After winning this event last year and finishing runner-up in 2023, Japan’s Shiina Okamoto etched her name into poker history by accomplishing what once seemed impossible: winning the Ladies Championship at the World Series of Poker back-to-back.
The pressure was on Okamoto as she began the day with a commanding chip lead, with all eyes on her to see if she could repeat the feat. She didn’t falter under the spotlight, ultimately triumphing over 1,368 competitors to claim the top prize of $184,094 in Event #70: $1,000 Ladies Championship at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Okamoto faced Heather Alcorn heads-up. Alcorn, a WSOP Circuit ring winner who was also named the 2019 WSOP Dealer of the Year, had started the final day in the middle of the pack and earned a respectable $122,654 for her finish.
Event #70: $1,000 Ladies Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shiina Okamoto | Japan | $184,094 |
| 2 | Heather Alcorn | United States | $122,654 |
| 3 | Stephani Hagberg | United States | $87,695 |
| 4 | Julie Huynh | United States | $63,517 |
| 5 | Sonia Shashikhina | Russian Federation | $46,614 |
| 6 | Juliet Hegedus | United States | $34,667 |
| 7 | Sumire Uenomachi | Japan | $26,131 |
| 8 | Tanith Rothman | South Africa | $19,969 |
| 9 | Elisa Nakagawa | United States | $15,472 |
Winner’s Reaction
Speaking to PokerNews after her victory, Okamoto said she headed into the final table as chip leader, determined to stayed composed under pressure.
"I really believed I was going to win," she said, through a translator. "I didn't feel rushed like I needed to force it. I just focused on doing what I needed to do properly.
"There was still a lot of pressure, with everyone expecting me to win back-to-back. I thought that as long as I stayed calm and did everything right, I would eventually come out on top. So I was really conscious about not panicking and keeping my composure.
The final table didn’t offer any easy spots. “I don’t remember specific hands, but when it got down to three players, things shifted,” she recalled. “I had been trying to exploit tendencies I noticed earlier in the tournament, but my opponents adjusted their play. It took me some time to adjust back. That was tough.”
This event is now synonymous with Okamoto, with a runner-up finish followed by two straight titles. “I think people now associate me with this event. Some players start adjusting their strategies against me, calling lighter to catch bluffs, or playing more cautiously. I was able to take advantage of that. In a way, it’s just a good fit for how I play.”
As she continues to inspire a growing fan base in Japan, she offered words of encouragement to women thinking of stepping into the game. “Most people don’t learn poker entirely on their own — they learn from someone. And choosing that person really matters. It takes good judgment to find the right mentor, and I hope new players don’t make the mistake of learning from the wrong one.”
Action of the Day
The final day began quietly, but after about an hour of play, the other Japanese player at the final table, Sumire Uenomachi—who started as the short stack—was eliminated by her compatriot. Uenomachi shoved her last blinds with ace-ten against Okamoto’s ace-queen.
Okamoto was also responsible for the next knockout, winning a flip with ace-six against pocket fours when Juliet Hegedus moved all in with their last eight big blinds.
Despite starting the day third in chips with 54 big blinds, Sonia Shashikhina ran into a few tough spots that left her with just five big blinds. She was eliminated shortly after when she shoved king-seven into Julie Huynh’s pocket aces.
A key moment followed when Stephani Hagberg, who had been close behind Okamoto in chips, lost a massive pot to the defending champion. Hagberg played aggressively with top pair against Okamoto’s two pair, which gave Okamoto a commanding lead she never relinquished.
Alcorn scored a double-up against Huynh, leaving her with only one big blind. Huynh joined the payout desk just 15 minutes later.
Three-handed play began with Alcorn as a very short stack, but she managed to double up in a flip against Okamoto. Even so, she was still at risk, and reaching heads-up play seemed unlikely. However, a massive hand between Okamoto and Hagberg helped her secure the pay jump. On a turn that brought a flush for Okamoto while Hagberg held two pair, all the chips went into the middle. The river bricked out, sending Hagberg to the rail in third place.
Although Alcorn scored a double-up on the first hand of heads-up play, the duel didn’t last long. She moved all in with ace-deuce against Okamoto’s pocket nines, and a dry board sealed her fate in second place.
Okamoto achieved one of the greatest accomplishments in WSOP history, celebrating her impressive back-to-back victory with her rail.
That wraps up our coverage of the Ladies Championship, but stay tuned to PokerNews for all the latest updates from the World Series of Poker as the Main Event approaches.
