There has been much said in the various poker forums and blogs about the eligible ladies not being able to hold their own among what will be a prestigious poker field.  To answer the debate that it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female to win at poker,  I would like to see as many ladies as possible play in this event.

To encourage you to vote for the ladies and to honor them for even being in this field, here is a summary of their accomplishments.

First of all, Annie Duke is an automatic entry and not in the voting field due to being a prior Tournament of Champions winner.  Although she is a polarizing figure in the poker world, liked by some and disliked by many, her poker accomplishments and fame deserve some recognition.   In 2004 she won a WSOP bracelet for Omaha Hi-Lo and the WSOP Tournament of Champions and the WPT Limit Hold ‘Em event, all in the same year.  She has over $2 Million in tournament winnings and just recently won the NBC National Heads Up Championship for $500,000. She has at least 36 WSOP cashes between 1994 and 2009.  She has hosted charity events and raised money for notable causes such as Ante up for Africa, and she catapulted to stardom with her good run in the Celebrity Apprentice.  I can only hope that she desires to see other ladies seated at this event besides herself.

The rest of the Ladies will be presented, for the most part, in the order of their WSOP winnings although the pure dollar amount should not be the only factor in their worthiness to play in this event.

Annette Obrestad, from Norway, now 21 years old, is the young darling in Poker, youngest winner of the WSOP Europe for $1.6Million. This year she won the Aussie Millions Pot Limit Omaha event.  Due to only recently turning 21, many of her tournament winnings are from European events totaling almost $3Million. She is a formidable online player garnering much fame there as well. Many would like to see the future female of poker play on the biggest stage.

Jennifer Harman, from Las Vegas, a petite dynamo, has TWO WSOP bracelets.  She won in 2002 WSOP Limit Hold’em and in 2000 WSOP Deuce to 7 Lowball.  From 1996 to 2009 she has 27 WSOP cashes for $1.1 Million and overall tournament winnings of over $2Million. In 2007 she placed 2^nd in the WSOP Europe H.O.R.S.E event.  She’s a well known, successful, high stakes cash player and has won much love and respect as an animal lover hosting her annual charity events for the Nevada SPCA and the National Kidney Foundation.

Kathy Liebert, from Las Vegas, I believe is the most underappreciated woman in poker today.  With over $5million in tournament winnings, she should be Rock Star famous.  If I had only one vote to cast for who deserves to be in this TOC, it would go to this lady. She is a tournament champion all the way. Her WSOP bracelet was won in 2004 Shootout Limit Hold ‘em and she has approximately 30 WSOP cashes from 1997-2009 for over $1million.  In 2009 she came in 1^st in the WPT World Poker finals and in 2002 she won the Party Poker Million. She travels the county and the world with deep runs in notable tournament series’ like LAPC, Carribean Poker Classic, Legends of Poker, Orleans Open, Bay 101, Foxwoods Poker Classic and various WPT events and more.  I doubt you will find a person anywhere who has met Ms. Liebert and not been awed at her kindness and intelligence.  I wish for her a Big Win and a deserved Big Sponsorship.

Cindy Violette, from Los Angeles, may well be the healthiest lady in poker.  Always advocating a healthy lifestyle with her hefty WSOP winnings of over $800,000.  She won her bracelet in 2004 in Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/low and had some impressive 2^nd and 3^rd place WSOP finishes in 1996, 2005 and 2006, among her 28 WSOP cashes.  In addition to her successful cash play, her total tournament winnings are over $1million. She was inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2009.

Vanessa Selbst, from Brooklyn, NY, Yale educated and a top Poker Coach at Deuces Cracked.  At the tender age of 25 she has 4 major first place finishes under belt including her WSOP Bracelet in 2008 for Pot Limit Omaha. Her WSOP winnings are over $600,000 with 7 cashes indicating some deep runs.  Her other first place finishes include the Ladies event at the LAPC and 2 WPT events bringing her total tournament winnings to over $900,000.  Not a commonly seen face on the tournament circuit,  we would like to see more of her.

Barbara Enright, from Las Vegas, has THREE WSOP bracelets and was the first Lady inducted in the Poker Hall of Fame in 2007 and one of the inaugural inductees into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2008. Her first WSOP bracelet was in 1986 in the Ladies 7Card Stud, followed by her second in 1994 in the Ladies 7Card Stud and her third in 1996 in Pot Limit Hold’em.  Her total WSOP winnings are over $400,000 and her total tournament winnings are over $800,000.  She still maintains the honor of being the only female to make it to a final table of the WSOP Main Event in 1995 coming in 5^th place.   She has 14 Major First Place finishes and among the ladies, she most of all, adjusted her style of play to the more aggressive no limit style of today, plus she approaches every event with a winning attitude

Jerri Thomas , from Hamilton, OH,  came in 2^nd in her first major tournament in 1998, the Ladies WSOP, and in 2000 she won the her bracelet in the same event.   Her tournament winnings with 28 major cashes total over $400,000 with $300,000 coming from the WSOP. 

Svetlana Gromenkova, from New York, NY won her WSOP bracelet in the 2008 Ladies Event.  She has over $200,000 in WSOP winnings and over $400,000 in tournament winnings with 16 major cashes.  I’ve sat across the felt from this svelte player and she is one to watch in the future for some major success.

Jennifer Tilly, from Los Angeles, can certainly bring Drama and Sex Appeal to any poker event, as well as some memorable play. The well known actress won her WSOP bracelet in 2005 in the Ladies No Limit Championship and went on to win the WPT Ladies invitational the following year.  Her WSOP winnings total over $200,000 and her tournament winnings total over $400,000 with 16 major cashes and some notable appearances on televised poker shows.  The male poker community loves her uninhibited “Top Pair”. 

Lisa Hamilton, from Hawaii to Las Vegas, only recently entered the tournament scene from the high stakes cash game grind. She won the WSOP Ladies event in 2009 for $195,390 and this year came in 5^th in the NAPT Caribbean Poker Adventure High Roller event for a $133,770 cash. We’d like to see more of this exotic beauty on the tournament circuit.

Katja Thater, from Hamburg, Germany, a striking European Beauty and one of the new faces of Poker Stars won her WSOP bracelet in the 2007 Razz event and she just recently won the NAPT Caribbean Poker Adventure 8 game event.  Her WSOP winnings total almost $200,000 and her tournament winnings total over $300,000 with 12 major cashes. Not bad for just 3 years on the poker tournament scene.

Susie Isaacs, from Las Vegas is a classic Poker Icon with TWO WSOP Bracelets. She was an inaugural inductee in the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2008 and is a published author in both Poker and Fiction. She won back to back WSOP bracelets in the Ladies 7card Stud events in 1996 and 1997 and showed her staying power by coming in 5^th in the Ladies event in 2004. She came in 10^th in the WSOP Main Event in 1998, adding into her total WSOP earnings of almost $200,000 and her tournament winnings of over $300,000. She’s had a whopping 59 major cashes with 7 first place finishes.  Her desire to WIN is infectious and she is continually striving to improve her game and results.

Linda Johnson from Las Vegas, is known as the First Lady of Poker, bringing class and dignity wherever she goes worldwide.  She was an inaugural inductee in the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2008 and created the TDA rules that are used as the standard in poker tournaments around the world for fair play. She won her WSOP bracelet in 1997 in the Razz event and has WSOP winnings over $100,000. Her tournament winnings of over $200,000 include 42 major cashes and 7 first place titles. She was the floor announcer for years in the WPT, currently co-operates Card Player Cruises, and has visited more exotic places and countries than any of us ever will.

The balance of the Ladies to have the honor of being WSOP bracelet holders and eligible for the 2010 Tournament of champions:

Sally Boyer

Midway, UT

2007 WSOP Ladies Champion No Limit Hold ‘em $262,077

Clare Miller

Alamogordo, NM

2006 WSOP Seniors Champion $247,814

Mary Jones

Henderson, NV

2006 WSOP Ladies Champion No Limit Hold ‘em $236,094

Maria Stern

Las Vegas, NV

1997 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $140,708

Over $200,000 WSOP winnings, $300,000 tournament winnings

33 Major cashes, 4 1^st place finishes

Shari Flanzer

Las Vegas, NV

1992 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $98,000

Phyllis Kessler

Las Vegas, NV

1993 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $32,800

$90,515 Total WSOP winnings

Catherine Brown

Las Vegas, NV

2002 WSOP Ladies Champion Limit Hold ‘em-7card stud $39,880

$68,230 Total WSOP winnings

Karen Wolfson

Las Vegas, NV

1984 WSOP Ladies Champion 7card Stud $15,500

2^nd Place in Ladies WSOP in both 1995 & 1997

$62,560 total WSOP winnings

Carolyn Gardner

San Diego, CA

1983 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $16,000

$61,701 total WSOP winnings,  20 major tournament cashes with 14 final tables!

Linda Ryke Drucker

Las Vegas, NV

1987 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $16,800

$61,108 total WSOP winnings

Crystal Doan

San Diego, CA

2004 WSOP Ladies Champion Limit Hold ‘em $58,530

Starla Brodie – TWO WSOP Bracelets

Verona, New Jersey to Las Vegas, NV

1995 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $35,200

1979 Mixed Doubles  Co-Champion with Doyle Brunson

6 WSOP Cashes, totaling $51,990

Barb Rugolo

Scottsdale, AZ

2003 WSOP Ladies Champion Limit Hold ‘em-7card stud $40,700

Mandy Thompson

Ontario, Canada

1998 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $40,000

Marie Gabert

Carson City, NV

1990 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $22,000

$39,620 WSOP winnings

$177,000 tournament winnings with 59 major cashes, 6 first place finishes and 51 FINAL TABLES!

Christina Pie

Rosemead, CA

1999 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $34,000

Donna Ward

1991 WSOP Ladies Champion 7Card Stud $28,200

Terry King

Long Beach, CA to Las Vegas, NV

1978 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $10,080

5 WSOP Cashes all in Ladies Events totaling $20,167

Rose Pifer

1985 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $18,500

Ruth Godfrey

1981 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $17,800

Loretta Huber

1988 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $17,000

June Field

Las Vegas, NV

1982 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $16,000

Inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame 2009

Founder of Card Player Magazine and Poker Digest and

Founder of Card Player Cruises and Classic Poker Cruises

Debby Callihan

1980 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $14,880

Sandy Blumen

$14,000 WSOP winnings (year & event unknown)

Donna Doman

1983 WSOP Mixed Doubles 7Card Stud $10,000

Dani Kelly

1982 WSOP Mixed Doubles 7Card Stud $8,800

Lynn Harvey

1980 WSOP Mixed Doubles 7Card Stud $7,380

Jackie McDaniel

Las Vegas, NV

1977 Ladies WSOP Champion 7Card Stud $5,580

One thing I have noticed in researching this recap of the 47 WSOP bracelets won by the Ladies on this list, only ONE bracelet was in a Mixed (men and women) No Limit Hold ‘em event,  that of Annette Obrestad.  Most wins have been in Stud, or Omaha or Pot Limit, Limit and other games.  Does that mean No Limit is really more of a man’s game or just that more women need to play no limit comfortably.  For years the Ladies WSOP Championship was 7Card Stud, in 2001-2003 it was changed to half 7card stud, half Limit hold ‘em.  In 2004 it was changed to all Limit Hold’em and in 2005 it was changed to No Limit Hold ‘em, the year Jennifer Tilly won.

The ladies still have some ground to cover in the most popular No Limit Hold’em championship results in a mixed field.  The WSOP Tournament of Champions would be a perfect opportunity for this, so go and VOTE for some Ladies please, at WSOP.com.