That the sport of poker has many distinctive feminine gamers is hardly information, however 2025 undoubtedly proved to be a landmark yr for girls within the recreation, with elite feminine expertise producing among the yr’s most exceptional performances.
From Shiina Okamoto’s insane dominance of the WSOP Girls Championship to Leo Margets making historical past as the primary lady to achieve a WSOP Primary Occasion closing desk in 30 years, 2025 was stacked with unbelievable achievements from feminine gamers.
And the headlines simply stored coming, with a brand new chief rising on the All-Time Feminine Cash Listing, the primary feminine champion topped on the Triton tour, titles claimed on the WSOP Circuit and GGPoker Masters, and deep runs in each the WSOP Poker Gamers Championship and NAPT Primary Occasion. All instructed, it was a exceptional twelve months for girls in poker.
Okamoto Achieves the Unthinkable
When Japanese poker star Shiina Okamoto defended her crown on this yr’s WSOP $1,000 Girls Championship, she pulled off one of many biggest feats the World Sequence of Poker has ever seen, ending 2nd, 1st, and 1st in three straight years in the identical occasion, every time navigating a discipline of greater than 1,200 gamers.
That sheer degree of dominance, ability, and, frankly, some luck given the variance of match poker is nearly unthinkable, however Okamoto would obtain one of the crucial exceptional victories of this or another yr, capturing $184,094 and her second WSOP bracelet.
The accomplishment is so uncommon that just a few moments in WSOP historical past even come shut. Adam Friedman’s three straight wins within the $10,000 Sellers Selection in 2018, 2019, and 2021 is one, whereas Johnny Chan’s back-to-back Primary Occasion titles in 1987 and 1988, adopted by his runner-up end to Phil Hellmuth in 1989, is one other.
Chatting with PokerNews after her victory, Okamoto would say, “There was nonetheless loads of strain, with everybody anticipating me to win back-to-back. I assumed that so long as I stayed calm and did every thing proper, I’d ultimately come out on prime. So I used to be actually aware about not panicking and conserving my composure.”
Aware of her rising fanbase in Japan and past, particularly amongst aspiring feminine gamers, Okamoto would add, “Most individuals don’t study poker completely on their very own — they study from somebody. And selecting that individual actually issues. It takes logic to seek out the appropriate mentor, and I hope new gamers don’t make the error of studying from the improper one.”
We Are Witnessing One of many Most Legendary Runs Ever on the WSOP
Margets Makes Historical past with Glittering Primary Occasion Run
There was but extra historical past made on the WSOP this summer season when, on the largest stage of all, the WSOP Primary Occasion closing desk featured its first feminine participant in 30 years.
Spain’s Leo Margets delivered a memorable run, finally ending in seventh place for $1,500,000, changing into the primary feminine participant to make the ultimate 9 since Barbara Enright in 1995.
Margets’ glowing Primary Occasion run drew widespread acclaim, transcending the poker world to garner worldwide media consideration. Girls in Poker Corridor of Famer Maria Ho known as Margets’ closing desk look “unbelievable” and added, “You’re the second,” whereas three-time GPI Feminine Participant of the Yr Kristen Foxen would echo the sentiment, describing Margets as “a fantastic ambassador for girls in poker.”
Talking with PokerNews following her exit, Margets would describe the run “the expertise of my life,” including “Such an incredible 9 days, it’s exhausting to precise with phrases. It’s been so emotional, however on the identical time, it’s important to recompose each time you’re on the desk.”
’30 Years within the Making’: Girls React to Leo Margets Reaching WSOP Historical past
Foxen Takes Lead as Queen of the Felt
2025 additionally noticed a brand new chief emerge on the All-Time Feminine Cash Listing, as high-stakes common Kristen Foxen climbed to the highest following a yr of constantly excellent performances.
Her third-place end within the $125K NLH 7-Handed on the Triton Poker Tremendous Excessive Curler Sequence in Jeju, price $1,104,000, was the crowning achievement that propeled her previous Vanessa Selbst to turn out to be the highest-earning lady in poker historical past, additionally marking the most important money of Foxen’s profession.
Selbst, now in second place, stays the one different lady to surpass $10 million in stay match earnings, with the highest 5 rounded out by luminaries together with Kathy Liebert, Liv Boeree, and Sosia Jiang.
Kristen Foxen Turns into No. 1 Lady in Poker
Breakthrough Wins at Triton, WSOPC, and GGPoker Masters
Past the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas this summer season, feminine gamers continued to make headlines, most notably Xuan Liu, who captured the $25,000 WPT International Slam in Montenegro for $860,000, changing into the primary lady ever to win a Triton Poker title.
Liu’s milestone victory on the sport’s premier high-stakes tour got here towards a discipline of elite expertise that included Kristen Foxen, who completed fourth within the occasion.
Elsewhere, Jenny Westerlund added to the yr’s standout performances by outlasting a file 888-entry discipline within the WSOP Circuit Primary Occasion in Tallinn, banking $233,524. The Swede’s breathtaking closing desk show highlighted her aggressive model and earned her the largest stay rating of her profession.
There was additionally exceptional satellite tv for pc success as Giedre Valgemae turned a $15 satellite tv for pc entry into $142,000 by successful the GGPoker Masters, telling her followers on Instagram, “By no means cease believing as a result of if I can, you may!”
Xuan Liu Makes Poker Historical past as First Feminine Triton Champion
Taylor & Shahade Make Deep Runs on the Largest Levels
Feminine illustration at poker’s largest closing tables was a defining theme of 2025, exemplified by Esther Taylor changing into solely the second lady to money within the $50,000 Poker Gamers Championship on the WSOP.
Taylor went on to complete third in one of many summer season’s marquee occasions, banking $595,136 and surpassing the earlier trailblazer Melissa Burr, who positioned seventh in 2014. Solely Bryn Kenney and eventual champion Michael Mizrachi completed forward of her.
PokerStars Professional Jennifer Shahade additionally delivered a magical run to get pleasure from with a third-place end within the NAPT Primary Occasion in Las Vegas, incomes $291,800, the most important stay money of her profession.
Alongside the opposite achievements of the yr, these performances helped outline 2025 as a landmark season for girls in poker.
Esther Taylor Makes Historical past as Second Lady to Ultimate Desk $50K PPC
Images courtesy of Spenser Sembrat, Eloy Cabacas, Jazmyn Le, Triton Poker, Elena Kask & OlyBet, Alicia Skillman, Rachel Kay Winter.
Eliot Thomas
Editor, Poker & On line casino
