The Harrah's New Orleans LIPS WSOP event is watched from the "inside out"...






My day started off a bit rough. Got to bed at 1am last night or shall I say this morning, and I set my alarm to go off at 9am. Well, I woke up at 10:15am purely because something in my head told me to and the alarm had not gone off. Sheesh. Now I was on a high-speed chase to get over to Harrah’s for the 11am kick off of the WSOP Circuit Event LIPS Ladies event.

When I scooted in the door, the room was teeming with women poker players. The final count of attendees was 286, which is the biggest WSOP LIPS event to date. Lupe Soto, the entrepreneur who has taken the women’s events by the horns was there with a huge smile and goodies for all the players. Ronnie Prevost who is Harrah’s New Orleans tournament director enjoyed running the event and the women certainly enjoyed him.

Today I am going to try a different writing experience. I have decided to enter the LIPS event and write from within. I get my table assignment and immediately catch my least favorite seat, #10.

I can’t see anything on the left side of the table and the dealer is constantly moving around and makes a better door than window. Oh well, such is life. It will have to do today.









I order a bottle of water, and the first thing it does is spill all over me as it has a crack, which I must have “turned on” when I opened it. Surprised that it didn’t turn to ice when it hit my clothes I just sat there really freezing in the 60-degree room. My first hand, one behind the button was the 2c 4c. I promptly tossed it, as I didn’t even want to spend a penny on this junk only to flop a flush, which would have been the winner. Now, I am not saying that I would have played the hand but I was feeling some kind of omens in the air, and they were NOT good.

Ten minutes into the game – player down. Katherine Keith took the dive but still received some great parting gifts from Lupe and LIPS as the first to go. I’m thinking to myself, I would rather be her than to be number 28 who will play all day and be bubble girl…

This was my first women’s tournament and previously I had heard various comments about playing with women. Now, since this is a rated G column, I will not use any of the adjectives I have heard, but, as far as I could tell today, they were ALL untrue. In fact, I found the event to portray an exact opposite. I am finding it to be quite a pleasure.

It is only 11:17 now and with the amount of aggression on my first table, I am certain we will lose a player quite quickly. And sure enough we have. The woman directly to my right had shortened her stack to a mean pittance of her initial 1000 chips and got all in with a pair of fives. Unfortunately, she butted heads with AA and lost the battle. The hand before she took one of those icky beats we all hate. She had A Q, caught an A and Q on the flop of A Q 3. Well, long story short, another woman had pocket threes and the A Q was history.

There are a few women who are obviously making a virgin voyage from the safety of their homes (internet anonymity) to try their hand at live play. I applaud these ladies with all my heart. I will have to tell a few anecdotes, but the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Hahaha… This sweet woman in seat 1 was so anxious and happy she had a hand, she made a little boo boo. She was UTG and I was in the bb with a 45. It was five handed as the flop appeared with 2 3 Q. I checked to her and she went all in and then turned her cards over revealing a set of twos. The remainder of us giggled and proceeded to promptly fold. We then explained to her that when she was all in, she didn’t really want to turn her cards over until we were finished with the hand.

11:28 and another player is off to play other casino games. It is at this point I was sorry I had run out of my PSO cards as I was identifying several prime candidates for the school. The board is 9 9 Q. This sweetie pushes all in with 4 4 and gets called by 7 7. Goodness. Over cards everywhere!

Table change for me. My pocket fours hold up and take me to 1500. I am playing so tight that I know others can hear me squeaking. Patience will be a virtue today. Maybe by writing I am being a good girl and staying out of so many hands. Hmmm….maybe I have found the trick! This table is a bit different that my first table because it is evident that these ladies have been around the block and seem to really know their poker. They can read the board with expertise, one laid down a KK when an ace hit the board and her opponent made a big bet. There is a woman named Sarah who is from Tunica Mississippi and has no idea what it is like to be shy or uninhibited. I admire that and applaud her outgoing nature. She announces she will now only make two plays. One will be an all in and the other a fold. And by golly, until she hit a huge hand, she stuck to her guns. Once she doubled up a few times, she broadcasted that she was now through with that tactic and would settle back down. She was indeed a joy to have at the table as she kept it lively and interesting to say the least. I have to admit I was very glad she sat to my right so I knew which of her strategies she was going with at the moment.

I was disappointed in the blind structure. It was not the same as the “regular” $200 event. I am not sure why, but we only got 30 minute rounds, a break after every 2 rounds and just 1000 in beginning chips. I could quickly see we might be heading toward “crap shoot city”. I just hoped I could strengthen my chip stack before the blinds got too big. I am thinking that the casino might want us to have our “game” finished before the big boys came in to play the $1000 super sat. Phffft! Our table just broke and I can’t tell you how happy I am to have just played the big blind only to be put right back into the big blind. Grrrr….I am thinking at this time that I wish I had Don Mullis here to rub my little pointed head for good luck. When in doubt, call for breakfast…”cocktails…..bloody mary please, heavy with the olives”! I have doubled up to 2100 chips and feel pretty content right now. I just took down a nice pot with the Kh Th. Sitting in late position, I limped in for 200. The flop brought 4 5 8. It was checked around. A ten came on the turn, it was checked to me so I bet 400 and got one caller. On the river, a 7, she checked to me and since I had no 6 I just checked too. She had an A 5 and I took it with my KT. Uneventful, but, pumped me up a bit more.

I am intrigued at the diversity of the women in the tournament. The ages run from 21 to 74. There is a set of women here representing three generations. Now that is the absolute nuts. Try to imagine playing in a poker tournament with your Mom and Grandma or whichever member of the triad you might be. Is that a kick or what? What is so wonderful about this game is that it cannot be age or condition discriminate as like with other competitive “sports”. I have already had the pleasure of sitting at the table with several 70+ women and it just gives me such hope that I too will be just like them one day. Cheers to you ladies!

We have been playing for two and a half hours now. I think we are down to about 120 players. I feel happy with my stack of 3300. I am trying desperately to pick my battles and hold onto that sought after patience I so rarely keep sight of. We have to begin an ante now and that makes me crazy. I just sucked out a huge pot. I had Ad 2d. Blinds are 150/300 and a 25 ante. Sitting in late position, I raised to 600 and got 4 callers (not my idea of heaven). The flop came anything but diamonds, J 8 4. It was checked to me and I bet 600 and got 2 callers. The turn came a 4, checked to me, I bet 600 (now I am stuck in some kind of bluffing hell and cant stop now) and down to one caller. An ace falls on the river and I bet 600 and she called. I was feeling sick sick sick. I turned my cards over, she stared at the board and mucked. How do you spell relief????? This one pot took me to 8,000 and I could stop breathing in a paper bag now. The hyperventilation ceased. I am telling you of these hands so you don’t think I am just going to pick on the bad play of only the other women. My bad play is enough I'm sure.

3:30 and down to 58. Had a KQ and the flop came A T 8. I hit Broadway on the turn and doubled up. Lady luck has graced me a few times now and I’m feeling my oats. The blinds are 400/800 and we raced off the 25$ chips. It is time to get serious gals, the payout starts at 27 and at 4 pm we are down to 46.

The blinds have increased to 500/1000. I felt compelled to call an all in player, as I was the big blind, no callers but her and she was all in for 500 more. I had an A 3 suited and she had J T. The flop brought good news for both of us. A J 4. A ten hit on the turn and the lady next to me squealed in joy for the all in woman. She doubled up and I lost. I very casually said, “You know, the object of this game is to eliminate players”. Her response was, “oh, I know, but she was playing J T and that’s my favorite hand!!!” Alrighty then! Of course the all in player went on to make the final table. There is a law about that. I just know there is.

OK. We just broke the 4th table and are down to 26 players. By some quirk, I have managed to try to write, watch the final table of event #4 because I have a friend playing and stay alive in this game. I am now at the table with Nani Dollison and I am here to tell you, this woman can play. She has a look of strength to her that is very intimidating. However, I got to know her later on and she is a true sweetheart. She might not want me to say that because her persona is NOT. She has a major stack and is playing very aggressively. Watching her play is intriguing at he very least.

I just got popped by Anne, an elementary school teacher from Thibedaux Louisiana. I was bb at 1500 and she raised 1900 more for all in. I called having an Ac 4c. ( I know, I know…bad call) She showed the Kd 9d. I was barely ahead preflop. The flop brought 2 diamonds and an Ace. Something for everyone. The turn was not nice to me as another diamond came and I was drawing dead.

Down to 22 players and the agony of the blinds is too much. Pushing 2000 out for the bb and 300 for the antes is a crushing blow to the short stacks (that would be me). Another big hand for me. (I wish I had some good ones to tell about). Janet from Biloxi is to my left in the bb. I was of course sb. Anne, who is UTG went all in for 3200, I called and Janet put in her last 800 chips. 800 on the side for Anne and me to vie for in addition to the main. Anne shows an Ac Kc, I show Ad Qd and Janet the 5 8 off suit. The flop comes 8 8 4 with a 5 on the turn making Janet the stone cold macadamias and leaves Anne and me to divvy up 800 while Janet scoops about 12K. What is wrong with this picture?????

With the blinds so high it won’t take long to drop a player or five. And indeed we did. We are down to two tables and I can’t catch a hand for the life of me. I’m melting and finally pick up 8 8 and make my move. It is a no go, and I bust out 12th. Actually I am quite proud of that finish especially with my expert play, my intent on writing and running back and forth to the final table up on stage to see how Jason Su is doing.

Now the final table. They come to the table with this chip count:

Seat 1 Jill Gold 20,000 Aventura, Fl
Seat 2 Thais Jungblut 31,500 Venezuela
Seat 3 Janet Larson 5,500 Ocean Springs, MS
Seat 4 Nani Dollison 214,000 Lake Cormorant, MS
Seat 5 Rhonda Palassie 57,000 Marrero, LA
Seat 6 Donna Sue Russell 55,000 Plano, TX
Seat 7 Christi Simmons 16,000 Chillicothe, OH
Seat 8 Abbe Garfinkez 28,500 Mandeville, LA
Seat 9 Wendy Strow 29,000 Wildomar, CA

Janet Larson is a part time poker player from Mississippi and has been playing the game for about 8 years. She likes tournaments, 15/30 limit hold’em and 10/20 Omaha hi/lo. She came to the table short stacked, but at the final nonetheless. She had to make a move early and couldn’t pull it out so she left in 9th place taking home $1,110.

Not long after that Thais was in the bb and calls a raise from Abbe. Heads up the flop comes 9 3 8. Thais goes all in and Abbe calls. Abbe shows the 9c Tc and Thais the A 8 off. Both had help, but a J J completed the board taking Thais out in 8th place for $1665.

Jill is all in and pulls in a pot by making her 55 hold up again Donna’s A7 when the board comes 9c 3c Ac. The turn is a Q and the river the final club giving Jill’s 5c the boss hand and the win, doubling her up. This has happened for Jill no fewer than 8 times up to this point. Amazing luck power for Jill this trip around.

We get into a 5way pot between Rhonda in the sb and Donna in the bb. Wendy pushes all in for 9500 from middle position, Jill calls, Nani answers by pushing all her chips in and Jill follows. Wendy shows the 9d Td, Nani the Ac Kd, and Jill the Ah Kh. The flop comes Th 5c 8h giving Jill the nut heart flush draw and Wendy an open ended straight hope. The turn is the 7s and hits Wendy perfectly. The bliss is short lived as the river spikes the final heart for Jill taking Wendy home in 7th place for $2220. This hand severely cripples Nani at the same time and increases Jill’s stack immensely. The chip count has shifted: Jill with 75,000, Nani with 6,500, Rhonda 13,000, Donna with 45,500, Christi at 28,500 and Abbe leading with 118,000.

It is 8:30 and the blinds are at 3,000/6000 and a 500-chip ante. Nani is the button and is all in for 6K. Rhonda calls as does Donna. Nani has As 9s, Rhonda the Q Q, and Donna the 4h 5h. The flop is awful for Nani and a tease for Donna. Q 4 5. The set of queens hold up taking Nani out in 6th for $2775. Nani smiled, told Rhonda she had the best hand and congratulations. She also said how much fun she had today. I really like her and hope to get to play again with her some day.

Down to five players. Donna limps in from the sb and Christi pushes all in for 21,500. Donna gives her the call and holds a Qc Js. Christi has an Ah 4d and the board irons out in this manner. K Q 4 7 T gave Donna the pair of Queens and left Christi high and dry taking 5th place for a $3300 payday. Christi played in the LIPS event at the Rincon WSOP and came in 11th. She is a college professor and has only been playing for 2 years. She intends to continue playing in more major events.

Meanwhile, Jill gets all in a couple more times and wins them again and again. Jill is in the sb and Rhonda the bb. Abbe sits with the button and Donna is UTG. Donna calls the 6K blind as well as Abbe. We have a family pot and the flop comes Js Jd 8d. Jill bets 6K, Rhonda calls and the other two bow out. The turn is the 3d. Jill checks and Rhonda pushes all in. Jill calls and shows the Ad 4d while Ronda showed the J 5. The deck smacks Jill right in the face again by presenting the Kd for the nut flush and sends Rhondas 3 of a kind down the tubes for a 4th place win and $3885.

It is down to 3 now. Abbe is the bb with Donna the sb. Jill bets 20K UTG, Donna calls and Abbe elects to sit this out. The flop comes 4 5 8. Donna checks, Jill puts her all in and she calls. Jill shows J J and Donna the K Q. The turn and the river show a puny 7 and 9 giving Jill yet another win and takes Donna out at 3rd for $4995. Jill has 159,000 in chips and Abbe 118,000. The battle is brewing. After just a few hands the end draws to a close. Abbe is the button and raise 28K. Jill calls the 20K raise as the blinds are 4000/8000. The flop comes K 3 6. Jill bets 20K and Abbe calls. The turn, a 9h. Jill checks and Abbe pushes all in with Jill calling right behind her. The river is yet another 9. It is murder on Abbe as Jill shows the Qs 9s and Abbe shows the one time winner of 2 2 taking her to 2nd and $9765. Abbe has only been at this game for 8 months and shows great promise to be in the limelight again and again. Jill takes a 1st for 17,729, the trophy and a seat in the WSOP Ladies event playing for Harrahs and LIPS. All 9 players also got a seat in a free roll event sponsored by LIPS.