The world poker tour has been filled with brilliant female poker players. It’s time to celebrate their achievements. We’ve revealed those that have graced the game with distinction, and are rightfully among the best female poker players of all time.
WHO QUALIFIES FOR THIS LIST?
Drawing up a list of the best female poker players of all time may seem rather daunting. That said, there are plenty of performance indicators for which to judge the poker career of a player – lifetime tournament winnings, global poker index, and the number of WSOP bracelets they have amassed.
With that in mind, we have scratched beneath the surface and explored the pre-eminent female players in poker history, starting with the best. Lisa Hamilton and Shannon Elizabeth don’t feature. Anyway, read on to discover more.
1. VANESSA SELBST (USA)
Sitting proudly at the top of our carefully curated list is Vanessa Selbst. Undeniably, the best female poker player to make her mark, Vanessa Selbst was responsible for the poker boom that spread across the US.
Having trousered just shy of $12million in career earnings, she is one of three players to have won three WSOP bracelets, and during her heyday, she was one of the hottest players on the planet.
In her illustrious career, Vanessa Selbst was at times unplayable. Among her best results, included landing $871,000 in 2014 for topping the No Limit Hold’em Mixed Max, and she was an American poker player that endeared herself to throes of poker fans all over the world.
Although she retired from poker in 2018, she enjoyed more success than many of her rivals. An inductee into the poker hall of fame in 2022, Selbst’s exploits won’t be forgotten about in a hurry.
2. KATHY LIEBERT (USA)
Although her career earnings and tournament winnings were dwarfed by Selbst, Kathy Liebert certainly warrants inclusion on this list.
With over $6.4m safely stowed away in the bank, Liebert made a real name for herself playing poker, and she was a heavyweight in the World Series. Her success dates back to 1994 when she enjoyed big cash days at the California State Championship, which is the game’s equivalent of the Super Bowl.
Liebert also made history in 2002 when she won the Party Poker Million Cruises for $1m, and it went someway to cementing her status as one of the top female poker players, winning more money than most.
Not only did she become the first woman to win a World Series of Poker event, but she also took out an iconic name in the process – Phil Hellmuth.
And to underline her status as one of the hottest female poker players, Liebert cashed out 106 times for $1.4m at the WSOP alone.
Liebert is also an avid Twitter user, and you can find her latest musings under the handle @pokerkat.
3. KRISTEN FOXEN (CANADA)
Perhaps the best active female poker player right now, Kristen Foxen has been crushing at poker tournaments over the past few years.
The Canadian, who has picked up over $5m in live tournament winnings through her decorated career, is the wife of Alex Foxen, who was crowned the overall GPI Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
A former PartyPoker ambassador, Foxen’s credentials are unquestioned, and she can be found participating in high stakes tournaments in Las Vegas, among other players.
One of Foxen’s crowning achievements was when she reached the final tables in a high roller event – the WPT 500 high roller in 2021 – and she certainly elevated her online poker game during the COVID pandemic.
4. MARIA HO (USA)
Arguably one of the most beautiful women in the world of poker, Maria Ho is fourth on this list, and her poker CV makes for impressive reading.
Six top-10 finishes in WSOP events, as well as being a member of the Poker Hall of Fame, the only thing that has eluded Maria Ho is an EPT title.
The American also competed in the 15th season of the amazing race alongside fellow poker star Tiffany Michelle. Maria Ho has pocketed over $4m in cash earnings.
5. ANNIE DUKE (USA)
Rounding off the top five of this list of top female poker players, is Annie Duke. Otherwise known as “The Duchess of Poker”, Duke has often been a dab in the highest stakes tournaments.
Although at times a polarising figure in the poker world due to her alleged involvement in the infamous Ultimate Bet/Absolute Poker scandal, Duke has also enjoyed notoriety away from the poker table.
In 2009, she appeared on the second season of Celebrity Apprentice, and she finished second in the final. Nevertheless, she is one of those players that has lit up the world poker tour.
6. ANNETTE OBRESTAD (NORWAY)
The only Norwegian female poker player to feature on this list, is Annette Obrestad. A Scandinavian superstar discovered poker at a young age, and she quit school to start playing poker in 2006.
Usually seen sporting a variety of hair colours, Obrestad has made a name for herself on both the World Poker Tour and European Poker Tour, and just before she turned 19, she won the WSOP Europe Main Event, cashing in for $1m.
And in 2017, she finished runner-up in the EPT Dublin Main Event, taking home just shy of €300,00.
But come 2012, Obrestad started to fall out of love with the game, and played fewer major tournaments before setting up her own makeover channel on YouTube.
7. LIV BOEREE (UK)
Another one of those famous poker players that made a name for herself is Liv Boeree. Having got her start when she appeared on Ultimatepoker.com showdown in 2005, Liv Boeree, known as the “Iron maiden” of poker was coached by Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth.
Liv Boeree experienced both sides of the game, operating as a player and on-screen reporter at live tournaments for WSOP and EPT events.
Perhaps the crowning achievement, is that Liv Boeree is the only player to win a WSOP bracelet as well as an EPT Championship.
8. VANESSA ROUSSO (USA)
Dubbed “Lady Maverick” and “Pokerness”, Vanessa Rousso is one of those instantly recognisable faces in female poker, and she is also one of the sexiest female poker players.
A former member of Team PokerStars Pro, Vanessa Rousso has combined brains with beauty, as she graduated from Duke University with a law degree. And her largest win at the poker table came in an EPT event where she cashed out for €700,000.
Rousso has amassed over $3.5m in live tournament winnings during her career. For those Big Brother fans out there, Rousso finished third on the reality TV show in 2015.
9. LONI HUI (USA)
With two WSOP bracelets to her name, Loni Hui has amassed over $3m in winnings during her poker career.
2013 was something of an annus mirabilis for Hui, who as a female player, won her first WSOP bracelet, and she enjoyed two other final table finishes. The second WSOP bracelet arrived two years later.
10. MARIA LAMPROPULOS (ARGENTINA)
Hailing from Argentina, Maria Lampropulos has enjoyed a fabulous career, and she has picked up a few poker bracelets, with her triumphs in partypokerMILLIONS and PokerStars Caribbean underlining her status as a brilliant poker pro.
During her career, she has also won poker tournaments in Chile, Austria, and Uruguay, even though she might not be the most heralded name on this celebrated list of female poker players.
11. JENNIFER HARMAN (USA)
Jennifer Harman is a huge name in the world of poker. With just shy of $3m in earnings, Harman is no stranger to success on the North American poker tour.
Although she has suffered health problems, which required her to have two kidneys, that hasn’t stopped her from scooping big prizes in cash games.
She has clinched two WSOP bracelets, and she was also involved in the inaugural world series event online. Jennifer Harman continues to play poker today.
12. VICTORIA COREN MITCHELL (UK)
The other half of British comedian David Mitchell, Victoria Coren Mitchell made an impact on the poker Europe scene. She became the first woman to win a European Poker title in 2006.
Not only that, but she was also the only woman at the time to win two European Poker Tour titles after triumphing in the EPT Sanremo Main Event in 2014.
After finishing her poker career, Coren Mitchell went on to present the popular quiz show ‘Only Connect’ on British TV.
13. EBONY KENNEY (USA)
With over $2.3m accumulated during her career, Ebony Kenney is one of the most beautiful female poker players on this list. Perhaps it comes as no surprise that Kenney used to be a model!
She has shone in high stakes poker, and she nearly became the only woman to set the record for the largest live cash tournament prize won by a female in a world series event.
14. XUAN LIU (CANADA)
Xuan Liu is no stranger to the world series of poker, and she made her first world series of poker money finish in 2010 when she placed 69th in the $1,000 Ladies Championship.
She has racked up cash prizes all over the world, and as things stand, her lifetime tournament winnings total stands at $2.26m.
15. ANA MARQUEZ (SPAIN)
The top-performing Spaniard on our list of best female poker players, Ana Marquez has taken the world series of poker by storm.
In 2011, she came within a whisker of reaching the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure final table, but two years later, she took the honours by winning the Hollywood Poker Open Championship event for over $320,000.
But her biggest win in a WSOP tournament came in Las Vegas where she scooped $445,000 in June 2019.
16. SANDRA NAUJOKS (GERMANY)
A German poker player and EPT champion, Sandra Naujoks is a female player that has racked up numerous appearances on the European circuit.
She has come to the fore in limit hold’em events, and she’s made close to $1.8m from playing poker. Her best result in a main event was ninth in 2010 where she claimed $56,000 in prize money.
17. BARBARA ENRIGHT (USA)
While she’s not as affluent as some of the other Las Vegas legends on this list, Barbara Enright’s contributions to the world series of poker shouldn’t be understated.
As far as final tables are concerned, Enright is the only woman to have made the final tables of a main event in the tournament’s history, and in 1995, she finished fifth.
A colossus in poker in her own right, Enright’s biggest score saw her win a limit hold’em event for $180,000.
18. CLONIE GOWEN (USA)
Having amassed over $1.5m during her career, Clonie Gowen has had a runner-up finish or two during her career, but it has also been marked by some stunning successes too. She was the last woman standing at the World Series of Poker event (Bellagio Cup), where she walked off with $437,000.
19. LEO MARGETS (SPAIN)
Last seen performing in a diamond world poker classic, Leo Margets is a Spanish poker player and WSOP bracelet winner. She has made the final tables of quite a few events, including limit hold’em tournaments, and she is also an ambassador for Winamax.
20. ALLYN SHULMAN (USA)
With over $1m secured from her displays in poker, Allyn Shulman is a worthy mention. She has made deep runs in some of the most prestigious events, and she has been an indelible influence in any poker room she has competed in. And apart from taking Las Vegas by storm, she is also a former WSOP bracelet winner.