Olga Iermolcheva invited a player with a unique life journey to her podcast – from childhood in Kharkiv, through entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, to her debut in a $25K High Roller at the WSOP. Victoria Livschitz is evidence that it's never too late to start a great story. In an open conversation, she discusses her daily routine, business successes, poker studies, and why she is fascinated by the combination of mathematics, human psychology, and mindset.
From Chessboard to Poker Table
Victoria Livschitz, CEO of Octopi Poker, grew up in Ukraine, where she dedicated herself to chess from a young age. After moving to Lithuania, she studied mathematics and, during the political changes of the late 1980s, began traveling across Europe for chess tournaments. A pivotal moment came with her move to the land of dreams – the United States.
There, she initially founded a chess school, “Lifitz Academy,” and later fully dived into the tech business. She discovered poker during the pandemic, when instead of spending time in the mountains, she watched final tables online. Her first live tournament? A $25K WSOP event, where she shared a table with legends like Erik Seidel and Jason Koon.
“I Can't Rest, But I Can Dream Big”
Today, Victoria lives in Vegas, balancing life as a player and running her company, Octopi Poker – an innovative training tool for players. Her mornings start with her two dogs, followed by work meetings, and often heading to tournaments from noon. Upon returning home, she dedicates hours to hand analysis, study, and improving her skills. “I'm not good at doing nothing,” she laughs. “If I get passionate about something, I want to be the best – even if it means years of hard work.”
Beyond poker, Victoria is a passionate traveler and former climber, temporarily sidelined from mountains due to health issues. Yet, she channels her energy into other goals – whether it's a final table, startup, or supporting other players. In her personal life, she looks forward to a new role – becoming a grandmother. “If it's not a big challenge, I probably won't take it on. I'm an adventurer, and I go for projects that are risky but worth it,” she adds.
Fascination with the Game and Its Future
For Victoria, poker is a blend of three pillars: mathematics, exploitative play, and mental resilience. She acknowledges that most tournament days end in failure, but the ability to rise after defeat motivates her. She speaks openly about the threats to the game – from real-time assistance to ethical challenges in the online environment – and believes technology can help protect poker's integrity. “I want to understand this game in depth. It's not about one big result for me but about long-term mastery,” she emphasizes.
As one of the founders of the Pocket Queens project, she created a free study community for women in poker. The goal is not only to educate but also to break down barriers hindering greater female participation. She exclusively uses Octopi Poker to replay and analyze all her hands from streams after each tournament. Study means systematic work with preflop strategies, postflop scenarios, and community discussions. “It's very difficult to make progress alone. The community is a huge advantage,” she says.
Other Episodes of Olga Poker Podcast
Alex Dreyfus: From Winamax through Messi to a Revolution in Entertainment
Daniel “Jungleman” Cates: When You Stop Clinging to Money, the Pressure Eases
Adam McKola: How I Went from Manchester United to the Poker Tables
Patrick Leonard: “I See Problems in Poker and Life as Puzzles to Be Solved”
Joe Stapleton: The Voice That Prefers Talking to Playing
Eugene Katchalov: Why Online Poker is Dying?
Sources – PokerNews, PGT, YouTube, OctopiPoker
