2026 Women's Poker Week: Amy Houghtling Dominates South Point Event

Women's Poker Week entered a busy second day with three events. At South Point, players returned for Day 2 of the $360 South Point LIPS Nevada State Ladies Championship, which kicked off at 10:10 AM, while another group took their seats for the $200 Double Green Chip Bounty Survivor. Meanwhile, at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, the highly anticipated $1,000 WSOP Ladies Championship entered Day 3, as players continued to battle for a World Series of Poker bracelet.

As part of Cardplayer Lifestyle's coverage of Women's Poker Week, we witnessed these talented women showcasing their skills at the tables. Representatives from the Women's Poker Association (WPA) and the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS) also gathered at South Point to celebrate the finalists and yet another successful event.

$360 South Point LIPS Nevada State Ladies Championship

Day 3 began with 68 players returning from a Day 1 field of 249. The prize pool reached $74,700, easily surpassing the $50,000 guarantee, with the top 36 finishers paid.

Suzanne Chung continued her strong performance in the 2026 Women's Poker Week, following up a ninth-place finish in the Wynn ladies event with another deep run, eventually finishing sixth.

Fifth place went to Jordan Handrich. She gained recognition for her appearance as a "Loose Cannon" in the 2025 PokerStars Big Game Series, where she held her own against a lineup of top pros. Handrich's poker journey is inspiring. After suffering a stroke during a physical therapy massage, she lost her career and now relies on her service dog, Carmen, by her side. Through poker, she hopes to raise awareness about the importance of allowing service dogs in poker rooms. She believes poker has provided both enjoyment and valuable mental stimulation during her recovery.

Content creator and poker player Alexandra Loveless finished fourth after another impressive performance. This marked her second final table appearance of Women's Poker Week — she had reached a final table earlier in the week at the Venetian ladies event. Loveless experienced a true rollercoaster, with her chip stack fluctuating repeatedly, eventually bowing out in fourth after hours of four-handed play. Her supporters — including fellow content creator Abby Merk — cheered her on from the rail, performing cheerleading moves and offering words of encouragement.

Third place belonged to Gail Hand from Hawaii. Her remarkable comeback was one of the tournament's stories. She started the day with nearly the smallest stack but fought her way onto the podium. Hand shared the heartbreaking story of losing all her family members in 2024 and explained that rescuing dogs has become her purpose in life. As a result, she donates most of her poker winnings to dog rescue organizations. Her brother taught her how to play cards when she was young, and every event reminds her of those precious memories. She hopes to make him proud.

The runner-up was Anjali Singhai from central Pennsylvania. Singhai started playing poker at age 21, and while her main achievements have been in cash games, this was the largest tournament cash of her career.

The champion was Amy Houghtling, a Women's Poker Association advocate and a volunteer committee member who helps oversee the association's Player of the Year selection. Houghtling is no stranger to success. She previously won a WSOP Circuit ring in Cherokee and had multiple consecutive cashes in LIPS events last December. "It was a good December," she said with a smile. However, this summer in Las Vegas was a different story: "The week was brutal, and I'm so glad I finally ran well."

As Houghtling celebrated her victory, it was clear she is well-respected in the women's poker community. Friends and fellow players gathered to congratulate her, and LIPS founder and CEO Lupe Soto was among the first to celebrate with the new champion. "Hug me before you leave," Houghtling told Soto. She spoke passionately about what LIPS and the Women's Poker Association mean to her, emphasizing Soto's contributions to growing women's poker. She explained that becoming an advocate was an easy decision because she wants to see more women discover poker and believes that more female participation will strengthen the poker community. When asked about the rest of her summer plans, Houghtling didn't hesitate: "Grind hard."

Soto hugged the new champion with a smile: "You're such a rock star!" she exclaimed. The victory capped an emotional and inspiring tournament, where stories of resilience, perseverance, and community shone just as brightly as the poker itself.

$200 Double Green Chip Bounty Survivor

If a regular bounty tournament is a sprint, the Double Green Chip Bounty Survivor is more like an obstacle course. Each elimination was worth a $50 cash bounty, encouraging players to take risks for immediate cash. At the same time, surviving to the tournament's designated point was equally important, creating an interesting mix of calculated aggression and patience. The result was a fast-paced event where every all-in offered double rewards: the chance to claim an instant bounty and a step closer to splitting the remaining prize pool.

The Double Green Chip Bounty Survivor attracted 70 entries, and seven lucky ladies survived to the end, splitting the prize pool equally, each taking home $1,100 plus the bounties they collected.

Today's Player: Heather Morrill

As part of the 2026 Women's Poker Week coverage, this edition of the "Today's Player" segment is sponsored by Texas Card House.

Our today's player is Heather Morrill from Nashville, Tennessee. According to fellow player and mentor Chris Read, Morrill is "the most welcoming hostess." Read added, "Heather is one of the best advocates for women in poker. What she does for everyone is amazing." Although Morrill hasn't been playing poker for long, she has quickly become a central figure in the community.