Women Tournament Players
By Debbie Burkhead

I just returned from the 1st Annual World Poker Challenge in Reno and am proud to announce several women made the money in several events and four talented women poker players went as far as making the final table.

The first women I would like to acknowledge is, yours truly. The first event was $300 Limit Hold'em and out of 439 entrants I finished 12th. If only 427 players had signed up I would have won a beautiful crystal globe for first place, been a lot happier, a lot richer, and had a better story to tell you! I was the only women to finish in the money in that event but several followed my lead. The next day I finished two out of the money in Seven-Card Stud 8 or better and from there I just kept knocking on the door but couldn't get in.

The second event of the WPC was the $300 Seven-Card Stud 8 or Better and had 299 entrants. April Gates not only finished in the money, she made the final table and took 8th place for $1,277. April made a second appearance at a final table in the 9th event which was $500 Pot-Limit Hold'em.

April played a great game but on the 26th hand of play at the final table her luck ran out. She had reraised all-in with A-10 and got called by K-10. She had the best of it until a king came on the flop. April finished in 4th place and collected $5,558. April wasn't quite through collecting money, she placed once more in the $1000 No-Limit. She tried her best but was forced to take an early out in 16th place for $1882. All-in-all April had a very impressive WPC.

Melissa Hayden was the second women to make a final table. Melissa placed 3rd in the $500 Limit-Hold'em event out of 259 entrants and cashed $11,933.

Joanne Bortner was the 3rd woman to make a final table appearance. Joanne was one of 291 entrants in the $500 No-Limit Hold'em and took 6th place. Joanne added $4,940 to her bankroll. Joanne also had a small money finish in the $500 Seven-Card Stud 8 or Better.

The 4th and final woman to make a final table was Qi Liu. Qi finished 5th in the $1000 Omaha 8 or Better event taking home $5,805. In the same event the talented Marsha Waggoner finished just out of the final table in 10th place.

Two other women came close to a final table finish in the $5000 Championship No-Limit Hold'em event. Kathy Kolberg took 18th place, getting knocked out right after the final three tables had been assembled. Kathy is the daughter of World Champion Jack Keller, maybe it's hereditary! Kathy is a solid but agressive player whom I think you'll be seeing more and more of at major tournament final tables.

And last but not least was Jennifer Harmon who made an impressive 11th place finish in the championship event. Jennifer is ranked one of the better female players on the tournament circuit and took home $9,952.

Congratulations to all the women who placed in the money at the 1st Annual World Poker Challenge. I predict that next year's final tables will include more women and we will see more women taking 1st place.

Now go out there and show'em you can play poker!