2026 Women's Poker Week Concludes: Venetian Ladies High Roller Champion Crowned
The 2026 Women's Poker Week concluded at The Venetian. The LIPS Ladies High Roller event attracted 122 entries, building a total prize pool of $268,400. Portugal's Daria Krashennikova took the title, winning $69,685 and three trophies. Jamie Kerstetter was named 'Star of the Day'.
During the 2026 Summer Women's Poker Week, the Las Vegas Venetian was bustling as the International Ladies Poker Series (LIPS) and Women's Poker Association (WPA) co-hosted the Ladies High Roller Championship ($2,500 buy-in) as the grand finale. Registration closed late on Day 1, with 122 entrants easily surpassing the $150,000 guarantee. The final prize pool swelled to $268,400, paying out the top 19 finishers, with the champion taking $69,685 and the minimum cash being $5,377.
Cardplayer Lifestyle covered the full 2026 Women's Poker Week and witnessed this thrilling final table. Late on Day 2, the bubble burst, and the remaining players applauded, with red wine poured for those willing to celebrate. But the focus quickly returned to the championship battle.
Several notable players advanced deep into the tournament, including poker personalities Jamie Kerstetter (runner-up in the 2024 WSOP Women's Championship) and Vivianne Gentry (who made two final tables during this Women's Poker Week). Day 2 whittled the field down to the final seven, who returned on Day 3 under the spotlight of PokerGO and Venetian Poker live streams.
Final table was set at Level 20 after a dramatic double elimination: Christine Di Fiore Kirsch and Bianka Abade busted simultaneously, becoming the unfortunate bubble of the televised final table.
Among the 12 players who qualified via satellites, the only one to survive to the end was Nancy Birnbaum (nicknamed "Trouble"). She entered the final day as the shortest stack, but with a resume of over $1.5 million in live tournament earnings (per The Hendon Mob) and recent momentum from a fifth-place finish in the WSOP Super Seniors event, she ultimately finished seventh. Poker legend JJ Liu entered the final table with under 1 million chips after losing a key flip on Day 2; with over $4 million in live earnings, she finished sixth. Fifth place went to Las Vegas local Hayley Hanna, who returned with a middle stack and over $200,000 in live earnings.
Pre-tournament chip leader Ying Zhu (an online business professional) carried her lead into the televised final and finished fourth. Nashville business owner Kayla Clackum took third. Eun Joo "Jennie," hoping to build on her recent deep run in the WSOP $1,000 Mystery Bounty event, finished as runner-up.
Daria Krashennikova from Portugal entered Day 3 as the second chip stack, focused on growing her bankroll and career. This deep run was seen as a major step toward her long-term goals. She emerged as the biggest winner, taking home a massive payday and three trophies: WPA, LIPS, and the Venetian champion's trophy.
Final table results and payouts:
- Daria Krashennikova (Portugal) — $69,685
- Jennie Joo (Las Vegas) — $44,635
- Kayla Clackum (Nashville) — $29,709
- Ying Zhu (Belmont) — $20,579
- Hayley Hanna (Las Vegas) — $14,859
- JJ Liu (Las Vegas) — $11,205
- Nancy Birnbaum (Fort Lauderdale) — $8,841
Player of the Day: Jamie Kerstetter
This edition of "Player of the Day" is sponsored by Octopi Poker. James Hudson, Vice President of Marketing at Octopi Poker, said: "We are proud to sponsor this event because poker gets stronger when more people feel a sense of belonging at the table. The Women's Poker Association grows the game by celebrating the women already involved and helping more women access the game we love. Octopi Poker's goal has always been to make poker learning more accessible and enjoyable, so partnering with WPA for this event is a perfect fit."
American professional poker player, commentator, and media personality Jamie Kerstetter has become one of the most recognizable faces and voices in poker. Before becoming a full-time poker player, she was a trusts and estates lawyer, a graduate of Rutgers University and the University of Michigan Law School. She ultimately decided the legal profession wasn't for her: "I was bored with the law." Ironically, one of the most valuable takeaways from law school wasn't legal knowledge but learning to play poker. After discovering the game, she started frequenting Detroit casinos and quickly found her talent. To date, she has over $1 million in live tournament earnings.
Beyond tournament play, Kerstetter is one of the busiest figures in poker, with work including live commentary, podcasting, brand ambassadorship, and social media. Over the past six years, she has worked with the World Poker Tour (WPT), helping develop game concepts, build television rosters, and contribute creative direction. From her passionate voice, you can feel she enjoys the creative side of the industry. Kerstetter has twice won the Global Poker Award for "Best Twitter Personality." In 2022, she won her first WSOP Circuit ring in a unique way—her phone was charging in the casino bathroom during the final table. She has since won a second ring.
Known for being approachable, witty, and humorous, Kerstetter is an outstanding ambassador for poker. She is also a strong advocate for women in the game, never shying away from discussing issues affecting the poker community. Of course, beneath her friendly exterior lies a fierce competitor.