IT was no gamble when professional poker player Anthony Lampitt branched out into a new career.

Because his skill with numbers and enviable memory make him a natural for the world of accountancy. Now Malvern-based practice Turl & Co has appointed Mr Lampitt as the firm’s new accounting assistant.

With more than two years playing professional poker, he has invaluable experience when it comes to working with numbers, which he has now successfully transferred to the accountancy sector, having passed all 11 exams required to qualify for AAT level two in accountancy.

Joining the firm, Mr Lampitt will be responsible for maintaining clients’ bookkeeping services, while supporting practice owner Karen Lowen in the launch of her new accountancy software "dod-dle".

Mr Lampitt: “I have always been fascinated with numbers and thrive on results. Therefore, I knew that as soon as I started to take a step back from professional poker playing that accountancy was the job role for me. I am delighted to have joined Turl and Co at such an exciting time, particularly with the forthcoming launch of dod-dle.”

Created to help small businesses effectively manage their accounts and cope with HMRC’s forthcoming introduction of the Digital Tax Account, dod-dle is simple to use, cloud-based accountancy software, which has been founded to provide small business owners with an alternative solution to existing, complex programs.

Mrs Lowen said: “As soon as I met Antony I knew that he would prove to be a great asset to both Turl & Co and dod-dle. His previous experience in the world of poker means that he has an excellent eye for detail and an enviable memory. He is very driven and is a great addition to our team."