Top Female Poker Players: The Future of the Game

Poker has been dominated traditionally by men. However, things are changing. Female Poker players are changing the norm and making their presence felt in the poker world.

Many women bring their skills to the tables and often surpass their male counterparts. Although we have not yet seen a woman win the World Series of Poker Main Event, many commentators believe this is only a matter of time.

This article features 20 of the most prominent female poker players on the poker scene. Some are dominant in cash games while others are huge winners on the international tournament circuit. We are sure there are many more women who we can add to this list, and that more are making their way up the ranks at the moment.

The Top 20 Female Poker Players All Time

First, let’s give a shout-out for 11th through 20th place:

20. Allyn Jaffrey Shulman (USA)–$1.47 million

19. Esther TaylorBrady USA )–$1.51 Million

18. Lucille Cailly (France)–$1.55 million

17. Barbara Enright (USA)–$1.6 million

After winning the Women in Poker Hall of Fame celebration tourney, Enright was crowned the Champion.

16. MimiTran (USA )–$1.62 Million

15. Clonie Gowan (USA)–$1.64 million

14. Maria Constanza Lampropulos (Argentina)–$1.71 million

13. Sandra Naujoks (Germany)–$1.79 million

12. Xuan Lu (Canada )–$1.95 million

11. Maria Ho (USA )–$2.43 Million

Now, the top 10 female players of poker

Please, drum roll. The Hendon lists the top 10 female poker players based on their tournament winnings.

10. Victoria Coren Mitchell (UK)–$2.47 million

Mitchell was the first to win two European Poker Tour Main Event titles (2006 London, 2014 Sanremo). She was also the first player to win a televised professional tournament (EPT London 2006), and a televised celebrity event (“Celebrity Poker Club”).

Mitchell writes poker columns and provides commentary for several British poker series. She also plays in a few tournaments each season and makes most of the money she earns from cash games.

 

9. Loni Harwood (USA)–$2.5 million

Harwood and Harwood are competing for a WSOP bracelet. 

Harwood is a consistent winner on the tournament circuit. She has won two WSOP bracelets (2012) and 2013, both in No-Limit Hold’em.

Harwood also reached five WSOP final tables, was 14th in the money 14 times, and has had money finishes in the WPT as well as the EPT.

8. Jennifer Harman (USA )–$2.74 Million)

Jennifer Harman is one of the most successful and well-known female poker players in history. Harman has two WSOP bracelets and 12 WSOP final tables appearances. She also has 32 money finishes and two WPT final table appearances.

Harman was a regular player on Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker. Harman is the only woman who regularly plays at the Bellagio high stakes cash game, the “Big Game.” Harman was inducted into The Poker Hall of Fame in 2015.

Harman, who has had two kidney transplants, is very active in the charity circuit. Harman also founded the nonprofit creating Organ Donation Awareness (CODA) and hosts charity poker events. All proceeds go to the National Kidney Foundation.

 

7. Joanne Liu (Taiwan)–$3.1 million

Joanne ‘JJ” Liu arrived in the United States to study at college in 1985. One day in 1996, Liu ventured into San Jose’s Bay 101 Casino and took up a new and soon-to-be-very-lucrative hobby.

Liu quit her job in 2004 to play poker full-time. She has since been recognized as one of the best professional female poker players. Liu’s achievements include 10 WSOP cashes and five WPT cashes. She also won the 2006 WPT Ladies Night IV and finished 2nd in the 2007 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Stars event.

She is also the only woman who finished in the money at Asian Poker Tour’s inaugural event.

6. Vanessa Rousso (USA)–$3.56 million

Rousso is also known as “Pokerness” or “Lady Maverick.” His impressive poker career includes 17 WSOP cash finishes, two WPT final table appearances, and several endorsement deals including GoDaddy and PokerStars. Rousso is a passionate student of game theory and has written for American Poker Player.

Rousso also achieved two other remarkable feats: she placed 3rd on the TV game program Big Brother, and after beating Tony G. in a hand. Who else can boast such bragging rights? 

5. Liv Boeree (UK )–$3.57 Million)

Liv Boeree is another well-known female poker player today. She made her debut on Ultimatepoker.com in 2005. Boeree was also coached by Phil Hellmuth and Dave Ulliott, adding to her success.

Boeree was both a participant and an on-screen journalist at the WSOP Europe, EPT, and WSOP Europe. She is the only female player to have a WSOP bracelet, and an EPT championship. This was based on her Global Poker Index points.

Boeree, won EUR1.25 Million at the 2010 EPT San Remo, and launched her career.

4. Annette Obrestad (Norway)–$3.93 million

This Scandinavian poker prodigy started her online poker career when she was just 15 years old, under the name “Annette_15”. She won almost $1 million on PokerStars and UltimateBet in 2005 and 2006. She was once ranked the best in the world on PocketFives.

Obrestad won the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event just a day before her 19th birthday. This was an incredible PS1 million.

3. Annie Duke (USA)–$4.27 million

Annie Duke, a.k.a. Annie Duke, aka the “Duchess” of Poker, has had quite a successful career. ( Annie Lederer is Howard Lederer’s younger sister.

Her first major tournament appearance was at the 1994 WSOP. She managed three impressive showings, including 14th place, 5th, and 26th in Main Event. She and her husband then moved to Las Vegas to pursue their poker career.

Annie won the 2004 WSOP bracelet and the 2010 National Heads-Up Poker Championship. She also had 38 WSOP and four WPT money finishes. Until Vanessa Selbst took over, Duke was the most successful WSOP money winner among women.

2. Kathy Liebert (USA)–$6.17 million

PokerKat Kathy Liebert made six WPT final tables and finished 3rd in the 2005 Borgata Poker Open. She won a WSOP bracelet in the 2004 $1,500 Limit Texas Hold’Em Shootout and has a remarkable 47 WSOP money finishes.

Her 17th-place finish in the 2000 WSOP Main Event was her highest. Liebert is still playing tournaments and resides in Las Vegas.

1. Vanessa Selbst (USA)—$11.85 million

Vanessa Selbst is one of the most successful professional poker players in the world. She has won numerous tournaments and has earned millions of dollars in prize money. Her skills at the table are undeniable, and she continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the poker community.

Selbst ranks #1 on the female poker player money list and #41 on the all-time list. She boasts three WSOP bracelets, eight final tables, 20 money finishes, and two WPT final tables. Her highest WSOP Main Event money finish was 73rd in 2012, and she is the only woman to have won three bracelets in WSOP open events.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Selbst also holds a J.D. from Yale University–talk about an overachiever!

Conclusion

Female poker players are the future of the game. They bring a different perspective to the table and add a new level of excitement to the game. In recent years, there has been an increase in female participation in poker tournaments.

This is due, in part, to the rise in popularity of televised poker tournaments and also because online poker rooms have made it easier for women to get involved in the game. There are many talented female poker players out there who can compete with the best.