Poker is a game filled with memorable personalities, and certain players are etched in history for their tournament victories or dramatic television hands. The top female poker players embody all these qualities, boasting impressive titles, deep tournament runs, respect in high-stakes cash games, substantial tournament scores, and careers that have significantly reshaped the perception of women in poker.
While financial success is a key metric, poker is ultimately about performance. Some women ascended to stardom on television, others built their reputations online, and a few garnered respect in high-stakes games that weren’t always publicly documented. Collectively, their journeys highlight the diverse eras, strategies, and pathways to victory within women’s poker history.
1. Kristen Foxen
For a considerable period, Vanessa Selbst held the title of the best female poker player. However, Kristen Foxen’s consistent winning streak and her presence in challenging events, accumulating results against formidable professional fields, eventually saw her surpass Selbst on the all-time live tournament earnings list for women.
Foxen’s remarkable achievement lies in building this record within the contemporary, highly competitive poker landscape. Today’s players are more dedicated to study, better prepared, and make fewer unforced errors. Even mid-level tournament fields are tougher than in previous years. This evolution is evident beyond live events, with an increasing number of players honing their skills by studying strategy content and playing online.
Despite the heightened competition, Foxen has managed to compile one of the most impressive résumés in women’s poker history. Her 2024 WSOP Main Event performance, where she finished 13th for $600,000, provided a significant public boost to her record, narrowly missing a final table appearance. She was a focal point in the latter stages of the tournament. Her exit occurred in a hand against Joe Serock. Serock opened with A♠K♣, Foxen defended her big blind with K♠Q♦, and then called a bet on an A♥K♥J♠ flop. When the 5♠ hit the turn, she check-raised all-in over Serock’s second bet, attempting to put pressure on him with her second pair and straight draw. Serock called with top two pair, and with no improvement on the river, Foxen was eliminated in 13th place.
This hand demonstrated her willingness to employ a difficult and aggressive strategy, even with significant prize money at stake, showcasing her competitive spirit even when the final play didn’t work out.
2. Vanessa Selbst
Vanessa Selbst experienced a poker peak that is still discussed today. At her best, she played fearlessly, consistently putting her opponents in uncomfortable positions. She actively pursued pots, applied relentless pressure, and forced players to make difficult decisions, often making them prove the strength of their hands.
This aggressive style established her as one of the most exciting players of her era and one of the most formidable opponents to face.
Selbst secured three WSOP bracelets and built a tournament record that remained at the pinnacle of women’s all-time rankings for many years. Her most significant payday came at the 2010 Partouche Poker Tour Main Event, where she won over $1.8 million. She also achieved the distinction of being the first woman to reach the number one spot on the Global Poker Index.
Selbst wasn’t merely ranked as the best female player; she was recognized as the best tournament player in the world at that time.
Her game was not characterized by passive play. She constantly pushed, challenged, and played with the conviction that she could outthink and outmaneuver her opponents. While this approach sometimes led to volatile games, it also resulted in numerous victories.
3. Kathy Liebert
Kathy Liebert stands as one of poker’s greatest survivors, a testament to resilience in a notoriously fickle game. Many players have a single standout year or win a major tournament before fading from the spotlight. Liebert, however, has maintained relevance across various iterations of the game, a far more challenging feat.
She was a winner before poker’s television boom. She continued to achieve success during the poker boom and consistently cashed in tournaments even as the game became more technical. Her career is built on a foundation of sustained results, not on a single lucky run.
Liebert boasts over $7 million in live tournament earnings, a WSOP bracelet, six World Poker Tour final table appearances, and hundreds of recorded cashes. This signifies a substantial and enduring career, a record indicative of years of unwavering discipline.
Her victory in the 2002 Party Poker Million was particularly noteworthy, at the time propelling her among the highest-earning female players in the game.
Liebert never sought to be the most prominent personality in poker. Her strength lay in her determination and discipline. Poker is unforgiving to those who fail to adapt, and Liebert consistently evolved with the game, earning her place in poker history.
Furthermore, she paved the way for future generations. At a time when women were still striving for genuine respect in major open events, Liebert was already amassing a record that was impossible to disregard. Her results spoke for themselves, negating the need for any special acknowledgment as a pioneer.
4. Liv Boeree
Liv Boeree became one of poker’s most recognizable figures, a status supported by her impressive tournament results. She wasn’t just a familiar face from interviews and broadcasts; she won major events, competed against strong fields, and firmly established her place at the highest level of the game.
Her significant breakthrough occurred in 2010 when she won the EPT San Remo Main Event. This was a monumental achievement, as EPT titles carry significant prestige, and San Remo was one of the tour’s premier stops at the time. Winning this event catapulted Boeree to overnight fame.
She later added a WSOP bracelet to her collection and built a career that positioned her among the top female tournament earners of all time. In 2024, she achieved another remarkable performance at WSOP Paradise, securing fourth place in the Super Main Event for $2.8 million, marking one of the largest payouts ever recorded by a female player.
Boeree’s appeal has always been distinct. She brought intelligence, confidence, and a natural talent for explaining the game. Her background in astrophysics also influenced her approach to poker, enabling her to view the game through the lens of probability, risk, and decision-making, lending her analyses greater weight than typical table talk.
In poker, players rarely have complete information; their game relies on deduction, adaptation, and making the best possible move with the available knowledge. Boeree possessed a clear understanding of this aspect of poker.
She also contributed to making poker feel more contemporary. Boeree was not an old-school grinder who shied away from the spotlight. She was comfortable on camera, engaging in interviews, and embracing her role as one of the game’s public faces.
5. Maria Ho
Maria Ho is recognized as one of the most respected all-around figures in the poker world. She is a formidable tournament player, an accomplished commentator, and one of the most well-known women in the game.
Her tournament record is equally impressive. She has millions in live earnings, numerous WSOP cashes, and several high finishes in major events. A notable highlight of her career includes being the last woman standing in the WSOP Main Event on more than one occasion.
She finished 38th in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, earning $237,865, and followed this with another “last woman standing” finish in the 2014 Main Event, where she placed 77th. Her closest shot at a bracelet came in 2011 when she took second place in a $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em event at the WSOP, winning $540,020. She also boasts an extensive WSOP record with over 100 cashes and nine final tables, alongside World Poker Tour achievements including a WPT title and a third-place finish in the 2017-18 WPT LAPC Rockstar Energy High Roller for $188,875.
Her credibility in broadcast work stems from her firsthand experience. When she discusses pressure, it’s not theoretical; she has navigated those situations and understands the weight of making decisions with significant money on the line.
Maria Ho’s significance in poker extends beyond her trophy count. She has played a crucial role in maintaining the visibility of women as both experts and competitors in high-level poker tournaments.
6. Jennifer Harman
Jennifer Harman’s excellence cannot be solely measured by tournament earnings, as a significant portion of her renown originates from her prowess in cash games, particularly the famed high-stakes mixed games in Las Vegas. These cash games were largely private, meaning their wins and losses were not publicly tracked in the same way as tournament results. Harman’s esteemed position in poker history is derived from her consistent invitation to participate in these elite games and the respect she commanded from the top players involved.
In this context, Harman is a true legend.
She won two WSOP bracelets in open events, but her true legacy in poker history lies in her participation in some of the world’s most significant cash games. For example, the Bellagio “Big Game” was renowned for its elite players, substantial egos, and immense pressure, and Harman was a fixture in this environment at a time when very few women were involved.
This level of respect is exceptionally difficult to fabricate in poker. While an image might sustain a player at lower stakes for a period, at the highest cash game levels, weaker players are inevitably exposed. The stakes are too high, and the players are too astute, yet Harman consistently secured her seat at these tables.
Harman’s career serves as a potent reminder that poker history is not exclusively chronicled in tournament payouts. Some of the most challenging poker is played far from the glare of final table lights, and she strategically chose to build her reputation in these demanding arenas.
7. Annie Duke
Annie Duke is one of the more complex figures in poker history. At her peak, Duke was among the most successful and recognizable women in poker. She captured a WSOP bracelet in 2004 and also won the WSOP Tournament of Champions in the same year, earning a $2 million prize.
Duke also understood the public-facing aspect of poker. She authored books, appeared on television, gave interviews, and became an integral part of the poker boom.
Her reputation is also linked to an online poker site that gained notoriety after insiders exploited “superuser” access to view opponents’ hole cards. Duke was a public face of the site, and although she was not officially implicated in the cheating, the association has undeniably influenced how many poker fans perceive her career.
In poker, trust is paramount. When scandals in online poker arise, people remember who was connected to what. This aspect of her public narrative continues to resonate.
8. Annette Obrestad
Annette Obrestad’s emergence was iconic. Before achieving major success in live tournaments, she was already a celebrated online player under the alias “Annette_15.” This moniker became synonymous with the poker scene as she consistently defeated players as a teenager. While many were still mastering basic strategy, Obrestad was already building a formidable reputation as a serious online competitor.
In 2007, she won the WSOP Europe Main Event, becoming the youngest WSOP bracelet winner ever at the age of 18. This victory occurred at a pivotal moment in poker history, as online players were beginning to dominate live events. They had accumulated vast experience through high-volume play, learned rapidly, and approached poker with a more aggressive, mathematically-driven strategy. Obrestad perfectly exemplified this emerging generation.
Although she later transitioned away from poker, her name remains associated with one of poker’s most captivating fairytales: a teenage online prodigy stepping into a major live event and winning it all.
9. Maria Lampropulos
She serves as an excellent example of a player who earned her prominence through significant victories rather than constant media exposure. She didn’t become a poker celebrity first; her success came from winning, and her impressive record followed naturally.
Her two most significant titles are both noteworthy. She won partypoker MILLIONS and subsequently triumphed in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event in 2018. The PCA victory was particularly significant as it made her the first woman to win this prestigious event, earning her over $1 million.
Her playing style is not flashy but is characterized by patience and resilience. This methodical approach can sometimes be underestimated because it doesn’t always generate viral moments. However, major tournaments are won through consistent, strong decision-making over several days, not by being purely entertaining.
10. Joanne “J.J.” Liu
Joanne “J.J.” Liu is recognized as one of the most respected long-term players in women’s poker. Her career has been built steadily over time. One of her most significant achievements was a second-place finish at the 2007 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Main Event.
Liu also possesses one of the most memorable table presences in poker, marked by her distinctive style, confidence, and a relaxed demeanor. Beneath this exterior, however, lies a serious and skilled player. She possesses a deep understanding of live poker, including timing, player dynamics, and the pressures involved.
Liu embodies the kind of sustained poker career that commands respect. She did not rely on a single major media push to gain recognition; instead, she meticulously built her record through hard work and consistent performance.
