Catherine Valdes

Catherine Valdes was born in Atlanta and grew up in California, where she now resides. She was introduced to poker in elementary school by her grandparents, who taught her five-card stud. After a decade in California, she spent seven years making a living from vlogging on YouTube, describing herself as a "huge nerd and a huge fan of strategy games." Her serious poker journey began in October 2017 with a home game tournament, followed by her first casino tournament at the Bicycle Casino in November 2017, where she chopped for about $500.

Valdes has seven WSOP cashes and one WPT cash. Her WSOP results include:

• 2019: BIG 50 - $500 No-Limit Hold'em – 372nd place for $5,144
• 2021: Little One for One Drop – 414th place for $1,946
• 2023: Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions – 1,285th place for $1,684
• 2023: Event #26: $800 Deepstack – 14th place for $19,291
• 2023: Event #38: $1,500 Monster Stack – 767th place for $3,151
• 2023: Event #76: $10,000 Main Event – 858th place for $25,000
• 2024: Event #29: $1,500 Turbo – 26th place for $1,170

Her WPT cash came in 2023 at the Wynn Las Vegas $600 NLH event, finishing 85th for $1,260.

In March 2019, Valdes registered for a $400 WSOP Circuit event at Bally's Las Vegas but was accidentally seated in the $1,700 Main Event. She received 30,000 starting chips instead of the correct 15,000. After realizing the error about an hour in, she chose not to notify staff, fearing disruption. When officials discovered the mistake, her chips were removed, and she was offered a late entry into the $400 event. Valdes posted a YouTube video (later removed) explaining her side, sparking debate among poker players. Many criticized her for not immediately alerting staff, with some labeling it an angle shot. The incident brought her significant attention in the poker world.

Valdes, known online as "catrific," has a substantial following: over 245,000 Instagram followers, 199,000 Twitter followers, and 666,000 YouTube subscribers (as of 2019). She occasionally creates poker content and streams. She describes herself as aggressive at the tables, using her image to her advantage—often being underestimated by male opponents. She cites Vanessa Rousso as her favorite female poker pro. Valdes has also dabbled in podcasting with friend Ingrid Nilsen.

While Valdes has not won a major poker title, her story highlights the intersection of social media and poker. Her WSOP Main Event cash and consistent cashes demonstrate solid tournament skills. The 2019 incident remains a cautionary tale about tournament integrity and player responsibility. She continues to be an active presence in both the poker and online content creation worlds.