Girl Gamer Makes a Killing

Fifteen minutes ago, I thought I was good at video games. I spent an entire summer in college playing Halo like it was my job. But right now, my opponent is blasting me to shreds again and again, knocking me and my big rocket launcher to oblivion with a peashooter -- and a snicker. Bonnie "Xena" Burton, a 15-year-old professional gamer, is whupping my ass online at Microsoft's Xbox Live site.

Bonnie was an early member of the PMS Clan, an all-girl gaming club of more than 250 members. Their motto: "We may have boobs, but that doesn't make us nØØbs." I glance at the scoreboard and feel sorry for any gamer who takes her on without taking her seriously. Our current score: 25 to -2. Translation: She's killed me 25 times, and I've landed on my own grenade twice. When I look back at the main screen, I'm dead again.

Luckily, Bonnie isn't here just to chase me down with a smoking barrel. When she's not competing, she moonlights as one of 14 elite gaming coaches at Gaming-Lessons.com. The business was started in 2005, and it already has celebrity clients like NBA players Luke Walton and Richard Jefferson and rappers Lil Dru and Moka Blast.

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