May we be on the verge of historical past? It has been 29 years since a girl final made the ultimate desk of the WSOP Fundamental Occasion.
Since then, there have been shut calls, with a merciless accident which means three ladies have fallen simply brief in tenth place. First, Susie Isaacs in 1998. Then, two years later, there was Annie Duke.
And who might neglect the twin agony of Gaelle Baumann and Elisabeth Hille in 2012 — tenth and eleventh. Merciless once more, however this time doubly so.
Up till now, the identify Barbara Enright has been indelibly printed on the minds of feminine poker gamers and, certainly, all poker gamers. PokerNews spoke along with her forward of Day 8 of the 2024 WSOP Fundamental Occasion.
Reminiscences of 1995
The 1995 WSOP Fundamental Occasion attracted 273 entries. Simply 27 locations have been paid and Enright made all of it the way in which to the ultimate desk alongside 1985 Fundamental Occasion champion Hamid Dastmalchi and eventual winner Dan Harrington.
“I wasn’t fascinated by a woman being there, I used to be simply considering of the cash I might win!”
“The reminiscences I’ve?” Enright informed PokerNews. “I bear in mind it prefer it was yesterday. It was good. I wasn’t fascinated by a woman being there, I used to be simply considering of the cash I might win!
“And all of the issues I might purchase with one million {dollars}.”
1,000,000 {dollars} was what awaited the winner, however Enright would endure a brutal elimination, getting 8♥8♣ in towards the 6♦3♦ of Brent Carter, just for Carter to flop two pair on the Q♥6♥3♠9♣A♠runout. She must accept fifth place and $114,180.
She informed commentators on the time she was “proud for what [she] did”, and virtually 30 years later she remembers crowds watching the ultimate desk play out, with supporters cheering her on from bleachers erected for the event.
“That was very nice. I did not understand it was such an enormous deal,” she stated. “You understand, to me, it was only a event the place I might win some cash. I wasn’t fascinated by a woman on the last desk of the Fundamental Occasion.
“Once I first began taking part in, in case you have been speaking to somebody within the on line casino and stated, ‘Oh, you realize that woman that performs with the blonde hair’, there have been so few ladies that you possibly can single them out in that method.”
All Eyes on Foxen
Now gamers know the identify Kristen Foxen. Both for the 4 bracelets she has gained, most lately in 2023 — essentially the most by a girl — or the 4 occasions she’s been named GPI Participant of the Yr.
In her acceptance speech earlier this 12 months, she stated that one of many best elements of poker is that everybody is competing on a fair and equal taking part in discipline.
“Recognizing the success of girls in poker,” she continued. “Will hopefully spotlight the truthful taking part in discipline and encourage different ladies to really feel comfy taking part in this unbiased nice recreation with confidence.”
The equation for Foxen is now easy — 9 extra eliminations to safe historical past as solely the second participant to make the Fundamental Occasion last desk.
Enright is taking part in the $1,979 Poker Corridor of Fame Bounty however says she can be supporting Foxen when the Fundamental Occasion resumes later right this moment.
“I hope she makes it. That will be good. It is time for a woman to win it, not simply make the ultimate desk. For thus a few years, it was a person’s recreation.
“If she wins, I feel it’ll deliver extra ladies into the sport. Poker’s grown lots. I feel it could develop much more.”
Managing Editor
