The Last Woman Standing In The WSOP Main Event

Kristen Foxen had the poker fans holding their collective breath as she navigated her way though the record-breaking 10,112 field towards the final table. After spiking an ace on the river to crack pocket queens and stay alive with just a couple tables left, Foxen managed to rebound strong and was even among the chip leaders as the final table bubble loomed, but an ill-timed bluff saw her bow out in 13th place.

While the $600,000 payout is the largest for any woman in the history of the WSOP main event, (Gaelle Baumann got robbed by a harsher payout structure) Foxen fell just short of making the final table, continuing an unfortunate streak.

The only time a woman made the final table of nine was in 1995 when three-time bracelet winner Barbara Enright finished fifth. The field size was only 273 then, and as the player count has grown, it’s become increasingly more difficult for women to get back. In the 30 years since, a woman has finished in 10th place four times, including 2012, when women finished 10th and 11th.

Although the first WSOP was held in 1970, it wasn’t until 1978 that Barbara Freer entered and broke the gender barrier. She was eventually joined by fellow pioneers Betty Carey and Colette Doherty, but it wasn’t until Wendeen Eolis in 1986 when a woman first made the money.

Maria Ho currently holds the record for being the last woman standing three different times (2007, 2014, and 2020 online). Annie Duke (2000 and 2003), Gaelle Baumann (2012 and 2016), and Kelly Minkin (2015 and 2018) have each done it twice. Kathy Liebert twice finished 17th (1998 and 2000) but was outlasted in both years by another woman.

Statistics by Poker Omnibus – www.w50p.com ♠