How Did a Nice Girl Like You….
By Gloria Tschetschot

My name is Gloria Tschetschot and I live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa far from the bright lights of Las Vegas. I am a wife, mother, daughter, mother-in-law, soon to be grandmother (I hope), accountant, database project engineer, and a professional poker player! I was ask by Tina Napolitano to write this article because for the last two years I have been the last women in the prestigious Tournament of Champions poker tournament held at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas.

The journey from kitchen table 1-5 penny poker to a $2000 buy in poker tournament seems like a long one. However, it is a journey that more and more women make and not nearly as long as you might think.

I was always the "stick in the mud" at our family poker games. I just could not see putting in a penny to see if the next card would get me to a draw for a winner! Our games consisted of many versions of seven-card stud, always dealer's choice. I had never heard of Limit Texas Holdem, Omaha, or No Limit Holdem.

My first venture into casino poker occurred at the Circus Circus card room in Las Vegas. My husband, George, and other friends and family were in Vegas for a bowling tournament. I watched the $1-$3 limit seven-card stud games from the rail and then decided to give it a try. The dealers, players, and floor persons could not have been nicer! I am sure they were tickled to have such a rank green horn join their game. Even then I was not quite the pushover they hoped. However, I will never forget the first time I played in a game outside Circus Circus and had somebody check-raise me. I told the dealer in no uncertain terms that that was not legal! Well… I guess we all have our embarrassing moments.

I cannot point to the exact time I decided to get more serious about poker. It has happened to me before. I played friendly "Goren" bridge until I was hit with the bug and then studied and played my way to a Master Duplicate Bridge Player. I played golf because my Mom and husband played and my doctor suggested walking was a good exercise while I was expecting. Again, I was hit with the bug and practiced and played my way to a ten handicap. I played in the State Amateur golf tournament many years in a row. In poker as with any other competitive sport you need to study the game in order to become a player. Well, as I mentioned before, I am not sure when but the poker bug bit me hard.

I invested in an extensive poker library of books, tapes, and interesting magazine articles. My success at the poker table continued to grow and I moved up the limit ladder. A couple of years after I moved to $10-$20 Holdem I decided to try a poker tournament. I played in one $300 event at a Four Queens poker tournament. Oh boy, was I nervous! I didn't win, but I sure was hooked.

After that I actually took my first step backwards. I started to play some of the local small buy in tournaments and won quite a few trophies. No matter the size of the tournament it never ceases to be a thrill to win one. However, some thrills are bigger than others.

In the spring of 1997 the President River Boat Casino in Davenport, Iowa had a qualifier tournament for the World Series of Poker. I won the tournament took the $10,000 and the trip to Vegas. That was my biggest win to date. I arrived in Vegas just in time to buy into the last "Super Satellite." I won another $10,000, however, this one had to be used to take a seat in the World Series. There were over 300 entries in the 1997 World Series of Poker; I finished 30th, three out of the money! It was both the biggest thrill and biggest disappointment of my poker career. It was also the first time I had my name in a major poker magazine.

In the July 11, 1997 issue of Card Player Magazine Susie Isaacs wrote about the "table from hell!" All afternoon of the second day of the tournament I played at an incredible table. It started out with Bobby Baldwin on my left, two seats further left sat Stu Ungar and next to him sat Billy Baxter. Each time a player busted out they brought in another pushover: Phil Helmuth moved in next to Billy Baxter and then Berry Johnston was the next player sent to fill an empty seat. (Just as a side note: the first day I started with Dan Harrington on my left and was later moved to a table with Doyle Brunson!) Is there any other competition in the world where a veritable beginner can sit and play with the legends of the game!

I still play live action, but my heart belongs to tournament poker and of all the competitions I love the format of the Tournament of Champions. It is such a challenge to switch between the three major poker games: Seven-stud, Omaha Hi-Low, and Limit Holdem. Add to the mix the final day of playing No-Limit Holdem and you have a very unique tournament. The number of chips and Tex's Tears structure help remove the element of luck and place the emphasis on skill. I also applaud Mike Sexton and Chuck Humphrey for asking the players for their opinion on the payout structure and then not bending to the pressure of a few big names that want to overrule the majority and make the payout very top heavy.

I won the Omaha tournament at the Reno Hilton in July 1998, which qualified me to play in the first TOC in 1999. I won the No Limit Holdem Tournament at the Reno Hilton in 1999, which qualified me to play in the 2000 TOC. My partner and I won the mixed doubles at the Spring Peppermill tournament, which qualified me to play in the 2001 TOC. My "in the money finish" at this years TOC qualifies me to play in the 2002 TOC. So, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be there to defend my standing as the last women in the TOC; I just plan to do so with the added designation of last player in the tournament!