Alexandra Botez

Childhood

Born in Dallas, Texas, to Romanian immigrant parents, Alexandra Botez was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her father, Andrei Botez, introduced her to chess at age six, sparking a lifelong passion for strategic games. By age eight, she won her first Canadian girls' national championship, marking the beginning of an illustrious chess career.

Botez later moved back to the U.S., where she attended high school in Oregon and won the U.S. Girls Nationals at 15. She earned a full-ride chess scholarship to the University of Texas at Dallas but chose to attend Stanford University, where she studied international relations and served as president of the Stanford Chess Club.

Career

Chess Career

• Highlights Five-time Canadian Girls’ National Champion (2004–2010)
• U.S. Girls National Champion (2011)
• Represented Canada in three Women’s Chess Olympiads (2012, 2014, 2016)
• Peak FIDE rating of 2092 (2016)

Content Creation & Streaming

In 2016, Botez began streaming chess on Twitch while at Stanford. By 2020, she and her sister Andrea co-hosted BotezLive, now one of the largest chess channels on Twitch (1.3M followers) and YouTube (1.7M subscribers). Their success contributed to the 2020 chess boom, fueled by The Queen’s Gambit and PogChamps tournaments.

Poker Career

Botez transitioned to poker in 2021, quickly making a name for herself:

• Won $456,900 in a single live-streamed poker session (May 2022).
• Competed in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and celebrity tournaments alongside Phil Hellmuth and Magnus Carlsen.
• Became a GGPoker ambassador in 2024, promoting poker to her massive online audience.
  

Personal life

Botez maintains a private personal life but has been open about past relationships, including with chess grandmaster Eric Hansen. She resides in Los Angeles with her sister Andrea, where they continue producing content under OpTic Gaming.

Revenue

Botez’s income streams include:

• Twitch & YouTube ad revenue (15,000–20,000/month).
• Sponsorships (Intel, Garnier, Chess.com affiliate program).
• Poker winnings ($456,900 in a single session, plus tournament earnings).
• Merchandise sales (chess sets, hoodies).

Her estimated net worth is $1 million.

Interesting facts

• "Botez Gambit": A humorous term coined by fans when she blunders her queen in chess.
• Forbes 30 Under 30 (2023): Recognized for her influence in gaming and streaming.
• Defeated an International Master (2323 FIDE) in 2024, her highest-rated win.
  

Legacy

Botez has broken barriers for women in chess and poker, leveraging her platform to promote strategic gaming. Her shift from chess to poker exemplifies adaptability, making her a role model for aspiring gamers and gamblers alike.