Born in Rio de Janeiro, Maria Eduarda “Maridu” Mayrinck graduated from university with a sociology degree and quickly entered the media industry, working as a screenwriter for several sitcoms on the Brazilian network Globo TV. After becoming obsessed with poker, she began blogging assiduously about the game, and her blog “Need an Ace” quickly gained a cult-like following in her home country. She then earned a spot on PokerStars’ blogging team, but it wasn’t until she developed her skills on the tables that her career really took off.
Maridu honed her poker skills, like so many others, by watching the best and trying to absorb as much as possible. She found some success online and finally, in 2007, decided to venture into the live tournament arena. In June of that year, she made the final table of a $1000 event at the Bellagio Cup III, cashing in fourth for $7.7K. At the 2008 World Series of Poker, she cashed in three events; 233rd in $1500 No Limit Hold’em for $4K, 35th in $1000 Ladies World Championship No Limit Hold’em for $4.7K, and 36th in $2000 No Limit Hold’em for $10.7K. In October of 2009, she hit her biggest live score to date, taking 43rd at the European Poker Tour stop in London for $20K. All told, Maridu has over $60K in live tournament earnings. She plays online as “Cash4PlasticSurgery” in Party Poker, “MariaRJ” in Full Tilt and “Maridu” in her home room, Poker Stars .
Away from the tables, Maridu loves to watch reality TV shows, go shopping, read about fashion, and travel.
Bubbly and outgoing, Maridu is a great ambassador to the game both for women and her homeland of Brazil. She hasn’t hit that life-changing score yet, but she has the talent and the desire, so success seems inevitable. Maridu is a member of Team PokerStars Pro and can be found playing online under the screen name ‘Maridu’.
