Top Women Poker Players

Who is the most successful woman poker player?

Vanessa Selbst is the all-time woman earnings leader with $11.9M+ in live tournament cashes. She won 3 WSOP bracelets and is the only woman ranked #1 in the Global Poker Index. Now retired from full-time poker (works at hedge fund Bridgewater), her tournament record stands as the female benchmark. Kristen Foxen (née Bicknell) is the current top active woman player.

Why are women underrepresented in poker?

Demographics: poker fields are typically 95%+ male. Reasons cited by industry analysts: cultural barriers entering male-dominated card rooms, fewer female role models historically, smoke-filled casino environments (less of an issue now). Online has more women than live. The 2003 'Moneymaker effect' boom brought more women to poker (Annie Duke, Jennifer Harman, Vanessa Rousso) but the gap remains significant.

Who is Liv Boeree?

Liv Boeree is an English professional poker player with $3.8M+ in live earnings. Won EPT San Remo 2010 (€1.25M). Has a Master's in Astrophysics from University of Manchester. Now semi-retired from poker, focusing on rationality/effective altruism content. Co-founded Raising for Effective Giving (REG) — poker pros donating to high-impact charities.

Are there women-only poker tournaments?

Yes — most major series include a Women's Championship event. WSOP Ladies Event ($1,000 buy-in): annual since 1977. Largest women-only tournament. Some controversy around 'segregation' but most participants support it as a comfortable entry point. Men can technically enter (court rulings forced this) but most respect the spirit and don't. Other tours offer similar Women's events.

Who are the top active women poker players in 2026?

Kristen Foxen (née Bicknell) — current top earnings woman, $6M+ lifetime. Maria Ho — $4M+, popular online streamer. Jennifer Shahade — chess grandmaster turned poker pro. Cherish Andrews — high-roller specialist. Lara Eisenberg — WPT Champion. The active women's poker scene has grown significantly in the 2020s, particularly via online and streaming.