How Women’s High Rollers Are Changing the Game; Jen Shahade on Building a Ladder to the Top
Table Of Contents
The PokerStars Women’s Summer Festival is underway, with the Main Event underway after the £1,100 Women’s High Roller crowned its champion. Women's High Roller tournaments are a relatively new addition to the poker landscape, with PokerStars running its first at last year's Women's Winter Festival.
Meanwhile, the Wynn Summer Series $3,000 Ladies High Roller this summer attracted 76 entries and showed just how popular the concept can be.
PokerStars Leading the Way for Women in Poker
Among those championing it is long-time PokerStars Ambassador and chess champion Jen Shahade.
Having joined PokerStars in 2014 as a mind sports ambassador, Shahade has been at the forefront of initiatives to make poker more inclusive, particularly for women. Over the course of her career, she’s seen the game evolve, both in terms of how women are welcomed and how they can access the tools to compete at the highest levels.
"PokerStars has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to bringing women into the game"
"PokerStars has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to bringing women into the game and understanding what women may want from a poker festival and poker in general," said Shahade.
"This latest push is especially interesting because, I think what Kerryjane Craigie and the team have grasped is that there are more serious female players than ever before."
Shahade attributes much of this growth to what she calls "the democratisation of study tools", with numerous high-quality training resources available to anyone motivated enough to use them.
"[In the past] it was hard to know what to study, let alone to be able to have those tools at your fingertips. But now I think it's a perfect time for there to be more prestigious women's events.
"Women who are hungry to prove themselves. They may have the knowledge, but might not have the bankroll to play the high rollers on the regular circuit, but want to play in these women's high roller tournaments."
Women’s High Rollers: A New Ladder to the Top
Shahade played in both the inaugural Women's Winter Festival High Roller back in November 2024 and the Women's High Roller earlier this week, finishing ninth. She says that in recent months, operators have recognized the importance of giving women a chance in High Roller situations.
"The very first [Women's High Roller] was such an amazing aspect of the festival last year. And there are so many women becoming more enthusiastic about the game, and they want an opportunity to compete with other great female players. It lets women compete in a tough but small field, with everyone highly motivated to win and take home the trophy."
Building Skills, Confidence, and Representation
Beyond the competition, Shahade sees these high rollers as a clear ladder for women in poker, bridging the gap from local games to major open fields. For some, the Women’s High Roller is their first taste of a four-figure buy-in, a confidence-building step toward playing in larger open high rollers and main events.
"I definitely see it as a pathway, 100%," says Shahade. "I think if we continue to see more events like these, it creates an effect where players who are rising have something to shoot for that is very reachable. It gets women more comfortable in final table situations, where so much of the money is. Even proving that you're someone who is perhaps worth staking because you've proved in these smaller fields.
"The next step is seeing more women at the top across all levels."
