On June 19, the bustling poker room at The Orleans hosted the $600 Ladies Championship, one of the premier events of Women’s Poker Week 2026. With a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool and a strong field of competitors, the tournament attracted players from across the poker community. As part of its ongoing partnership with the Women’s Poker Association (WPA), Cardplayer Lifestyle was on hand in Las Vegas to capture the action.
Cards were in the air at 11 a.m., with each player receiving a starting stack of 40,000 chips. The tournament featured 30-minute levels through the early stages, then increased to 40-minute levels after Level 12, providing a well-structured and player-friendly format. The $50,000 guarantee was comfortably reached as 191 entrants took their seats, generating a prize pool of $98,365. The top 24 finishers earned a share of the prize money, with $1,328 reserved for a min-cash and $23,856 awaiting the eventual champion.
The competition remained fierce throughout the day as players battled for a coveted spot at the final table. With a trophy, cash prize, commemorative Orleans championship ring, swag bag, valuable Player of the Year points, and plenty of bragging rights all up for grabs in addition to first-place prize money of over $20,000, every pot carried added significance.
Once the field was reduced to the final six, the possibility of a deal was briefly discussed but quickly dismissed. The remaining contenders were focused solely on the title, and with the chip counts relatively even, there was little incentive to compromise. As the clock pushed past 2 a.m., the championship battle was still very much alive.
Final Table The Orleans 2026 $600 Ladies Championship
Fifth-place finisher Kirsten Deardorff was another notable contender making a deep run in the championship. A regular presence and enthusiastic supporter of women’s poker events, Deardorff has enjoyed considerable success throughout her career, amassing more than $600,000 in live tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob. Her deep run added yet another strong result to an already impressive poker résumé.
Las Vegas local Lori Pinto, a familiar face on the women’s poker circuit, saw her run end in fourth place. Shortly thereafter, Vivianne Gentry secured a podium finish, taking home the third-place prize after an impressive showing throughout the tournament.
Finishing as the runner-up was Amanda Baker, better known around the poker tables as “Mandy B.” Baker brought an impressive poker résumé to the event, with more than $500,000 in recorded live tournament earnings. The yoga instructor appeared calm and focused throughout the evening, channeling her zen mindset to navigate the field and steadily climb the payout ladder before ultimately securing the second-place prize.
Taking top honors on the evening was Fatima Nanji, a Canadian tax specialist known for helping Canadians recover tax refunds on gambling winnings earned in the United States. Nanji also boasts an impressive poker résumé, with over $320K in career tournament winnings. Quiet and observant at the table, she carefully studies her opponents before choosing the right moments to apply pressure. Reflecting on the heads-up battle, Nanji acknowledged the challenge posed by her final opponent, saying, “I knew my opponent, Amanda Baker, was a really good player.” Despite her strong performance throughout the event, Nanji remained humble afterward, adding simply, “I just ran lucky today.”
| Final Table Results | The Orleans | ||
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Fatima Nanji | Vancouver, Canada | $23,856 |
| 2 | Amanda Baker | Las Vegas, USA | $14,263 |
| 3 | Vivianne Gentry | Las Vegas, USA | $9,246 |
| 4 | Lori Pinto | Las Vegas, USA | $6,689 |
| 5 | Kristen Deardorff | Las Vegas, USA | $5,017 |
| 6 | MJ Olsavsky | Texas, USA | $4,230 |
| 7 | Mina Mizunokura | Japan | $3,590 |
| 8 | Sinead Davenport | United Kingdom | $3,049 |
| 9 | Jullie Poirier | Canada | $2,607 |
| 10 | Laurie Dragner | California, USA | $2,213 |
WPA Update for Saturday, June 20th
Don’t miss the WPA Summer Raffle! 🎟️
Tickets are $25 for 1 or $100 for 5, and each ticket enters you into both prize drawings:
🔹 A $1,000 WSOP Ladies Event seat
🔹 A $360 LIPS Championship seat
You can purchase tickets today at the MGM Grand Ladies Event. Look for Advocate Christina Lofquist to get your ticket!
If we sell all 350 tickets this week, we will give away 2 WSOP seats!
Thank you to our coverage sponsor Texas Card House!
Texas’ first poker club, established in 2014, Texas Card House sets the standard for club poker in Texas, with locations in Dallas, Austin, North Houston and the Rio Grande Valley.
As the WPA’s official media partner for Women’s Poker Week 2026, we encourage you to follow @PokerLifeMedia across all their socials, as they will be highlighting “all things women in poker” this week.
Good luck at the tables!
WPA 💜
2026 Women’s Poker Week: What’s Next?
Cardplayer Lifestyle’s exclusive coverage of 2026 Women’s Poker Week continues:
- Saturday, June 20th — $250 MGM Grand Ladies Championship at 11 a.m. with a $30,000 guarantee
- Sunday, June 21st — $300 NLH at The Golden Nugget at 11:00 a.m. with a $25,000 guarantee
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