Staff Writer
The absence of women in the game of Poker was so obvious in the early period of the card game’s most famous family. However, in the 1970s, things began to change and they are now more than a force to contend with, as has been proved by the 10 richest female Poker players.
The first Women’s World Open event was in 2007 and today’s top female Poker players aim at a greater and more brilliant future for the game.
Retired pro Vanessa Selbst is without a doubt the world’s top female Poker player having won 3 WSOP bracelets and main events on the North American Tour and the Partouche tour. 2 WPT final tables are also under her belt.
Selbst, a Brooklyn born New Yorker has J.D. degree from Yale University’s law school as well as a degree in political science from the same university. With her total Poker wins of US$11,851,382.00, she gets crowned as one of the top poker players of all time.
Kathleen Liebert, fondly referred to as Kathy belongs to Nashville, Tennessee. She has been a series regular ever since her WSOP final table debut in 1997.
Liebert, a genuine veteran of the game has performed with excellence all through her career. But one of her most stunning triumphs was the Party Poker cruise US$1 million first prize in 2002. And through the years she has won an outstanding amount of US$6,236,222.00.
With a few striking wins under her belt, Annie Duke is popularly known as the Duchess of Poker. Among her victories are the 2010 NBC National Heads-Up championship, the 2004 WSOP Tournament of Champions (where her brother Howard Lederer also participated) and the WSOP bracelet.
Honoured with the title of being the first and only woman to win the Heads-Up championship, Duke has not played in live tournaments since. She remains one of the richest female Poker players with her total winnings of US$4,270,549.00.
in 2007 when she had not yet celebrated her 20th birthday Norwegian Annette Obrestad won more than US$2 million at the first WSOPE. She has also tasted victories at the 2010 Aussie Millions, WSOP main events and European Poker Tour final tables.
She occupies 4th place with a total winning of US$3,942,232.00.
Armed with a degree in astrophysics, Liv Boeree nicknamed the ‘Iron Maiden’ is a British professional player. Though 2010’s EPT Sanremo saw her first big win, she also performed exceptionally well at London’s PokerStars Festival’s high roller event and at WSOP main events in Las Vegas and Cannes.
Her total winnings sum up to US$3,852,996.00 by virtue of being one of the top female Poker players.
In 2013 Vanessa Rousso retired from the pro circuit. But she still remains one amongst the richest female Poker players.
Her career-best wins took place in 2006, 2009, 2010 & 2011 which saw 17 WSOP money finishes and a total of 2 WPT final tables. However, her best was the high-roller championship win at the EPT Grand Finale in Monaco in 2009. US$3,554,327.00 is Rousso’s total winning amount.
In terms of earnings, Hall of Fame inductee Joanne Liu a.k.a JJ ranks 7th amongst the top female Poker players. Taiwan born Liu now lives in California, USA.
At the 2004 World Poker Tour Bay 101 tournament she was the runner-up. She was placed 4th at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic the next year. Liu was runner-up at the Bay 101 Shooting Stars event In 2007. 2017 saw one of Liu’s most impressive wins, with her occupying the first-place spot at the US$1,100 No Limit Hold’em – 10 Hour Ironman event. Her total earnings are US$3,230,438.00 so far.
In 2014 Buenos Aires, Argentina born Maria Lampropulos entered the world of professional Poker. Initially she played No Limit Hold’em games, but went on to win at Paradise Island and Nottingham.
With the former win she became the first female player to take the title at the main event. US$3,012,771.00 is Lampropulos’ total winnings.
Taiwan born American, Maria Ho has played at a professional level for 15 years and holds 9th place in the list of the 10 richest female Poker players. Ho attracted much attention when she won US$237,865.00 at the 2007 WSOP having been placed 38th.
She was placed 6th in a final table finish at WSOPE 2017, won 8 times at WSOP 2014 and sat at 5 final tables on the World Poker Tour. 54 WSOP cashes have been part of her career. US$2,994,845.00 is her approximate total winnings amount.
Loni Harwood, the daughter of pro Joel Harwood learned the ropes of the game by simply watching her father play it online. In 2012 she earned a finance degree from Albany University.
That same year she won two World Series of Poker circuit rings and followed it up at the following year’s WSOP with a bracelet after 3 final tables.
