Women in Poker: Top 5 Most Successful Female Players

Kristen Foxen/Bicknell

The Canadian poker player holds the number one spot for lifetime winnings among women. As of 10 February 2026, Kristen has won $13,416,462. Foxen also holds the women's record for the number of World Series of Poker bracelets, having secured 5 WSOP titles. Her largest win came in a high roller tournament at the Triton Poker Series in 2025, where third place earned her a payout of $1,104,000. 

In recent years, Kristen Foxen has reached amazing form. In 2025 alone, she earned $4,653,003. That's a third of her career winnings.

Kristen Bicknell began her poker career in 2006. It was Jennifer Harman who inspired her to make card games her profession. In the mid-2000s, Harman was the only woman playing on equal terms with stars like Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, and others of the time. Kristen's strong mathematical skills significantly eased her path in poker. She quickly broke through to NL200-NL400 limits. From 2011 to 2013, the Canadian achieved Supernova Elite status on PokerStars three consecutive times. To reach the highest level in the loyalty program, she played 2,500,000 hands annually. A monthly volume of 200,000 hands highlights Kristen's incredible work ethic and endurance.

Let's detail Foxen's performances at WSOP events. Here's what her achievements at the prestigious festival look like:

Kristen won her last 3 bracelets online. In 2024, she was tantalizingly close to the final table of the WSOP Main Event. An unfortunate 13th place exit came with a prize of $600,000.

In the last 8 years, Foxen has been named the best female poker player in the world 5 times according to the Global Poker Index. GPI rankings are allocated based on player points, which are awarded according to their live tournament series results. The Global Poker Index awards collection underlines Foxen's consistently high level of play.

In 2022, Kristen married another industry professional — Alex Foxen. His career winnings are even more impressive: he won $54,357,572 in total. They are considered the most powerful pair in the poker world.

Vanessa Selbst

A legend in the industry. Vanessa ended her active career in 2016 but was only surpassed in earnings in 2025. Vanessa won $11,928,957 in total, with 3 WSOP bracelets to her name. Her biggest prize was for winning the Main Event of the Partouche Poker Tour, where she was awarded $1,823,430. Vanessa also achieved another seven-figure success, winning $1,424,420 for her victory at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in 2013. In 2015, she took home $1,000,000 for first place in a celebrity tournament in Las Vegas. Selbst is the only woman to have ever ranked first in the overall Global Poker Index.

Vanessa left professional play in 2016 but still occasionally visits the World Series of Poker

Vanessa started her poker career in the 2000s. Her first significant achievement was $101,285 for seventh place at a WSOP event in 2006. A year later, the American poker player updated her highest winnings with $128,968 for third place at the 2007 WSOP. Vanessa demonstrated her highest level of skill in 2010. Not only did she win a title with record winnings in France, but she also triumphed at the North American Poker Tour, taking home $750,000 in prize money. In 2010, Vanessa Selbst joined the PokerStars Pro Team, promoting the PS brand for seven years.

Vanessa's WSOP triumphs are chronicled as follows:

Vanessa's versatility should be noted: she won two mixed format tournaments. Victories in these are considered more valuable than in traditional No Limit Hold'em events due to the increased complexity of mixed games. Her best achievement at the WSOP Main Event was finishing 73rd in 2012. 

In 2014, Vanessa earned the GPI title of the strongest female poker player in the world. 

In 2016, Selbst focused on family life and reduced her poker engagements. Between 2017 and 2025, she cashed in 5 times, with her best result being 14th place at the WPT and a prize of $39,950.

Kathy Liebert

The first woman in poker history to win $1,000,000 in a tournament. Her career winnings total $7,224,793. Kathy won a WSOP bracelet in 2004. Her exceptional work ethic is noteworthy: since 1994, she has cashed in more than 500 poker tournaments. Alongside card games, Kathy is also involved in stock market investments.

Kathy Liebert is the main grinder of women's tournament poker: within the first 45 days of 2026, she cashed in 11 times

At the start of her career, Liebert worked as a business analyst for a financial company. Over time, she tired of office life and began investing independently. Successful results allowed Liebert the opportunity to travel. In 1994, she arrived in Las Vegas and decided to try poker, starting with cash games. Soon, the casino hired her to maintain games at the table. Later, Liebert tested her skills in tournaments, finishing second in her first MTT for $9,046. A week later, she entered a more expensive tournament and again finished second, earning $14,091. 

Here are Kathy's top 5 results:

Kathy rarely wins tournaments but regularly cashes. Of her top 15 largest winnings, only 3 were for a first-place finish. Her best result at the WSOP Main Event was finishing 17th. 

Kathy has been playing poker professionally for over 30 years and has no plans to stop. For example, a month ago, she won a ring in a World Series of Poker Circuit tournament with a $300 buy-in.

Liv Boeree

One of the most recognisable faces in modern poker, she ranks fourth in women's career winnings. By February 2026, she had won $6,699,290. Liv's award collection includes a WSOP bracelet and an EPT champion's trophy. Her biggest prize came in 2024, securing $2,800,000 for 4th place at the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event — a record payout for female players. 

Liv Boeree has made a significant contribution to the popularisation of poker and the PokerStars brand

She was introduced to the game in 2005. Liv's first major success came in 2008, when she earned $42,000 for first place at the Ladbrokes Poker European Ladies Championship. Boeree became world-famous following her victory on the European Poker Tour in 2010, earning a champion's trophy and $1,698,300 in prize money. The jump from $42,000 to $1,698,300 particularly impressed PokerStars, which offered her a professional contract. Liv was a member of PokerStars Pro for 9 years. 

Liv's major wins are summarised in the table:

Liv's sole WSOP bracelet was won in the Tag Team Championship, with her partner Igor Kurganov. Her best achievement at the WSOP Main Event was 314th place for $35,267.

Since 2020, Boeree has slowed down in poker, focusing on her charity organisation, Raising for Effective Giving. In 2018, she spoke at a TED conference. Her scientific degree in astrophysics played no small part in her poker success.

Sosia Jiang

The New Zealand poker player broke into the top 5 women's rankings thanks to her successes in recent years. Her total winnings amount to $6,118,237. Sosia doesn't have WSOP, WPT, or EPT trophies. Her major triumph was winning the PokerStars Championship in Macau, for which the champion's title was complemented by winnings of $498,073. Her largest payout of $1,605,000 came for 8th place at the World Series of Poker. The excitement of this success is tempered by the tournament's buy-in: entry cost $525,000, meaning Sosia tripled her astronomical entry fee.

By day, Sosia Jiang teaches children at school, and in the evening – she dominates in poker tournaments

Sosia’s first poker experience occurred in 2008, while working at an investment group, CLSA, in Hong Kong. Later, her brother introduced her to online poker. Four years later, Jiang finished sixth in the Asia Pacific Poker Tour, earning $14,915. In 2017, the New Zealander won the PokerStars Championship. Since 2018, Sosia has consistently produced good results and six-figure winnings.

Here's how Sosia Jiang's top 5 hits look:

Among her top 5 competitors, the amounts of Sosia Jiang's buy-ins are notable. Neither Kristen Foxen, Vanessa Selbst, nor Liv Boeree have participated in tournaments with entry fees of $200,000 or more. Any win at a major Triton Poker event will catapult her into the top 3 for career winnings. Sosia's best result at the WSOP Main Event was 521st place in 2019, with a payout of $27,390.

Substantial wins haven't changed Jiang's life. She remains in New Zealand, works as a teacher, and devotes her free time to poker.

Honourable Mentions: Okamoto, Obrestad, Margets, Nikitina

Career winnings aren't the only measure of skill in poker. Let's look at four players with unique achievements in the industry.

Shiina Okamoto. The Japanese poker player won the same World Series of Poker tournament twice in a row in 2024 and 2025. Both times, Shiina triumphed in the Ladies Championship. 

Shiina Okamoto

Okamoto debuted at the WSOP in 2023, finishing second in the Ladies Championship. Shiina's achievements are even more impressive knowing she began studying poker the same year. As of February 2026, Shiina's career winnings have reached $1,153,205.

Annette Obrestad. One of the first stars of online poker. She began her career at 15 on PokerStars. 

Annette Obrestad

To play, she had to break PokerStars' rules. The site doesn't allow accounts for those under 18, so Annette registered her account in a friend's name. She built her starting bankroll through freerolls. She burst into the elite of world poker in 2007 by winning the World Series of Poker Europe and receiving $2,013,733. Curiously, Obrestad was only able to take part in the main WSOP festival a few years later because participants under 21 aren't allowed to play in Vegas events.

Leo Margets. The Spanish professional made poker history in 2025.

Leo Margets

She became the first woman to reach a final table in the modern era at the WSOP Main Event. The previous record was set by Barbara Enright, who played in a 273-person tournament, whereas Leo overcame a field of 9,735 players. For her seventh place at WSOP-2025, Margets earned $1,500,000. The Spaniard also has a WSOP Bracelet, which she won along with $376,850 in 2021. Leo's consistency was confirmed by her result at the WSOP 2009 Main Event, where she finished 27th. 

Nataliya Nikitina. The leader in career winnings among Russian poker players.

Nataliya Nikitina

Nikitina's total winnings amount to $776,231. Her career highlight was winning a World Poker Tour tournament in 2021, where she was awarded $332,624. Among her other accomplishments is third place at the EPT in Sochi, with $128,872 in prize money. In recent years, Nataliya has been actively playing tournament series in Cyprus. 

Starting in Poker: A Newbie's Guide

Shiina Okamoto went from beginner to WSOP second place in just half a year, thanks to intensive theoretical work. In interviews, the player highlighted that discussing hands with others on Discord played a key role in her learning. However, improving your skills can be achieved through various methods, such as reading books, watching videos, analysing hands with software, training with a coach, and watching professional streams. Let's detail them further.

Books. Suitable for learning rules and familiarising with fundamental concepts. Taking specific techniques to heart isn't recommended — by the time a book is published, much of the information is outdated. With the psychology and mathematics of poker, the situation is different: they never lose relevance. Therefore, we recommend studying: 

• ‌Works by Jared Tendler. Both volumes of "The Mental Game" will help you stand up to tilt, maintain psychological balance, and keep a high level of play longer. The books are fully translated into Russian.

• ‌ "Poker Math Made Easy" by Roy Rounder. This short guide will teach you to quickly calculate outs and pot odds. Plenty of visual examples will make calculating second nature.

The topic is explored further in the article “Top 5 Poker Books for Beginners and Pros”.

Video. Poker is popular worldwide, with a vast number of videos on the game. There are plenty of fresh materials on YouTube, with videos for players of any level — from beginners to professionals. Language barriers are no longer an issue, as browsers now translate and voiceover videos automatically. We recommend starting with the FunFarm YouTube channel, where we publish theoretical videos, useful software analysis, and professional interviews.

Software. Many poker stars reached a cosmic level by working with poker software. Trackers save hand histories and highlight mistakes. Calculators teach thinking in ranges and allow analysis of specific errors. Solvers introduce balanced strategies and help in their implementation. Simulators let you hone push/fold skills. Multi-tabling software simplifies playing poker across multiple tables.

The “FF Start” programme is free and suitable for beginners. “Player's Path” helps reach professional levels with decent earnings.

Discussion and Analysis. Analysing your hands is beneficial. Having someone else do it is even better. A different perspective can reveal hidden flaws and provide new insights. Hands can be discussed in Telegram chats or on poker sites, which often have hand analysis sections.

Pro Streams. Many top players stream live on Twitch or Kick. You can not only watch their games but also ask questions. FunFarm coaches stream as well — feel free to tune in.

Coaches. The fastest way to improve. A coach will review your play, spot weaknesses, and provide solutions. Finding a good coach isn't easy. How strong are they? Does their style suit you? Do they offer relevant information? Consider the cost of sessions too; a good coach charges serious rates.

With so many learning methods, it's easy to get lost. New players often work on strategy haphazardly, which is counterproductive. The free FF Start course offers a structured approach. It organises information clearly, without unnecessary details or topic jumps. The course covers poker math, adjusting to different opponents, ICM, playing with a short stack, and final table strategy. Specific techniques can be practised using a simulator.

Once you've mastered the basics, consider advancing with “Player's Path”. Developed for more experienced players, it aims to facilitate progress and structure learning. A clear system and regular training will enhance your game and lead to better understanding. As your skills grow, so will your earnings. If you plan to become a poker professional, join the “Player's Path” programme.