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Women in Poker Hall of Fame Founder Lupe Soto talks about LIPS and Women in Poker Hall of Fame

Women in Poker Hall of Fame Founder Lupe Soto discusses how to increase women’s poker participation

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Lupe Soto

In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the Cardplayer Lifestyle Podcast Family, Bernard Lee interviews founder of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, Lupe Soto.

At the start of the interview, Lupe discusses her induction into the Women’s Poker Hall of Fame. Lupe talks about her background in poker including her online women’s poker group.She  discusses the creation of the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS), and the creation of the Women’s Poker Hall of Fame.

During the second part of the interview, Lupe talks about the 2022 Women in Poker Hall of Fame and WPT Ladies Invitational in December 2022 at the WPT World Championship. Lupe discusses the process of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame nominations and induction. She also talks about how to grow women’s participation in poker and her future plans.

Lupe’s term as President has now come to an end, and we caught up with her to hear some of her top highlights from the last few years, her thoughts about the current state of women in poker, and her plans for the future.

The embedded interview is followed by a transcript. Many thanks to the new WPA President Tara Windsor-Smith for her assistance.

Interview Transcript

Hey everybody this is Robbie Strazynski for Cardplayer Lifestyle and I’m here with Lupe Soto, the founder of the Women’s Poker Association and of course a Women in Poker Hall of Famer. How are you today, Lupe?

I’m great. I’m so excited to be here!

Well, a little birdie told me that your term as WPA President has come to an end. So, I figured now would be a good time to catch up with you, talk some about the WPA and your plans moving forward. Sounds good to you?

That sounds great.

Obviously, everyone knows the name Lupe Soto. You’ve done a ton in the poker industry over your career, you founded LIPS, you founded the Senior’s Poker Tour, and all manner of work in the online poker space, and of course you’re probably best known as a fierce advocate to grow the game, specifically for women. What was your vision when you first set out to found the Women’s Poker Association?

It was interesting. When you’re in the trenches of women’s poker and you’re kind of pounding on the doors and trying to get operators to understand the importance of having programming for women so that we can grow the game and all kinds of other reasons. But it was very difficult to do when you’re a proprietary kind of entity. Which I was. Which is LIPS. LIPS is definitely a for-profit business. It’s a poker tour for women. So when you go and share a message under that umbrella, everyone thinks you want something from them. So it’s like yeah, of course I would like your poker room to be a LIPS stop at some point, but that was difficult to separate from the message.

So there was an attempt in about 2009 or something like that. I can’t remember exactly when it was. I got together with a couple of my girlfriends who also had a passion for women in poker and we decided to try the Women’s Poker Association. The challenge with it is that it started to look like a tour. And that was not the objective. And I also believe that the minute you become a tour or another entity that is competing with an operator, there’s a tendency not to have a very open dialogue.

Right.

So we had to go back to the drawing board. Just completely wipe that idea out. And having the association become a non-profit was really the way to go. Simply because, now nobody’s after any dollars, the only dollars that are raised are for the good of the association, and for the betterment and improvement of it overall.

Right.

So that was game-changing.

Right. So I believe the president’s term at the WPA officially is three years. Can you share with us some highlights from your time at the helm of the WPA? Maybe you’ve got some particular achievements that you’re most proud of?

So in the first two years of my five years with the WPA, was in the Executive Director position, in that role. So I didn’t have a vote on the Board. I had a voice, but I didn’t have a vote. So when Bonnie Carl, who was the president at the time, stepped down, I knew that the transition was critical. So I said, ok, I will accept a position as president. But I’m really wanting this to be bigger than me. So I wanted to do one term, which was three years.

I’d say some of the highlights, in our overall mission, one of our missions was to educate women in poker. And having created a partnership with Poker Power, which is another organization that’s mission is to teach women how to play poker, and to instruct women as to how poker as a game translates into real-life business practices and things we can utilize in our regular daily lives. That was a huge thing for me.

Secondly, I think the Raise It Up program, to introduce that into the industry and to ask the industry to embrace it. We are asking all operators and all players to elevate their experience at the game by respecting their players when they’re playing, and to make it more fun so that we can grow the game. So the Raise It Up program is another thing that I’m extremely proud of.

And I would say the third thing, and these are just the top three things that come to mind. For years and years, the men in the game would say “I like LIPS and I like that women are playing in the game, and how can I help and what can I do?” And that’s when the Purple Tie Guy program came through. Purple being the color of the WPA, and ties being the thing that is iconic for a man, the Purple Tie Guy was born.

Absolutely. You have some real feathers in your cap. And of course, I am a very proud Purple Tie Guy myself. I am happy to always support and be an ally of the WPA.

The Board of Directors in particular, but of course all WPA members, are so thankful for everything you’ve done. The time has come to pass the torch once again, so to speak. Of course, even with passing the torch, there’s so much more work to do. With the poker community perhaps more aware than ever before, very much in part due to the work you’ve done, of the need to bring more women to the game, what sorts of milestones for women in poker would you like to see next?

I would like to see every operator on the planet have a program – wait a minute – let’s have a discussion! What are you doing to bring women into the game? What are you doing in your own house, in your own poker room, or your own business, or whatever it is, to bring women into the game. I would like to see that next thing happen, where there’s a conversation about what they’re going to do, and put a little bit of money into it. Even though they’re not looking at what’s happening, they’re only seeing a number. If you look and you see how many women…Maybe there’s the numbers in the highest levels.. If you ask me. If you’re playing in the World Series of Poker Tournaments, those are the highest levels of our game. Correct?

Right

If you’re playing in Main Events of poker tours, that’s an elevation of the game. If you start looking at the smaller buy-in kind of stuff, or even in cash games in poker rooms, there are women everywhere playing.

Right. Sure.

And you’ve seen that before. I think if you look at mixed games, there are a lot more women playing in mixed games than you’ve ever seen before.

That’s great.

So I do think that we are making progress, and I think that the conversation needs to be active every year. “What can we do?” “How can we do things?” That would be my parting thing. What can happen next?

That would be a wonderful thing. Speaking of parting words, do you have any special well wishes to Tara Smith? She was the Vice President of the Women’s Poker Association, now she’ll be stepping into your shoes. Anything that you’d like to wish her?

It’s not just Tara. I love Tara. I’ve known Tara for many years. She worked with me in LIPS back in the day. She got recruited away from me. Because she’s a rock star. And we don’t pay anything and she got paid really well. And she’s now working with an amazing company in her professional life. And she still has the passion for women in poker, and she’s such a rock star. Excellent hands. The Association, and the leadership that’s now in place. Our Board of Directors are simply amazing women. And there’s not just the Board of Directors, there are all the advocates out in the field that are representing women in poker and representing our association, they’re doing amazing work.

So I’m really excited about the next generation of women. I believe that it’s going to be wave after wave after wave of success from this point on. I’m just so proud of them, and the work that they’ve done, and the commitment. Because this is an all-volunteer organization. Nobody gets paid here. And as you know, volunteer jobs are schlep jobs sometimes. And even if it’s just stapling papers together sometimes, or licking stamps, or whatever the heck we need. These women are stepping up to the plate. From the smallest of tasks to the greatest of tasks. So I’m just extremely proud of them and I know they’re going to do a great job. And that the current Board that’s in place are rock stars.

Wonderful. While you’re not going to continue leading the WPA from the president’s seat, I have a hunch that you’re still going to be continuing to advocate for women in poker and growing the game in other ways. What are your upcoming plans with LIPS and your other ventures?

LIPS is always going to be my baby. It’s my passion. Right now, this is like the last chapter for me. I feel like 20 years ago, it was to bring women into the game. Then to add more things, I felt like I really started to understand the industry: who’s out there, who’s doing what, and what’s not being done. And now I feel like I want to use this next chapter as a culmination of everything. I’ve been given an opportunity that I’m so excited about. So I have a plan for the next chapter for me, and the next chapter for me is to introduce a new tour. And that new tour is open to everyone. It will have a Ladies event and it will have a Seniors event. So both SPT and LIPs will still be involved. But I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to grow a legacy and a namesake for Mike Sexton.

Wow.

So, I am going to be launching the Mike Sexton All-American Poker Circuit.

Wow.

So we’re currently in talks and we’re seeking out 10 launch properties across the States who want to be a part of this. There are very few people in this industry who deserve this kind of recognition, and Mike is definitely one of those people. So now we have Mike’s name being edified, and we’ll have the All-American Poker Tour as, I mean, red white and blue, honey. It is the Eagle’s Nest if you’re a champion. We’re talking draped in that stuff, and Mike is a Veteran. So it was really important to us to have an event in there that honors first responders and veterans. And we will have that in there. And that is also a fundraiser for Poker Gives. So it’s really a culmination of Mike’s legacy and what he’s given to this game, and the good that he’s done and to be able to continue that on. So that’s the next chapter!

Beautiful. So exciting to look forward to that and so exciting for you to have that wonderful thing to look forward to. I’m sure it’s going to be super-successful with you leading the charge there.

Lupe, before we let you go, do you have any parting words for the WPA membership, or perhaps for the greater poker audience of both men and women who will likely see or read this interview?

I think the most important thing is that our mission in the WPA is to really actively eliminate the barriers to growing our game. So if you are an operator, have a conversation about what you’re doing for women in poker. If you’re a poker player, have a conversation with yourself about how you behave at the poker table. And what is ok, and what isn’t ok. And be an advocate for a better game. And be an advocate to be a better player, not just in your skillset, but also in your persona.

Sure.

You know, just be friendly, be welcoming. Make sure that if you see somebody that’s new at the game, just introduce yourself. Just say Hi. And just remember to not be critical. I just think being welcoming, being friendly, and respecting the rules, and supporting the staff that’s there to serve you. To me that’s highly important. Treat the dealers correctly. And if you have a problem, don’t sit there and berate a dealer. Stand up and go talk to the floor. Take it away from the atmosphere of the game. Let’s elevate the game in all ways.

Such an important message. Not a better note to end off this talk. Lupe, I just want to thank you again for joining me here today. And I also want to chime in with my best wishes to you in all your future endeavors. Specifically with the Mike Sexton All-American Poker Tour. It sounds super-cool. And a huge thank you for everything you’ve done and everything you continue to do to grow the game of poker that we all love so dearly.

This has been Robbie Strazynski, for Cardplayer Lifestyle; thank you all for joining us.

Want to buy a signed copy of @FossilMan‘s Winning Tournament Strategies?

Now available at @PokerRoomRWLV at the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival pic.twitter.com/V9NNJrUDmU

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 16, 2022

Raymer was a fixture in the poker room Wednesday, playing and teaching mixed games, signing copies of his book Fossilman’s Winning Poker Strategies, and regaling tablemates with poker tales from his many years in the game.

Awesome to see the great @Ali_Nejad taking a break from the big mixed games to join us for a spell here at @PokerRoomRWLV on Day 4 of the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival

Thanks, buddy pic.twitter.com/9w4CdjfiqH

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 16, 2022

Raymer was far from the only poker celebrity to make an appearance for some $4/8 fun, as legendary poker commentator Ali Nejad hopped into the action for a few hours, along with PokerCoaching.com teacher and WSOP bracelet winner Justin Saliba who joined for an evening session. Women in Poker Hall of Fame founder and member Lupe Soto also stopped by, headlining a contingent of women who represented up to 25% of the three tables in play at one point.

Congratulations Lupe on winning a @BBOPokerTables gift bag!

Badacey pays off

Plenty more giveaways at the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival yet to come! pic.twitter.com/gJ7JgCk4sO

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 15, 2022

The Mixed Game List Expands

With almost any and every game available to be called, a couple of new ones made their way into the mix yesterday from the popular Lodge Poker Club in Round Rock, Texas.

The club owned by poker stars and vloggers Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen runs a Wednesday mixed game that has gained some notoriety from Polk’s vlog. A pair of staples from that game, “Fun Under the Gun” (A four-card game which sees the under the gun player choose between Omaha Hi, Omaha 8 or better, or Badugi based on seeing their hole cards) and “Squid Game” (a triple board Limit Omaha Hi game which sees three boards dealt with the board with the lowest river card killed before the final round of betting) were both called and became instant hits, with several players saying they’ll be bringing them back to their home games.

What’s up guys, Mike Patrick here. Sending some love to @DougPolkVids and @LodgePokerClub from the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival.
I’ve called Fun Under the Gun and Squid Game and they’re both big hits! pic.twitter.com/5ey4XujH3x

— Mike Patrick (@MikePatrick98) June 16, 2022

Day 4 Sees Major Oma-jack Controversy!

A staple of the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival is the split-pot five-card game of Oma-jack, which sees players trying to make an Omaha hand by combining two of their hole cards with three cards on the board, then using their remaining three hole cards to make a blackjack hand.

A hand appeared to have three players each making 21 to split half of the pot three-ways, but upon closer reading of the hands, with a straight possible, two of the players had to use their cards to make that straight (which lost to a flush), nullifying their 21s, and sending half of the pot to a single player.

A poor dealer nearly felt the venomous wrath of a HIGHLY disappointed player, who had to settle for vociferously and pointedly mucking their cards in frustration… over losing their 16.667% of the pot.

The Grand Finale

Thursday will see the conclusion of the festival, with the PokerStars Live prize package, that includes flight, hotel, and a 400 euro ticket to a Road to the PSPC ticket in a European city awarded to one lucky player who’s amassed entries into a draw based on their hours of play this week.

That draw will take place in the evening, so there’s still plenty of time to come down to Resorts World, join the fun, enter the draw, and maybe win some great swag from PokerStars, BBO Poker Tables, PokerGO, D & B Publishing, and RunGoodGear.

Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra is the day’s headliner, as he’ll be on hand to sign copies of his autobiography, Pulling the Trigger.

The second-ever Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival has been picking up momentum all week and is set to finish on a crescendo on Thursday. If you’re in Las Vegas, be sure to stop by and join in on the fun!

Want to learn what Mixed Games are all about? Check out our comprehensive guide!

The winner of the tournament will receive a $1,000 WPT Prime Passport, which can be used to play in new WPT live events, the first stops of which will be in Vietnam, Cambodia and Taiwan. If Asia is in your travel plans, you now have a new reason to play the tournament!

In addition, as you can see in the image above, the World Poker Tour has partnered up with four wonderful organizations that promote the inclusion of women in the poker industry. Each of those organizations will have a designated bounty player and whoever eliminates them will also receive a $1,000 WPT Prime Passport.

There will be a total of seven featured bounties in the tournament, including:

• Katie Stone from LearnWPT / ClubWPT Username: KatieStone
• Kim Lepa from Poker League of Nations / Username: PokerKarma96
• Kyna England from Poker Power / Username: KynaCool
• Linda Johnson from Card Player Cruises / Username: ILovePoker
• Lupe Soto from Ladies International Poker Series / Username: PokerLupe
• Lynn Gilmartin from World Poker Tour / Username: LynnGilmartin
• Terry Hatcher from Women’s Poker Association / Username: hatcherhomes

An extra $1,000 in cash prizes will also be awarded to the top tournament finishers. The tournament will also be livestreamed with Lynn Gilmartin as commentator with these special guests: Linda Johnson, Natalie Hof, Katie Stone, Lupe Soto, Erin Lydon, Xuan Liu, Jamie Kerstetter, Tara Windsor-Smith and Jacqueline Marchan.

Tournament Details

• Date: Sunday March 13, 2022
• Time: 6:00 PM ET
• Eligibility: VIP & Diamond – and logged in physically playing from a prize eligible location
• Game: No-Limit Texas Hold’em
• Buy-In: 500 TP’s
• Lobby Name: $9,000 WIP Bounty Tournament under VIP tournaments tab
• Registration: Opens 1 hour prior to the start of the event

Payout Structure

The top 20 finishers in the tournament will also receive cash prizes, as follows:

1. $1,000 WPT Prime Passport + $200
2. $150
3. $100
4. $80
5. $70
6. $60
7. $50
8. $40
9. $30
10. to 20th place $20

Save the date and have fun playing the Women In Poker Bounty Tournament this Sunday! It’s a great opportunity for all women to learn the game and play in a super-fun tournament online. Poker needs more women at the tables, and this is an excellent idea to help bring new women players to the game!

Top Women in Poker Organizations Join Forces

Here’s some more information about those four great aforementioned leading women in poker advocacy organizations that the WPT has partnered up with in the wake of International Women’s Day for this fantastic promotion:

Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS)

It’s a global female community supporting and celebrating all women in poker. In the words of their founder Lupe Soto: “Ladies International Poker Series is the first poker tour established for women and expands the game of poker through live and online events across the United States.”

Poker League of Nations (PLoN)

It’s an international organization that actively increases the participation of women in poker through special events, staking opportunities, and its community.

As per Lena Evans, CEO and founder of PLoN: “Our community welcomes all who are aligned with our goal of empowering women through the game of poker. We aim to make women more confident in all facets of life through honing the skills necessary to be successful at the poker table.”

Poker Power

It focuses on the connection between the valuable lessons that are present in the game of poker and real-life application of those lessons.

Erin Lydon, GM of Poker Power, said: “Our organizations share a commitment to bring more women to the table and to empower them with game-changing skills. The power of poker is that by playing a game of strategy, we learn to master the game of leadership. As more women learn and play, the impact will be transformational for generations to come. It’s time to stop playing not to lose and start playing to win.”

Women’s Poker Association (WPA)

The WPA is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that works tirelessly to empower, elevate, and educate women in poker.

Said Tara Windsor-Smith, Vice President of WPA: “It’s crucial that women, at any stage of their poker journey, always feel welcomed and supported, plus know what resources are available to them within the poker community. Through strategic and thoughtful partnerships within the poker industry and purposeful WPA programs, we continue to bring awareness to women in poker within our industry. This has resulted in positive changes and forward-thinking initiatives which are being recognized and carried out worldwide by poker operators and the poker community. What has been accomplished over the past decade for the recognition and advancement of women in poker, is just amazing! However, the job isn’t finished yet, and the WPA still has a ton more to do.”

“You’re so sweet for coming today; thank you.”

“I’m so grateful you came!”

“So nice of you to come. It means the world to me!”

One after another, Maria Ho, Lupe Soto, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and a handful of other legendary ladies of poker thanked me for having attended the 2018 Women in Poker Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Time and time again, I was struck dumbfounded, wondering why on earth I was deserving of any sort of thanks. I was fortunate enough to be in Las Vegas on the day of the ceremony, so how could I have NOT attended?! To me, it’s a no-brainer.

Getting more women into poker has been on our industry’s agenda for years, now. We all know the oft-repeated statistic: a historically male-dominated game, poker tournaments tend to boast a paltry 5% female participation rate, with female cash game attendance reflecting a mere couple of percentage points higher than that.

We long for the “glory days” of the poker boom, but we’ve systematically failed to successfully tap into a potential player pool amounting to half the general population! Dare I suggest that it’s finally time that initiatives to bring more women into poker ought to be made a priority #1 item on the industry’s collective agenda.

READ MORE: Why Don’t More Women Play Poker? Leading Poker Ladies Unite for Change

Trailblazers

And yet, somehow we’ve at least managed to reach this point. For women to have made any sort of inroads into such a heavily male-dominated game in the first place requires moxie. It takes guts, determination, and intestinal fortitude; traits shared by each and every member of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame.

Listening to Ho and Soto, the newest WiPHoF inductees, deliver their speeches was deeply stirring.

Maria spoke of her main motivation for working so hard over her decade-plus in poker: She couldn’t stand hearing “No girls allowed.” Knowing smiles crossed the faces of the assembled crowd, nearly 200 strong.

How bittersweet.

We understood exactly the type of adversity she had to face on her road to becoming one of poker’s great success stories. Exuding power and grace while speaking, it was obvious to all that Maria was deserving of WiPHoF distinction already at age 35, for it’s precisely those qualities that have carried her to the game’s heights both as a player as well as on the industry side.

Hearing Lupe tell the tales of sitting in casino lobbies for hours on end just to get meetings with management to try and convince them to host ladies tournaments was radiantly heartbreaking. Two decades of fierce advocacy for women in poker were finally being dutifully recognized. If not for her work, even 5% female participation rates might still be a pipe dream.

The event was a rare occasion to see poker players – always so well-trained to be tough and aggressive at the tables – let their guard down and open up to share their gratitude. I believe Lupe captured the moment perfectly, saying that “It’s not happy people who are thankful; it’s thankful people who are happy. Today, I’m the happiest I’ve been in my entire life.”

A Keynote to Remember

Not to be overlooked was the excellent keynote speech by renowned tournament director  Matt Savage. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, he spoke passionately about the need for men to conduct themselves better, to stand up for women. “We’re all brothers and sisters in this together, and can’t allow abusive behavior to happen!” he boomed. But perhaps the most moving, beautiful, and touching moment of his speech was when Matt shared that “I brought my daughter Rizaann here so that she could be inspired by such amazing, accomplished women.”

It’s said that actions speak louder than words, so kudos to Matt for “voting with his feet,” as it were, and demonstrating to us all how it ought to be done. Not only showing up to attend, but manifestly exposing new women to just how great of a game poker can be.

Looking Towards the Future

As the founder of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, Lupe also took some time during her induction speech to share a new, exciting development, namely that the Women’s Poker Association (WPA) will begin working with poker rooms around the United States to issue official “female friendly” certifications. An initiative of this nature is sure to be quickly embraced by leading rooms around the country, so much so that Aria “Poker Boss” Sean McCormack, also in attendance, told me that he wanted to make sure he’d be “first in line.”

Multiple sponsors, including PokerStars, 888poker, Card Player Cruises, Violette’s Vegan, and The Poker Depot, stepped up to help cover the costs of the 2018 WiPHoF ceremony, and it was announced that the World Poker Tour is set to become a new sponsor as well in the immediate future. This is great news, and I hope to see additional well-respected poker organizations make the effort to show their support in the coming years.

It’s one thing to wish that more women were playing poker and involved in the industry, but it’s quite another to take the next step and invest the time, effort, and resources necessary into trying to make those wishes become a reality.

Event emcee Jan Fisher asked at some point towards the end of the ceremony “so, are you guys ready for 2020 yet?” The year was a nod the next time a WiPHoF induction ceremony is scheduled to be held, and as I heard Jan ask the question, I couldn’t help but think what a shame it is that it’s a biannual and not yearly event. Maybe there’s an ace up Lupe’s sleeve and she’ll surprise us with some more great news in this regard before too long.

A Truly Special Experience

Since the event ended, I’ve been being asked repeatedly “did you enjoy yourself?”

After reflecting upon it, I think that “enjoy” is the wrong word. This wasn’t a show. We weren’t there to be entertained. We were there to acknowledge greatness. We showed up to take part in something special. We showed up because it’s an honor and privilege to be able to attend events like these.

More people need to start showing up.

So, to all you wonderful ladies of the poker world, respectfully, I think you’ve got it the wrong way around. Thank YOU for all you’ve done thus far! Thank YOU for inspiring the rest of us to try and do better from now on.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve followed closely and have watched many influential women in poker inducted. In 2016, I was asked to join the media panel. Unfortunately, I somehow missed the email and discovered it two days after the voting closed. So this was the first year I had an official vote on the panel.

I am honored to have had the chance to vote for this year’s class and am proud of the ladies who were selected for induction. With that said, I feel that it is time that the WiPHoF expands to become an annual event so as to begin clearing the backlog of qualified candidates that’s starting to form.

Soto and Ho Get the Nod

It’s a bit surprising that it took 10 years to induct Lupe Soto into the WiPHoF, but I’m glad to see that it finally happened. There no mistaking the impact she’s had on women’s poker. We will probably never know the number of women who took up the game or upped their game to the next level thanks to her efforts.

Maria Ho receives induction in her first year of eligibility, and it’s hard to argue against her nomination. Her on-felt accomplishments are undeniable, with over $2.7 million in career earnings, multiple WSOP final tables and three deep Main Event runs (including her sixth place WSOPE run in 2017.) Couple that with her accomplishments as a broadcaster and presenter and she has left a legacy of positive influence on the game worthy of enshrinement.

Lupe Soto and Maria Ho | Image credit: PokerNews.com

Some people would take the opportunity to argue their case on why they felt a particular nominee was snubbed. Instead, I’ll point out why both women best fit the ideals of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame:

The WiPHoF isn’t just about the best female players but rather also about those who have had a lasting impact on women in poker. Considering their many years of work, it is hard to argue that they should not be this year’s inductees.

Time To Make WiPHoF Inductions an Annual Event

In past years, my decision on who I felt should or should not be in the WiPHoF seemed pretty straightforward. This year, things were not so simple. I had arguments for giving votes to up to six nominees, but ultimately whittled it down to three (Ed. note: each member of the voting panel is allowed to split 10 votes among as many nominees as they like).

If this year proves anything to me, it is that there are plenty of deserving women that belong in the WiPHoF, so much so that perhaps it is time to begin annual inductions into the hall. Personally, I have been advocating yearly selections for the last four years.

In 2016, I wrote an article on PokerUpdate.com entitled “9 Women That Deserve to Be in the Women in Poker Hall of Fame.” Two of those women have since been inducted. Four of those women didn’t even make the list of finalists this time around. Include the nine that didn’t make it this year, that’s at least 13 deserving women, or more than “six years worth” of annual inductions.

Plus, there are over a half dozen finalists from past years, such as Ruth Hall, Donna Blevins and others who also merit future consideration.

Also, let’s not forget that numerous other women will become eligible in coming years. Vanessa Selbst and Liv Boeree both turn the minimum qualifying age of 35 in 2019. Vanessa Rousso turns 35 in 2020. Then you have future potential WiPHoFers including Loni Harwood, Kristen Bicknell, Annette Obrestad, and others.

That’s not even considering other prominent women of poker’s past or industry and media professionals, many of whom appeared on this year’s list of nominees. In short, there’s no shortage of women to induct, so let’s get started!

WiPHoF Founder Agrees!

My sentiment regarding the WiPHoF is not just some talking point that I use to try and create buzz. Instead, I have had multiple conversations in the past with WiPHoF founder and 2018 inductee Lupe Soto.

Like I’ve done for the past few years, I once again revisited the idea of annual inductions following Tuesday’s announcement, and this is what she had to say:

I do believe we’re approaching the time where the Hall can be an annual event. There are now an adequate amount of women who are qualified to be inducted.

This is a transitionary time for the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, and these kinds of questions and thoughts are important as we move forward.

Lupe Soto

Much like the WSOP-sponsored Poker Hall of Fame, the WiPHoF is beginning to get a bit of a backlog of qualified candidates, and it is time that the hall expands and starts honoring these women on an annual basis.

I find it promising that both PokerStars and 888poker stepped up to sponsor this year’s event. Celebrating women in poker is something that the industry as a whole should do, and I applaud both companies for supporting and celebrating women in poker.

I’d love to see them continue to sponsor the WiPHoF and help the organization grow and become the annual event it deserves to become.

Whether the event becomes an annual event or stays on the present two-year induction cycle, I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the WiPHoF as it continues to enshrine elite women in poker.

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