Caroline Cardoso Dapousa

Caroline Cardoso Dapousa discovered poker in 2015 while working as a nutritionist at two jobs. She applied to the 4Bet Poker Team's training program and was accepted, prompting her to quit both jobs immediately. Despite her parents' initial concerns about leaving a stable profession, she became a full-time poker player.

In 2023, Dapousa finished 3rd in the Main Event of the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) in Brasília, earning R$133,500 (approximately $26,776). She came close to becoming only the third woman to win a BSOP Main Event. The same year, she won a Bounty Builder Series event on PokerStars and achieved multiple live cashes, leading to her being voted 'Jogadora do Ano' (Player of the Year) at the 2023 Mundo Poker Awards.

Dapousa is married to fellow poker player Renato Zek, and the couple has a daughter named Catharina. She took a break from poker in early 2018 due to pregnancy and returned over a year later. After giving birth, she experienced severe depression but eventually stabilized with support from family, including her parents and sister-in-law, who help care for her daughter.

Known for adapting her strategy based on tournament stage and opponents, Dapousa emphasized the importance of mental stability and hard work. Her approach blends positional awareness with calculated aggression, a style she refined through years of live and online play.

• 2023 Mundo Poker Awards: Jogadora do Ano (Female Player of the Year)
• Third place in BSOP Brasília Main Event (2023)
• Winner of PokerStars Bounty Builder Series event

Dapousa is regarded as a role model for female players in Brazil, actively encouraging more women to enter poker. Her journey from nutritionist to professional poker player highlights the sport's appeal and the growing diversity of its participants.