It has been more than 15 years since Barbara Enright made the final table of the World Series of Poker and seriously threatened the all-male dominance of the game.
If Barbara's pocket eights had held up instead of being defeated by 6-3 suited, who knows how far she might have gone? She started playing poker at the tender age of five against her older brother -- the game was five-card draw -- and in 2007, she was named to the Poker Hall of Fame.
I have played against Barbara in the past. I know she has collected three World Series of Poker Bracelets, finished in the money at WSOP tournaments 19 times, and lives in Hollywood, CA. But outside of that, I have no idea what Barbara and her sweetie, poker columnist Max Shapiro, are doing these days. Did she give up poker? Is she retired? Who knows?
The 2017 WSOP is history and players are already looking forward to the 2017 event. One thing I do know: women are nibbling away at the WSOP. They desperately want to slip into that charmed circle, the sooner, the better.
At the head of the list of probables who could make the final table in next year's WSOP is Vanessa Selbst whose $9.6 million in tournament earnings simply make her the best female player in the world.
Vanessa has two WSOP bracelets and has made two World Poker Open final tables. Her biggest payoff occurred on Jan. 12, 2010 when her $25,000 investment in a Poker Stars tournament on Paradise Island in the Bahamas won her $1.4 million.
Ranking second on the money list for female players is Kathy Liebert with $5.6 million in tournament winnings. She won $1 million in a Party Poker million dollar tournament in 2002 with a buy-in of $8,00. On March 16, 2009, Kathy won another $560,000 in a World Poker Open tournament in San Jose, CA. That buy-in cost her $10,000.
Annie Duke, Howard Lederer's perky sister, is third on the money list with $4.2 million. She was the only woman to win the NBC National Heads-up poker championship on March 5, 2010. She bought in for $20,000 and collected a top prize of $500,000. She also won $2 million in the WSOP Tournament of Champions on Sept. 1, 2004.
Fourth place on the women's money list is Annette Obrestad with $3.9 million in tournament earnings. This includes $2 million in a WSOP tournament in Europe on Sept. 10, 2007, after a $10,000 buy-in.
Vanessa Russo ranks fifth with $3.5 million in winnings. This includes $700,000 from a May 1, 2009, EPT tournament in Monte Carlo. That effort cost Vanessa $25,000 in a buy-in.
Joanne 'J.J.' Liu is sixth on the list with $2.7 million in earnings. This includes 800,000 won on MARCH 12, 2007 AFTER SHE POSTED A $10,000 ENTRY FEE.
Jennifer Harmon ranks sixth with $2.7 million in earnings. Jennifer is mostly a cash player. On March 20, 2005, she won $383,000 with a $10,000 WSOP buy-in and another $330,000 in a World Poker Tour tournament on March 16, 2009, in San Jose, CA. That championship event cost her $10,000 for her chips.
I always like to see a woman sit down at my table. It usually means the competition lightens up, but with these ladies, I am not too sure about that. I hope to see all of them at the WSOP in 2018.
Let the games begin.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
