It was another busy day during Women’s Poker Week, with three tournaments on the schedule. At South Point Casino, players returned for Day 2 of the $360 South Point LIPS Nevada State Ladies Championship, which got underway at 10:10 a.m., while another field took their seats for the $200 Double Green Chip Bounty Survivor. Meanwhile, across town at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, the prestigious $1,000 WSOP Ladies Championship played down to Day 3 as competitors continued their quest for a coveted World Series of Poker bracelet.
As part of Cardplayer Lifestyle’s coverage of Women’s Poker Week, we were on hand to watch these talented women showcase their skills on the felt. Representatives from the Women’s Poker Association (WPA) and the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS) were also on hand at South Point to celebrate the finalists and the conclusion of another successful event.
$360 South Point LIPS Nevada State Ladies Championship
Day 3 began with 68 returning players from a Day 1 field of 249 entries. The event generated a $74,700 prize pool, comfortably surpassing the $50,000 guarantee, with the top 36 players earning a payday.
Suzanne Chung continued her impressive 2026 Women’s Week record, following up her ninth-place finish in the Wynn Ladies Event with another deep run, ultimately finishing sixth.
Fifth place went to Jordan Handrich, who is perhaps best known for her appearance as the Loose Cannon on the 2025 PokerStars Big Game Series, where she more than held her own against some of poker’s top professionals.
Handrich’s journey to the poker table is an inspiring one. After suffering a stroke during a visit to the chiropractor, she lost her career and now relies on her service dog, Carmen, who accompanies her everywhere. Through poker, Handrich hopes to raise awareness about the importance of allowing service dogs in poker rooms. She credits the game with providing both enjoyment and valuable mental stimulation during her recovery.
Content creator and poker player Alexandra Loveless finished in fourth place after another impressive showing. It marked her second final table of Women’s Poker Week, having also reached the final table of the Venetian Ladies Event earlier in the week. Loveless endured a true roller-coaster ride, watching her chip stack rise and fall repeatedly before bowing out in fourth after several hours of four-handed play. Her supporters, including fellow content creator Abby Merk, were on the rail, performing cheerleading moves and supplying words of encouragement.
Third place belonged to Gail Hand of Hawaii, whose remarkable comeback was one of the stories of the tournament. Beginning the day with one of the shortest stacks in the field, she battled all the way to a podium finish.
Hand shared the heartbreaking loss of her entire family in 2024, and explained that rescuing dogs has now become her purpose. As such, she donates a significant portion of her poker winnings to dog rescue organizations. Her brother taught her to play poker when she was young, making every tournament a reminder of those cherished memories. She hopes she is making him proud.
Runner-up honours went to Anjali Singhai of Central Pennsylvania. Singhai has been playing poker since turning 21 and, although she has enjoyed success primarily in cash games, this represented the largest tournament score of her poker career.
The title belonged to Amy Houghtling, a member of the Women’s Poker Association Board and one of the volunteers who helps oversee the organization’s Player of the Year race, which recognizes women competing throughout the season.
Houghtling is no stranger to success. She previously captured a World Series of Poker Circuit ring in Cherokee and enjoyed a string of cashes during a LIPS series last December. “It was a good December,” she said with a smile.
This summer in Las Vegas, however, had been a different story. “This has been a brutal week, and I am glad I finally played well.”
As Houghtling celebrated her victory, it was evident how highly respected she is within the women’s poker community. Friends and fellow competitors gathered around to congratulate her, while LIPS Founder and CEO Lupe Soto was among the first to celebrate with the new champion.
“Don’t leave until you hug me,” Houghtling told Soto.
She spoke passionately about what both LIPS and the Women’s Poker Association have meant to her, emphasizing the impact Soto has had on growing the women’s game. Becoming an advocate, she explained, was an easy decision because she wants to see more women discover poker and believes greater female participation will make the game stronger.
Asked about her plans for the remainder of the summer, Houghtling didn’t hesitate: “To grind like crazy.”
Soto smiled as she embraced the new champion: “You are such a rock star!” she exclaimed.
The victory capped off an emotional and inspiring championship, with stories of resilience, perseverance, and community taking center stage alongside the poker itself.
| Final Table | South Point Casino Ladies Championship | ||
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Amy Houghtling | Troy, Ohio | $15,277 |
| 2 | Anjali Singhai | Pennsylvania | $9,375 |
| 3 | Gail Hand | Keaau, Hawaii | $6,088 |
| 4 | Alexandra Loveless | Austin, Texas | $3,996 |
| 5 | Jordan Handrich | Minnesota | $2,951 |
| 6 | Suzanne Chung | Florida | $2,577 |
| 7 | Lesley Thompson | Ireland | $2,241 |
| 8 | Sheila Olsen | Henderson, Nevada | $1,942 |
| 9 | Jennifer Molan | Aumsville, Oregon | $1,681 |
$200 Double Green Chip Bounty Survivor
If regular bounty tournaments are a sprint, the Double Green Chip Bounty Survivor is more like an obstacle course. Every knockout is worth a crisp $50 bounty, tempting players to gamble for immediate cash. At the same time, surviving until the tournament’s designated ending point is equally important, creating a fascinating mix of calculated aggression and patience. The result is a fast-paced event where every all-in carries two rewards: a shot at instant bounty money and another step toward surviving to collect a share of the remaining prize pool.
The Double Green Bounty Chip Survivor tournament drew 70 entrants, with 7 lucky ladies surviving to the end for an even chop of the prize pool, which paid each player $1,100 plus the bounties they collected.
Result of the Double Green Bounty Chip Tournament
| Final Table Results | South Point Casino Double Green Bounty | ||
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Ruth Hall | Round Rock, Texas | $1,100 |
| 1 | Rosalind Badger | Sacramento, California | $1,100 |
| 1 | Joy Adams | Rancho, Cucamonga | $1,100 |
| 1 | Meridith Campbell | Denver, Colorado | $1,100 |
| 1 | Stacy Miller | Park City, Utah | $1,100 |
| 1 | Susan Rhodes | Las Vegas, Nevada | $1,100 |
| 1 | Cory Webb | Salt Lake City, Utah | $1,100 |
Player of the Day: Heather Morrill
As part of our 20226 Women’s Poker Week coverage, this installment’s Player of the Day section is brought to you by Texas Card House.
“At Texas Card House, we’re passionate about providing an unparalleled poker experience for our members. Founded by a team of dedicated poker enthusiasts, we understand the thrill of the game and strive to create an environment where players of all levels can come together to enjoy the excitement of poker.”
Our Player of the Day is Heather Morrill from Nashville, Tennessee.
According to fellow player and mentor Chris Read, Morrill is “the hostess with the most-est.” Read didn’t hesitate to elaborate. “Heather is one of the best advocates for women in poker. It’s amazing how much she does for everyone.”
Although Morrill has only been playing poker for about four years, she has made up for lost time. After winning three RunGood Poker Series rings in less than a year, it’s clear she’s a fast learner.
Her poker journey began after her children left for college. Looking for a new hobby, she asked her husband, an avid poker player, to encourage her to try the game. She started with cash games but quickly discovered tournaments were where she truly belonged. Her first tournament was a Daily Deepstack at the World Series of Poker, where she finished 5th for $5,000, and she hasn’t looked back since.
“My goal was to win a Circuit ring,” Morrill said. “I ended up winning three in 11 months and 29 days.”
Today, Morrill serves as a World Poker Federation Ambassador, hosting ladies’ events, meet-and-greets, Lunch & Learn sessions, and Sip & Study gatherings. Her mission is simple: encourage more women to play poker and help them improve. “The number of women in our group has tripled over the past year,” Morrill said with a smile. “I’m super excited.”
Growing the women’s game is deeply personal for Morrill because she knows firsthand that not every poker experience is welcoming. During a tournament, she politely asked another player to end a phone conversation while they were involved in a hand. Rather than complying, he became confrontational, telling her she didn’t know the rules and should “ask her handler.”
Morrill kept her composure and eventually eliminated him from the tournament.
Unfortunately, the confrontation didn’t end there. During the next break, the player waited outside the restroom for her. “He called me the ‘C’ word and threatened to slap the sh** out of me,” Morrill recalled.
Fortunately, nearby players immediately contacted security. Casino staff responded quickly, removed the player, and banned him from the property.
Morrill understands that emotions can run high at the poker table and points out that poor behaviour isn’t limited to one gender. Still, having someone wait for you after a confrontation can be frightening, especially, she says with a laugh, “when you’re tiny like me.”
Rather than letting the incident discourage her, it strengthened her commitment to helping other women feel welcome. “This is why I want to encourage women to play,” Morrill said. “Step outside your comfort zone and give it a try. There is a support system here to help you.”
She is also quick to point out that incidents like this are rare and don’t define the poker community. In fact, it’s the supportive atmosphere that keeps bringing her back. Chris Read has become both a coach and a mentor. “Even last night when I busted the Tag Team event, I called Chris at one in the morning, and she was there for me,” Morrill said.
Despite those close friendships away from the table, Morrill’s competitive side never disappears. “When we’re away from the table, we’re friends,” she laughed. “When we’re playing, we’re not.”
She appreciates the encouragement she’s received from players like Read and now makes it a priority to pay that kindness forward. “When new women come up and talk to me, it means a lot,” Morrill said.
Looking ahead, Morrill’s goals are simple: become less emotional, play smarter, stay disciplined, and embrace every lesson the game has to offer, both the victories and the setbacks. She carefully manages her bankroll, frequently plays satellites to earn seats in larger buy-in events, and continues studying to sharpen her skills.
With her competitive spirit, dedication to improvement, and passion for growing the game, don’t be surprised if Heather Morrill keeps adding to her poker résumé. One thing is certain: when she sits down at the table, she’s there to compete.
WPA Update for Sunday, June 28th
For all our mixed games players, the LIPS tour Omaha Championship starts today at 10:10 AM.
Thank you to our sponsor, Texas Card House, for supporting women in poker!
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?
- Sunday June 28: $240 LIPS Omaha Championship South Point @ 10:10 a.m.
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