Andre Akkari

Poker player biography of Andre Akkari

Andre Akkari was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and used to work as a Flash animation specialist in a software company. Like many other professional poker players, Andre's foray into the world of poker was accidental. While working on a Flash animation project for a corporate website, Andre was assigned to write an e-commerce proposal for an online poker website. Andrew then downloaded a poker software as part of his research to do his work. It wasn't long before he developed a genuine interest in the game and found himself playing at the free money tables.

Realizing that poker has become a worthwhile hobby for him, Andre then bought a poker primer book to learn about the rules and the ins and outs of the game. Andre's initial knowledge on poker was gained purely out of self-study. His efforts on educating himself on the game paid off as he started playing for real money at PokerStars and was able to turn a considerable profit.

Andre Akkari's achievements as a poker player

Andre continued playing poker in the years that followed and has now become one of the best online players across the globe. In the desire to kick his poker-playing up a notch, Andre shifted from online poker to live poker play. His first major win came in 2006, during the 2006 Bellagio Cup II at the $1,000 No Limit Hold' em event, where he finished first and took home $83,500. Andre also regularly cashes in events across South America.

At the PokerStars Carribbean Adventure held in January 2008, Andre Akkari finished at the top 100 and took home $16,000. In April 2008, he participated in the No Limit Hold' em event in the Monte Carlo European Poker Tour and brought home $75,000. He also finished as a runner-up in the $10,300 HORSE event at the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker, bringing home the prize of $200,000. To date, Andre Akkari has earned more than $500,000 by playing in PokerStars tournaments and have made over 90 final table appearances.

Andre Akkari is described by his sponsor, Poker Stars, as having an “aggressive and distinctive style” of playing. This is also evidently seen in how he made the shift from online to live playing in just a short span of time, armed with nothing but self-acquired poker knowledge and love for the game. Even though Andre Akkari is now raking in considerable amounts of money, he still enjoys time away from the felt table and spends it relaxing at home with his wife and kids. Andre also enjoys watching movies and playing soccer with his friends. Andre also appears on various poker shows aired on ESPN Brazil, where he provides expert commentary and tips for poker players and enthusiasts.

Andre Akkari is seen by many as a role model for Latin American poker players who dream of someday going pro. Akkari showed that when it comes to succeeding in the game of cards, one need not have a specific academic background or know “important” people in the field. Sometimes, all one needs is a genuine interest and love for the game and the guts to go out in the field and play for success.