Prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns, Andrijana Gligoric was a typical college student. She studied electrical engineering, worked on her social media presence, and hung out with friends.
Those friends soon influenced a new course in life for Gligoric however. A few of them organized cash games in the Serbian city where she attended school. Poker soon overtook her interest in electrical engineering.
“I helped them with the organization of the games and that’s how I met a lot of my poker-playing friends,” says Gligoric, who is originally from Loznica, Serbia. “Then I started to get interested in the game myself. I learned the rules, started playing online, and then fell in love.”
Just a few short years later, Gligoric is the newest member of Team GGPoker and looking for big things ahead.
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Jumping into Twitch streaming
After leaving college behind, Gligoric’s love of the game led her to Malta where she met more people in the poker and casino world. She began playing more poker and even made appearances online with Twitch poker streamers.
Those interactions turned out to be fun and led her to fire up her own mic and webcam.
“I loved how they interacted with people, how they built their communities, and how entertaining it all was overall,” she says. “I was still new to the game, but I decided to try streaming.”
The new venture online came with some learning experiences at first.
“I didn’t know how hard it was until I tried, but I’m so happy that I did and met some amazing people,” Gligoric says. “I stayed consistent, dedicated and most importantly, I kept showing up.”
Social media influencer joins GGPoker; begins $10K bankroll challenge
Gligoric’s hard work eventually paid off with a gig at one of the fastest-growing online poker sites in the world. GGPoker announced in mid-February that the 23-year-old social media star was the site’s newest ambassador.
Known as “CallMeLija” on her Twitch channel, Gligoric is also the “Cash Game Queen” on the Team GG Twitch Squad. She’s now putting in the hard world, grinding six to seven days a week trying to build a bankroll.
Callmelija is currently working on a $500-to-$10,000 bankroll challenge, playing an average of five hours each day. Finishing out this type of effort isn’t easy, but Gligoric thinks she’s up to the challenge.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that what you put into this game is what you’ll get back. You can’t sit in your chair and expect things to happen. You need to work, grind, stay consistent, and never give up. Discipline is the key.”
Gligoric wears her emotions on her sleeve while streaming as this tough bad beat illustrates.
A tight Twitch community
The Twitch streamer is building an impressive community online. Her channel has grown to almost 9,000 followers in the last year. Gligoric focuses on integrating and connecting with her community.
One reason the Callmelija community is so interactive may be due to her roots in Loznica, Serbia. She says Serbians are generally a welcoming people.
“Serbia is a lovely country, it is forever my favorite,” she says. “Serbians are among some of the most welcoming and hospitable people in the world.
“As an interesting Serbian cultural fact, locals believe that they will not receive luck or favors from the Gods if they don’t treat their guests well.”
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Heading to Las Vegas
Even though Gligoric considers herself more of an online player, she plans on testing her skills this summer at the World Series of Poker. She’s excited to connect with players and people in the industry.
“I didn’t have many chances to play live at the start of this journey,” she says, “but that will change now. I can’t wait to start playing more live.”
The pandemic was tough for a lot of people, but some have emerged with new strengths and passions in life. Gligoric has used her discipline to grind a passion into a way of life.
“My plans are to beat high stakes and to study and play as much as I can,” she says, “then see where poker takes me from there.”