Erin Elwood Wins 2007 Grand Casino Tunica WSOP Circuit Ladies Championship

2007 Grand Casino Tunica
World Series of Poker
(WSOP) Circuit Event
Event #9
Ladies No Limit Hold'em
Tournament Report

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2007 Grand Casino Tunica WSOP Circuit Event Report

Psyching Out the Competition
Erin Elwood Wins Ladies Poker
Championship at Tunica

Erin Elwood

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University of Tennessee Psychology Student Outfoxes Huge
Field In Ladies Tournament

Tunica, MS – Anyone who doubts the growing popularity of poker along
women would be advised to look at the sign-up numbers from this year’s
Ladies Poker Championship held in Tunica, Mississippi. A record turnout of
465 players turned out at the Grand Tunica Casino-Resort for the special
ladies-only poker tournament. The ladies event is a popular component of
each and every World Series of Poker Circuit, ensuring that female poker
players have an opportunity to play amongst themselves, on their own terms.

Appropriately, this year’s WSOP Circuit series in Tunica has been operated by
four top female tournament officials. This is the first time in poker history that
this has happened. The hard-working and outgoing Karen Kaegin serves as
Grand Tunica’s Poker Room Manager. Sue Phillips is the very capable Dealer
Coordinator. Dixie Lindsey is the Payout Coordinator. And, for the first time
in World Series of Poker history, a woman has been chosen as the
Tournament Director. After years spent working in poker tournaments
around the country, Janice Sexton was promoted to the position of
Tournament Director for this, and future WSOP Circuit events.

January 14th turned out to be a memorable day for the ladies as one of the
most exciting final tables of this year’s series took place on the second floor
of the Tunica Grand. It took 12 hours to play down to the winner, Erin
Elwood from Knoxville, Tennessee. She started as one of the lowest stacks
at the final table but managed to outlast all of her opponents en route to a
$27,060 payday.

The final table began at 10 pm after ten long hours of play. Sally White
started off with a significant chip lead. But she was unable to hold onto
those chips until the very end. The seating positions and starting chip counts
began as follows:

Ninth place went to Cindy Burks. She is a nearby resident of Southaven,
Mississippi who has played in local poker tournaments. Ms. Burks’ prize
money amounted to $1,804.

Kimberly Kirby finished in eighth place. The poker sales representative from
Illinois cashed for $2,706.

Seventh place went to Donna Cobb. The Hot Springs, Arkansas pharmacist
lost to a straight on her last hand and collected $3,608 for her final table
appearance.

Ruth Chodniewicz went out next. She started with the best hand when all of
her chips went into the pot, A-10 versus Q-7. But a queen on the flop ruined
Ms. Chodniewicz’s chances of doubling up. The songwriter from Nashville,
Tennessee was left singing the blues, although she did manage $4,511 for
sixth place.

Noui Phrathep was one of the crowd favorites. But she busted out when she
made a pair of tens, losing on her final hand to a (higher) pair of jacks. The
poker player from Clearwater, Florida earned $5,413 for fifth place.

Kelly Reynolds went out next. Her fate was sealed when she started off with
pocket 5s but ran into Erin Elwood’s A-Q, which spiked a queen on the river –
good for a higher pair. Mr. Reynolds, who lives in Birmingham, Alabama,
received $6,315 in prize money for fourth place.

Third place went to Sally C. White, an insurance agent from Nashville,
Tennessee. She outlasted all but the final two players in this tournament
and received $7,217. Her K-9 failed to top Erin Elwood’s pocket queens on
her final hand, thus locking up a third place finish.

It didn’t take long for Erin Elwood to settle the outcome once and for all.
Holding onto a sizable chip lead, she called an all-in raise with A-K and saw
her opponent Alani Delrios holding J-9. The flop gave Ms. Delrios several outs
– 10-8-3 making either a pair or a straight possible. But two blanks on the
turn and river disappointed Ms. Delrios in her attempt to stake a late
comeback and made Ms. Elwood into the newest ladies poker champion.

The runner up in this event was Alani Delrios, from Boone, North Carolina.
She earned $14,524 for a valiant effort.

The 2007 Ladies Poker Champion from this year’s Tunica series is Erin
Elwood, a 22-year-old college student. Ms. Elwood is currently studying
psychology at the University of Tennessee. This was her first poker
tournament win. First prize paid $27,060 and a gold pendant presented to
the ladies champion as a token of a well-deserved victory.

Report by Nolan Dalla

To view a complete listing of results for Event #9 of the 2007 Grand
Casino Tunica WSOP Circuit Event, click on the link below:

2007 Grand Casino Tunica WSOP Circuit Results - Event #9

Tournament Director – Janis Sexton

Grand Tunica Poker Room Manager – Karen Kaegin

Seat 1
Seat 2
Seat 3
Seat 4
Seat 5
Seat 6
Seat 7
Seat 8
Seat 9

Cindy Burks
Sally White
Kelley Reynolds
Noui Phrathep
Alani Delrios
Ruth Chodniewicz
Kimberly Kirby
Erin Elwood
Donna Cobb

38,000
167,000