For the second consecutive year, Harrah's New Orleans hosted the Ladies Bayou Poker Championship. This year's event attracted 225 entries, each putting up a $200 entry fee. It took nearly ten hours to eliminate 216 players, leaving the final nine to take the big stage inside the Harrah's New Orleans Showroom at the final table. With nearly 100 family members and spectators watching and cheering, it rivaled (and some might say surpassed) the excitement of any higher buy-in 'open' event.

Annette Martin, from Denham Springs, LA started off as the chip leader. She began with 76,900, distancing herself somewhat from everyone else at the table, except for Tracy Bumpus, sitting in the next seat with 44,200. Fittingly, it would be these two ladies in the heads-up final competing for the championship. Players were eliminated as follows:

9th Place - Lisa A. Kjellin, from Slidell, LA was low on chips from the start. The secretary and part-time poker player received $873 in prize money for ninth place.

8th Place - Susan Kaufman, a public information officer from Louisiana's state capital, Baton Rouge, went out next. Kaufman, who also volunteers as a special advocate for abused and neglected children, earned a well-deserved $1,310.

7th Place - Trish Hamann was no stranger to final tables. In fact, she has previously won three tournaments in the South. The Biloxi, MS poker dealer (turned player) took $1,746 for seventh place.

6th Place - Lisa Holt, from Texas was the next player eliminated. She received $2,183.

5th Place - Tanya Canty, a local college student went out next. Canty, who arrived as the lowest in chips by far (just 1500 when final table play began) moved up four places beyond expectation and ended up going out fifth, good for $2,619.

4th Place - Down to four, Lauren Stoute departed next. The Subway (fast food restaurant) manager was derailed in fourth place. She collected $3,492.

3rd Place - Lindsay Witmer made a valiant effort, but finally went out in third place. The Baton Rouge-based nurse picked up $4,365 in prize money.

2nd Place - Down to the final two players, Annette Martin had about a 2 to 1 advantage over Tracy Bumpus -- 150,000 to 72,000. The final hand didn't take long. Bumpus lost a few pots and was dealt A-Q. She moved all-in. Martin, holding 10-2, had more than enough chips to call. Martin recognized the hand immediately for its historical WSOP significance (Note: 10-2 is called a "Doyle Brunson" because the legendary champion won back to back WSOP titles with the hand in 1976 and 1977).

It looked like Bumpus would double up when the board showed J-3-3-7 at the turn. Then, a deuce fell on the river giving Martin a tiny pair. The deuces were enough to win, which meant a second-place finish for Bumpus and a big win for Martin. Tracy Bumpus, a graduate student from Birmingham, AL received $7,944 in prize money.

The new poker queen of New Orleans is Annette Martin. She collected $14,402 and a gold necklace presented to the winner. Martin is self-employed as a construction company contractor, which is assisting in rebuilding the city. She admitted to be overwhelmed by the victory.

"My husband told me I have to play (in this event). At first, I was nervous about playing, but now I'm sure glad I came," she said. "The World Series came to New Orleans. I saw (poker) on TV and we all decided I had to come here and be a part of it."

-- By Nolan Dalla