Join us at noon PDT for the start of Event #15, the long-running $1,000 Ladies World Championship. The ladies event has been a WSOP staple for more than two decades, though it only switched over to its current no-limit format in 2001 after a long run as a seven-card stud event.
1,286 players showed up last year and a similar field is expected this time around. The 2007 edition was one by first-time champ Sally Anne Boyer, who collected $262,077 for her win. Many previous Ladies Event winners are also expected to be on hand.
After introductory remarks from WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, legendary author Jackie Collins called out "Shuffle Up and Deal!" and action is now underway.
So far we've spotted Katja Thater, Vanessa Rousso, Melissa Hayden, J.J. Liu, Jan Fisher, Susie Isaacs, Shirley Williams, Lacey Jones, and PokerNews' own Tiffany Michele and Haley Hintze.
Over on Blue Table 12, three members of the "Queen of Hearts" team (a coalition of women playing today for the Nevada Cancer Institute) are seated together: actress Kathy Najimy, and WSOP bracelet winners Katja Thater and Susie Isaacs.
After being nearly felted on a previous hand, TIffany Michelle moved all in for 75 behind Erica Schoenberg's limp. The cutoff raised to 150 and Schoenberg called. Schoenberg and the cutoff checked down the board, revealing and respectively at showdown. Michelle, however turned up for the nut straight and took down the pot, increasing her stack to 300.
On the next hand Schoenberg opened for 150, Michelle moved all in for 300 and Schoenberg called. Michelle's held up against Schoenberg's and she's now up to 675 in chips.
Vanessa Rousso was down some chips early on. She and an opponent took the flop . Rousso bet out 200 and was raised by her opponent to 800. Rousso then moved all in for 1,025 and her opponent called.
Rousso:
Opponent:
Rousso would need some help to stay in today's tournament. The turn came the and the river was just what Rousso needed, the , and gave her a seven-high straight.
Registration is still open and so far 1,189 ladies have exchanged their buy-in for a stack of chips. Last year's event drew 1,236 players, so we should know whether another record will be broken in the next hour or so.
Linda Johnson and Camryn Manheim raised each other back and forth preflop before getting all the money in. Johnson showed pocket aces to dash Manheim's hopes and her pocket kings.
Manheim didn't improve on the flop, turn, or river and has been eliminated.