Despite his initial career uncertainty, Birch says he always knew he wanted to work for himself rather than someone else.

"When I was a kid I really liked playing chess, which is pretty geeky; I just enjoyed it - thinking, exercising my mind. And I found computers to be like an eight-hour day chess game. It was the same sense of satisfaction of problem solving and thinking. I really got into it."

So many aspects of life can be compared to chess... or poker... or both.