intensive study to sharpen her skills.

Nikki’s poker career, mostly played out in live games (as opposed to online), has had its highs and lows. After an impressive early streak, where she made final tables and even secured six-figure cashes within just a few months, she hit a long period without a win, teaching her valuable lessons about the game’s variance. One of her most notable achievements was finishing 4th in a WSOP $600 Deep Stack event, earning $116,600.

The lesson is: don’t sleep on her talents – she can take you out in one solid hand that will leave you spinning and leave your stack depleted.

Beyond the felt, Nikki has leveraged her skills as a YouTuber and podcaster, naturally growing into her role as a poker influencer. While Nikki enjoys playing high-stakes games, she remains focused on continuous learning and content creation, engaging with her growing community and sharing her poker insights. Whether streaming live or competing at the tables, Nikki continues to inspire both new and seasoned poker players alike.

Recently, we chatted with poker pro and Ignition partner Nikki Limo to talk about her poker journey thus far. Here’s what she had to say:

When did you start playing poker?

I learned to play poker when I was about 9 years old. I have a huge Filipino family, and the adults would always play poker. One year, my older cousins learned, and they taught us at Easter, and we played for candy. I won a lot of candy and fell in love with the game. I played casually in college, but I didn’t take poker seriously until the pandemic. That’s when I got obsessed. Read every book I could get my hands on. Started studying on a solver, etc.

What drew you in?

The psychology and mental aspect are what initially drew me in. The fact that you could bluff if you sensed the other person was scared or weak and win the hand with nothing. That’s a really beautiful part of the game.

What low points/challenges did you experience in your poker journey?

The first few months of playing tournaments, I had a phenomenal run. I finally tabled or won every other one I played. I ended up winning 6 figures in the first 3 months from low buy-ins. And then… the variance hit. I went 8 months without a single cash. That was really depressing and something I had to get advice from a lot of professionals on. Overall, I’m glad it happened that way. I had enough bankroll to get through the downswing and I learned a lot along the way.

What high points were there? Biggest tourney cashes?

My first WSOP, the second event I entered, was a $600 deep stack event. It was the biggest buy-in I had ever done at that point. I had only been playing tournaments for 2.5 months. I ended up finishing 4th for $116,600. That was an amazing experience.

Most helpful/fun people you met along the way?

The poker community has definitely been the biggest win. The people I’ve been blessed to meet are incredible. I couldn’t list them all, but Andrew Neeme was a huge catalyst to me moving forward from the beginning of my poker journey. And my neighbors, Chris Moorman and Katie Lindsay introduced me to so many others. The most fun would have to go to Caitlin Comeskey, Marle Spragg, Melissa Schubert, and Kyna England.

Do you study poker or belong to any educational platforms?

Yes, and I think it’s really important to find a study group early on if you want to take the game seriously. It’s such a tremendous help to be able to bounce feedback off each other. I joined Hand History Lounge, a Facebook group led by poker pros Benton Blakeman and Andrew Neeme, at the very start of my poker career for cash games. Since then, I’ve joined Pocket Queens – a free study group for women in poker led by Victoria Lipschitz coached at Solve For Why, and I’ve done private coaching for tournament study.

When did you make the jump to being a poker influencer? Do you still do other things on the side?

It kind of happened by accident. I was already a full-time YouTuber and podcaster and decided to take a little break when we moved to Las Vegas. At this point, I was pretty obsessed with poker and started playing a lot more. One thing led to another, and I ended up working as a content creator and influencer with prominent poker companies and now, I love being able to use my skills as a YouTuber and host now in this poker niche that is very fulfilling.

What do your friends/family think about it?

At this point, me pivoting into a full-time poker career is probably the least crazy idea I’ve had haha. They’re kind of used to me just following my gut and pursuing my passions, and have always been super supportive about it.

Where do you see the journey taking you, hopefully? What do you want the audience to know about you going forward?

I have no idea where it’s going, but that’s kind of the fun part. I love commentating and am working on getting better at that. I got a taste of playing nosebleed high stakes when I was featured as the Loose Cannon on the show The Big Game, and it would be an absolute dream to be able to play those kinds of games regularly. But I’m pretty happy with where I’m at right now- playing the game every day, learning a lot as I go, and creating content for a new audience who loves poker just as much as I do.

How is the audience treating you when you stream?

My audience is the best! Couldn’t ask for a better chat.

Does poker ever get tiring?

When you’re losing, yeah, haha. I’ve quit a thousand times. I just wake up the next morning, meditate, and go for a walk, then inevitably start again. When you love something, there’s no real quit in you.

Do you play live?

All the time. I started live, and it’s the only social thing I really do.

How is the relationship with Ignition so far? Has it brought in new followers or other opportunities?

I love the team at Ignition. Getting to play around more with poker content has been creatively fulfilling and has helped to expand and reach a new audience.

Least favorite spot/situation in poker? What makes you sweat?

The bubble of a tournament always makes me sweat. I’ve been the bubble girl before, and it’s really not fun to have played all day (or multiple days) and hear the room cheer when you bust because everyone else just made the money 😭.

What hand always messes with you?

Pocket 8’s. I don’t know what it is about that hand, but I can’t win with them, and I can’t win against them. They have destroyed me in so many tournaments!

What hand is usually good to you?

Pocket 5’s. I have flopped so many sets and even quads with 55. It saved me in the Main Event against pocket queens: it’s won me so much money in cash games. I’m very loyal to pocket 5’s.

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Follow Nikki on social media to see where she’ll be taking her chip stacks next: