Your Subtitle text
Poker Girls - Women in Poker
Although for the most part, tales from the poker world are predominantly male orientated, there is a very significant female element to the game which is in no way inferior to that of the more tradition male game. Having female participation in the modern western world is nothing new, and equality is the way ahead, but there are still those rogue elements of the male dominated world that think that such a game of skill is only possible for those of the Y chromosome club are sadly mistaken.
Some of the games top players are women who have beaten the best the male game can throw at them and managed to walk away with the respect of the poker world as well as the World series title.
Only over the last 20 or so years has the female element made much of an impact in the poker world, but if we dig deeper into history, we find that some of the biggest names in the history of America were renowned poker plays. Calamity Jane and Annie Oakley to name but a few. As early as the late 1870’s celebrity shooting start Calamity Jane known for her act in the Buffalo Bill wild west shows was an accomplished and respected poker player.
Some of the games top players are women who have beaten the best the male game can throw at them and managed to walk away with the respect of the poker world as well as the World series title.
Only over the last 20 or so years has the female element made much of an impact in the poker world, but if we dig deeper into history, we find that some of the biggest names in the history of America were renowned poker plays. Calamity Jane and Annie Oakley to name but a few. As early as the late 1870’s celebrity shooting start Calamity Jane known for her act in the Buffalo Bill wild west shows was an accomplished and respected poker player.
Calamity Jane Annie Oakley
Modern day female poker heroines may not share the shooting skills of Annie Oakley, but that doesn’t mean that they are any less respected. Accumulating staggering amounts of poker profits which enter into the tens of millions between them, women’s poker is here to stay.
To list just some of the games most talented and successful players, used to be to dominated by the male player, but those days are long gone. The female introduction to the game has been slower and less obvious than that of the male participation, but none less successful.
To list just some of the games most talented and successful players, used to be to dominated by the male player, but those days are long gone. The female introduction to the game has been slower and less obvious than that of the male participation, but none less successful.
Annie Duke
Tournament wins:
 |
|
Born and raised in
Concord, New Hampshire Duke began to play poker in local pokers rooms
to pay the mortgage on their first home.
In 1994, at the
suggestion of her brother, famed poker player Howard Lederer, Duke
tried her hand at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. She ended up
placing 13th in her first tournament, knocking her brother out of play.
After winning 70K in her first month of competition, Duke and her
husband made the move to Las Vegas so she could pursue poker
professionally.
Over the course of the next decade, Duke established herself as one of the best poker players in the world. In 2004, Duke beat out an assembly of 234 players in the WSOP $2000 buy-in Omaha Hi/Lo Split and won her first WSOP bracelet. In August of the same year, Duke knocked out 8 of the worlds’ greatest poker legends and won $2 million in the No-Limit Texas Hold’em winner-take-all, invitation-only WSOP Tournament of Champions, established by ESPN and Harrah’s Entertainment.
Annie now serves as a consultant for the online poker site UltimateBet.com to ensure that their rules of poker and tournament structure match those you would find in the famous poker rooms of the Las Vegas strip.
Over the course of the next decade, Duke established herself as one of the best poker players in the world. In 2004, Duke beat out an assembly of 234 players in the WSOP $2000 buy-in Omaha Hi/Lo Split and won her first WSOP bracelet. In August of the same year, Duke knocked out 8 of the worlds’ greatest poker legends and won $2 million in the No-Limit Texas Hold’em winner-take-all, invitation-only WSOP Tournament of Champions, established by ESPN and Harrah’s Entertainment.
Annie now serves as a consultant for the online poker site UltimateBet.com to ensure that their rules of poker and tournament structure match those you would find in the famous poker rooms of the Las Vegas strip.
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions | 2004 | 1st | $2,000,000 |
| World Series of Poker account to date | 2008 | $1,072,231 | |
| Other tournament winnings to date | 2008 | $527,769 |
Jennifer Harman
Despite a reputation as a cash game player, Jennifer is making her mark in the tournament world. She won her first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2000 playing Deuce to Seven No-Limit, and her second bracelet in 2002 in the $5K Limit Hold 'em event. Jennifer is the only woman in the world with two bracelets in the open events. Jennifer took a year off from poker in 2006, but wasted no time in returning to form once she rejoined the circuit. Since returning to the circuit, she's finished fourth at the World Poker Tour Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, fifth in the inaugural Professional Poker Tour event, and second in the WSOP Circuit Championship Event at the Rio.
 |
|
Despite a reputation as a cash game player, Jennifer is making her mark in the tournament world. She won her first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2000 playing Deuce to Seven No-Limit, and her second bracelet in 2002 in the $5K Limit Hold 'em event. Jennifer is the only woman in the world with two bracelets in the open events. Jennifer took a year off from poker in 2006, but wasted no time in returning to form once she rejoined the circuit. Since returning to the circuit, she's finished fourth at the World Poker Tour Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, fifth in the inaugural Professional Poker Tour event, and second in the WSOP Circuit Championship Event at the Rio.
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| World Series of Poker account to date | 2009 | $714,107 | |
| Other tournament winnings to date | 2009 | $1,485,893 |
Victoria Coran
 |
|
Victoria first caught the attention of the poker world when she appeared on the legendary Late Night Poker TV show in the UK. Since then, she’s found success in major tournaments around the world and is one of the highest earning female players of all time. Her biggest success so far came in 2006, at the London leg of the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Season 3. After three days of tough action, she beat 397 of Europe’s best players to claim the title and first place prize money of $941,513. She is also a regular face at the famous Victoria Casino in London, frequently cashing in their scheduled tournaments and lively cash games.
Held in high regard by fans and her fellow pros, Victoria is undoubtedly one of the most important names in the British poker scene. After mastering her trade in one of the toughest casinos in the UK, Victoria was proud to be on home turf when she became the first woman to win an EPT title.
Held in high regard by fans and her fellow pros, Victoria is undoubtedly one of the most important names in the British poker scene. After mastering her trade in one of the toughest casinos in the UK, Victoria was proud to be on home turf when she became the first woman to win an EPT title.
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| European Poker Championships | Jun 2004 | 2nd | $49,273 |
| EPT London £3,500 No Limit Hold’em | Sep 2006 | 1st | $941,513 |
| EPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure | Jan 2009 | 30th | $40,000 |
Isabelle Mercier
 |
|
Starting off as dealer in the famous Aviation Club De France, Isabelle worked her way up to the role of poker room manager, eventually being nominated for ‘Staff Person of the Year’ at the European Poker Awards. Throughout her time on the casino floor, Isabelle was learning how to play poker herself, observing how people played their cards and made big money. She eventually decided it was her that should be getting dealt the cards. Many final table appearances and cash finishes later, today she stands firm as one of the most aggressive players around. Isabelle’s first major success came at a WPT invitational tournament in 2004, where she took 1st place in the Ladies Night Out event. In 2005, she just missed out on making the final table at the Grand Final of EPT Season 1, taking away $31,811 for finishing 10th. A month later, Isabelle earned another $56,616 for a 28th place finish at the $25,000 WPT Championship event. She’s also made several cashes at the WSOP*, including a 5th place finish for $175,404 at the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em event in 2006.
If anyone lives up to their poker nickname, then it’s Isabelle. Her aggressive approach is one that’s taken some of the biggest names in the game off their guard and paid dividends in the process.
Tournament wins:
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| Master Classics of Poker €800 No Limit Hold’em | Nov 2002 | 2nd | $53,499 |
| WPT Ladies Night Out Invitational | Sep 2004 | 1st | $25,000 |
| EPT €10,000 Grand Final No Limit Hold’em | Mar 2005 | 10th | $31,811 |
| WPT $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em Championship | Apr 2005 | 28th | $56,615 |
| EPT Deauville €4,000 No Limit Hold’em | Feb 2006 | 7th | $72,797 |
| 2006 WSOP $5,000 No Limit Hold’em | Jul 2006 | 5th | $175,404 |
| EPT London £3,500 No Limit Hold’em | Sep 2006 | 16th | $18,830 |
| WPT Fiesta Al Lago V $10,000 No Limit Hold’em | Oct 2006 | 98th | $12,525 |
| WPT $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em Championship | Apr 2008 | 41st | $56,765 |
Vanessa Rousso
 |
|
During her time at Duke University, Vanessa became interested in Game Theory, which teaches how to apply complex math-based decision making strategies to everyday life. Couple that knowledge together with a lifelong love of games and it seems a natural fit that she would wind up as a poker player. Vanessa began making an impact on the live tournament circuit in 2005, developing her skills with several impressive results. A year later, she made the final table of the WPT Championship event, finishing 7th and taking home over $250,000. In the same year, Vanessa also became the youngest ever female player at the time to reach a World Series final table, with an 8th place finish in the $5,000 Shorthanded Hold’em event. This was followed by victory in a preliminary event at the WPT Borgata Poker Open, where Vanessa beat a field of 173 to win first place prize money of $285,450.
In October 2007, she finished 2nd in the main event of the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker. Vanessa walked away with over $700,000, one of the biggest cash prizes in the history of online poker. In March 2009 Vanessa added another big result to her varied resume, this time in the discipline of heads-up poker. At the star-studded NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Vanessa played through a field of 64 of the world's best players to reach the final, where she placed second for a cash of $250,000. Fresh from that score Vanessa travelled to Monte Carlo for the EPT Grand Final with high hopes of more success. She did not disappoint, recording her biggest ever cash, winning the €25,000 High Roller Event for €720,000 - a victory made sweeter by the fact she beat 78 of the world’s best players in a star-studded tournament.
Tournament wins:
In October 2007, she finished 2nd in the main event of the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker. Vanessa walked away with over $700,000, one of the biggest cash prizes in the history of online poker. In March 2009 Vanessa added another big result to her varied resume, this time in the discipline of heads-up poker. At the star-studded NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Vanessa played through a field of 64 of the world's best players to reach the final, where she placed second for a cash of $250,000. Fresh from that score Vanessa travelled to Monte Carlo for the EPT Grand Final with high hopes of more success. She did not disappoint, recording her biggest ever cash, winning the €25,000 High Roller Event for €720,000 - a victory made sweeter by the fact she beat 78 of the world’s best players in a star-studded tournament.
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| WPT $25,000 No-Limit Championship | Apr 2006 | 7th | $263,625 |
| WSOP $5,000 Shorthanded No Limit Hold’em | Jul 2006 | 8th | $61,955 |
| WPT Borgata Open $5,000 No Limit Hold’em | Sep 2006 | 1st | $285,450 |
| Ultimate Poker Challenge Championship | Mar 2007 | 2nd | $65,863 |
| PokerStars WCOOP No Limit Hold’em Main Event | Oct 2007 | 2nd | $700,782 |
| Poker After Dark ‘Gus and the Girls’ Episode | Jan 2008 | 1st | $120,000 |
| EPT Monte Carlo €2,000 No Limit Hold’em | Apr 2008 | 4th | $54,116 |
| PokerStars WCOOP $1,050 FLHE | Sep 2008 | 3rd | $59,450 |
| WPT Southern Poker Championship | Jan 2009 | 7th | $79,117 |
| NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship | Mar 2009 | 2nd | $250,000 |
| EPT Grand Final €25K High Roller | May 2009 | 1st | $946,696 |
Katja Thater
 |
|
Katja Thater worked as the director of a marketing company and would go to casinos with her husband in her spare time to watch him play poker.
In one of those sessions spent watching husband, Katja stepped in to play a hand of Stud for him while he went to the bathroom. Although she had never actually played before, she’d picked up enough from her partner to make the correct moves and went on to win the hand. Katja started to become a familiar face on the live tournament circuit in 2006, making two cashes at the World Series.
It was in 2007 though that Katja really made her breakthrough. In March, she made the final table at the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Warsaw event, finishing in 5th place. She then went back to Vegas for the World Series of Poker*, this time making an incredible impact. After a small cash in an earlier event, Katja made the final table of the World Championship Ladies event and finished in 5th. The money was good, but more important to Katja was the bracelet and all the respect that comes with it. The year was capped off in style at the prestigious European Poker Awards, where Katja was awarded the title of ‘Europe’s Leading Lady’ at the ceremony in Paris.
With bracelets, huge prizes and awards, Katja is truly Germany’s biggest poker export and no doubt has her sights set on winning more events as her life on the pro circuit continues.
Tournament wins:
It was in 2007 though that Katja really made her breakthrough. In March, she made the final table at the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Warsaw event, finishing in 5th place. She then went back to Vegas for the World Series of Poker*, this time making an incredible impact. After a small cash in an earlier event, Katja made the final table of the World Championship Ladies event and finished in 5th. The money was good, but more important to Katja was the bracelet and all the respect that comes with it. The year was capped off in style at the prestigious European Poker Awards, where Katja was awarded the title of ‘Europe’s Leading Lady’ at the ceremony in Paris.
With bracelets, huge prizes and awards, Katja is truly Germany’s biggest poker export and no doubt has her sights set on winning more events as her life on the pro circuit continues.
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| 2009 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final | May 2009 | 23rd | $5,062 |
| 2009 CAPT Bregenz Open | Feb 2009 | 17th | $1,220 |
| 2007 Barcelona Open - EPT Season 4 | Aug 2007 | 47th | $12,550 |
| 2007 38th Annual World Series of Poker (Hold-em) | Jun 2007 | 1st | $132,653 |
| 2007 38th Annual World Series of Poker (Ladies event) | Jun 2007 | 5th | $49,151 |
| 2007 EPT Polish Open | Mar 2007 | 5th | $64,502 |
| 2006 EPT Dublin | Oct 2006 | 9th | $1,230 |
| 2006 37th Annual World Series of Poker (Hold-em) | Jul 2006 | 53rd | $2,685 |
| 2007 37th Annual World Series of Poker (7 card Stud) | Jul 2006 | 29th | $3,262 |
Liz Lieu
 |
|
Liz Lieu was primarily a limit Texas Hold'em cash game player for a number of years, before making her competitive tournament debut at 2005's World Series of Poker, she turned heads and astonished onlookers when she took 5th place in the first public event of the series, winning $169,500.
Little did they know that Liz is one of the most successful and aggressive players in the Los Angeles and Vegas $400-$800 cash game scenes. Admitting that her first time success got her "hooked" on tournament play.
Her first tournament win came at the 2006 L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino, where she won the $1000 limit hold'em event. Her second tournament win came when she won the $1000 no-limit event in 2007.
In May 2006 she took the challenge from Erik (123) Sagstrom to play a Heads up Challenge of Limit Hold'em. The match was played over 3 days for $200,000 per day, $600,000 total at the New Venetian Poker Room in Las Vegas. The results came Liz 2 wins, Erik 1 win. As of 2007, she has earned over $600,000 in live tournament play.
Tournament wins:
Little did they know that Liz is one of the most successful and aggressive players in the Los Angeles and Vegas $400-$800 cash game scenes. Admitting that her first time success got her "hooked" on tournament play.
Her first tournament win came at the 2006 L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino, where she won the $1000 limit hold'em event. Her second tournament win came when she won the $1000 no-limit event in 2007.
In May 2006 she took the challenge from Erik (123) Sagstrom to play a Heads up Challenge of Limit Hold'em. The match was played over 3 days for $200,000 per day, $600,000 total at the New Venetian Poker Room in Las Vegas. The results came Liz 2 wins, Erik 1 win. As of 2007, she has earned over $600,000 in live tournament play.
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| EPT Season 4, EPT San Remo | 2008 | 53rd | $12,560 |
| 2007 Special, APPT Macau High Roller Event | 2007 | 8th | $27,648 |
| 2007 Special, APPT Macau Main Event | 2007 | 7th | $32,384 |
| 2007 WSOP, Event 25, No-Limit Hold'em | 2007 | 89th | $5,153 |
| 2007 WSOP, Event 18, World Championship Limit Hold'em | 2007 | 19th | $11,475 |
| 2005 WSOP, Event 33, $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 2005 | 72nd | $4,880 |
| 2005 WSOP, Event 13, $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 2005 | 12th | $24,090 |
| 2005 WSOP, Event 2, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em | 2005 | 5th | $177,000 |
Maridu Mayrinck
Rio de Janeiro-born poker pro Maridu Mayrinck built a career in the television industry, working as a scriptwriter on several comedy shows for the major Brazilian network Globo TV. She'd always been a fan of poker though, and so a switch to writing about the world's most popular game seemed like a logical career progression. Maridu set up her own blog, which became hugely popular with poker fans in her homeland.
Spending a lot of time watching the biggest names play live poker is the perfect way to learn the game. It's certainly proved to be profitable for Maridu, who had begun playing live and making regular cash finishes by 2007. The turning point in her pro career came in June when she made the final table of a $1,000 event at the Bellagio Cup III. The cash of $7,735 was hardly life-changing, but it showed that Maridu had the skills to make it in a major live tournament. She then played at the 2008 World Series of Poker* and cashed three times, including top 40 finishes in the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em and $1,000 No Limit Hold'em Ladies World Championship events. In total, her 2008 WSOP* cashes were worth over $20,000 - a respectable run for someone so new to live poker. Maridu is also a regular player in the biggest Sit & Go tournaments online at PokerStars, where she has an impressive record of consistent cash finishes.
Tournament wins:
 |
|
Rio de Janeiro-born poker pro Maridu Mayrinck built a career in the television industry, working as a scriptwriter on several comedy shows for the major Brazilian network Globo TV. She'd always been a fan of poker though, and so a switch to writing about the world's most popular game seemed like a logical career progression. Maridu set up her own blog, which became hugely popular with poker fans in her homeland.
Spending a lot of time watching the biggest names play live poker is the perfect way to learn the game. It's certainly proved to be profitable for Maridu, who had begun playing live and making regular cash finishes by 2007. The turning point in her pro career came in June when she made the final table of a $1,000 event at the Bellagio Cup III. The cash of $7,735 was hardly life-changing, but it showed that Maridu had the skills to make it in a major live tournament. She then played at the 2008 World Series of Poker* and cashed three times, including top 40 finishes in the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em and $1,000 No Limit Hold'em Ladies World Championship events. In total, her 2008 WSOP* cashes were worth over $20,000 - a respectable run for someone so new to live poker. Maridu is also a regular player in the biggest Sit & Go tournaments online at PokerStars, where she has an impressive record of consistent cash finishes.
Tournament wins:
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
| Bellagio Cup III | Jun 2007 | 4th | $7,735 |
| 2008 WSOP $1,500 No Limit Hold'em | May 2008 | 233rd | $4,022 |
| 2008 WSOP $1,000 Ladies World Championship | Jun 2008 | 35th | $4,765 |
| 2008 WSOP $2,000 No Limit Hold'em | Jun 2008 | 36th | $10,762 |
