Marsha Wolak lifts WSOP 2011 $1,000 Ladies’ No-Limit Hold’em Championship Crown

The $1,000 Ladies’ No-Limit Hold’em Championship was one thrilling affair as Arizona’s Marsha Wolak took the World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet and $192,344 by outlasting 1,054 other competitors in Las Vegas last night.

The three-day event #53 seemed to fly by as the entrants displayed some exciting poker throughout, with Wolak – a real estate investor – beating Nevada’s Karina Jett ($119,010) in their heads-up clash at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.

Just 14 players made it to day three and they certainly didn’t ease up as Amanda Baker (11th for $10,843), of Vegas, Tulsa’s Karen Fisher (12th for $10,843), Portugal’s Mafalda Lopes (13th for $8,697) and Laura Desantis (14th for $8,697), of New Jersey, exited within the first 30 minutes.

Next to go was California’s Amanda Sizemore ($10,843) in 10th after losing a coinflip with Qs-Qh to Florida’s Carol Tomlinson’s As-Js.

California’s Jonathan Epstein – the final man in the field – then busted out in ninth for $13,701 after he called all-in with Ad-Qd, but could not improve against Wolak’s 10s-10c. The rail certainly made it clear how they felt about a man making is so deep into the event, when giving him a rowdy and not particularly complimentary send-off!

Canadian Genevieve Gloutnez ($17,537) was sent to the rail not long after in eighth when her Qh-Qd ran into Tomlinson’s aces.

Short stack Katherine Stahl, of California, tripled up when her 5d-5c flopped a set in that hand, while Tomlinson picked up the remainder of Gloutnez’s chips from their sidepot.

Next out was Jennifer Cowan ($22,750), of Illinois, when she shoved all-in on a flop of 9h-8s-5c with Kd-Kc, only for Tomlinson’s 7d-6c to have made the nut straight. Tomlinson then eliminated Stahl ($29,909) in sixth as her Ks-Kc held up against Ad-6s.

Colorado’s Valerie McColligan then sent Tennessee’s Peg Ledman ($39,897) to the rail in fifth after the latter went all-in on Kd-5c, to be met by the former’s Ad-Jh. But McColligan ($54,045) followed her soon after in fourth when the heavily pregnant Jett’s Ah-Ks landed a king on the river to defeat Qh-Qc.

Wolak then doubled-up through Tomlinson just ahead of the dinner break to grab the chip lead during three-handed play. The latter – with just 575,000 chips left – moved all-in with Ad-8s, while Wolak called with Kh-Jd.

The board showed Js-8c-3h-5s-Qs and that was Tomlinson out in third for $74,459 to leave Wolak and Jett heads-up.

The carnage did not stop there, however, as Wolak was crowned the champion after just one hand following their early lunch.

Jett, on the button, raised and Wolak called to see a Qd-Jd-8c flop. Wolak checked and Jett went all-in with her Ks-10d, but her opponent snap-called to show Qh-9h for top pair and improved that to a straight with the 10c turn.

The 3d on the river changed nothing and Wolak was champion to leave her considering the victory a “great justice” after she was eliminated by Shaun Deeb in last year’s event. She was also particularly happy to have removed Epstein this year.

Top 10 placings and payouts from the WSOP 2011 $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship

1. Marsha Wolak (USA) – $192,344

2. Karina Jett (USA) – $119,010

3. Carol Tomlinson (USA) – $74,459

4. Valerie McColligan (USA) – $54,045

5. Peg Ledman (USA) – $39,897

6. Katherine Stahl (USA) – $29,909

7. Jennifer Cowan (USA) – $22,750

8. Genevieve Gloutnez (Canada) – $17,537

9. Jonathan Epstein (USA) – $13,701

10. Amanda Sizmore (USA) – $10,843