Atlantic City, NJ (March 11, 2007) – One of the fastest-growing demographics of poker is among women.  A generation ago, women were a rare sight inside poker rooms.  Today, they comprise a significant part of the card playing market.  Women of all ages now play poker.  As a result, several ladies-only poker tournaments have blossomed around the country, with the World Series of Poker leading the way by hosting championship-level events for women at each and every Circuit series.

Caesars Atlantic City hosted this year's ladies-only $200 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament (Event #7), which attracted 398 players.  That's almost double the number which turned out for this same event last year and is one of the largest in the three-year history of the World Series of Poker Circuit.  The top 36 finishers all received prize money.  After 389 players were eliminated, nine survivors took seats at the final table at 11 pm on a Sunday night.  The final nine were divided into the "haves" and "have nots,"  Three players held most of the chips – Patricia A. Smolko, Leah Slattery, and Debbie Kindt.  Appropriately, those same three players went deepest into the money.  Seating positions and chip counts began as follows:

Seat 1: Aena Kana   61,000  
Seat 2: Debbie Kindt  237,000
Seat 3: Barbara Capron  71,000
Seat 4: Dawn-Marie Schatz 139,000
Seat 5: Leah Slattery  239,000
Seat 6: Jean Tharpe   6,000
Seat 7: Malika Benson  91,000
Seat 8: Lisa Kramer   83,000
Seat 9: Patricia A. Smolko  299,000
 
Blinds began at 10,000-20,000 with a 3,000 ante.  Credit Jean Tharpe for making it to the final table.  But she did not last long with barely enough chips to post a blind.  The government worker from Chester, MD went out on a bad beat when her Q-J was busted by Aena Kana's J-7.  Both players caught a pair of jacks, but a 7 on the river (making her opponent two pair) resulted in the first elimination.  Ms. Tharpe, who has previously finished high in some of the tournaments she has played, took ninth place -- good for $1,592.  
Malika Benson went out next when she took K-J up against Barbara Capron's A-10.  Ms. Benson flopped a straight draw with two overcards, but she missed everything on the turn and river.  The legal marketing professional from Richmond, VA then took the microphone from Tournament Announcer John Arthur and belted out a few bars of a song, which brought cheers from the audience and her fellow competitors.  It was quite a finish to the day for Ms. Benson, who earned a payout of $2,388.

Next, Lisa Kramer went out when her A-J took a bad beat.  She was low on chips and moved all-in.  Aena Kana decided to call from the blind with the less than stellar, 7-4.  Bingo!  A seven on the turn sealed Ms. Kramer's fate with the only pair.  Lisa Kramer, a psycho-therapist from Levittown, PA, received $3,184 for seventh place. She had previously won a poker tournament at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.

Down to six, Aena Kana went out next when her A-5 ran into pocket kings.  She moved all-in with position, but was saddened by the sight of Dawn-Marie Schatz with the royal pair.  An ace failed to come and rescue Ms. Kana from her predicament, and sixth place was settled.  Aena Kana, the winner of a ladies event at the Borgata in Atlantic City two years ago, took home $3,980 in prize money.

Barbara Capron hoped to improve on her best-ever showing in a poker tournament.  Lat year, she took fifth place at a tournament held at the Trump Taj Mahal.  In this event, she matched that finish with another fifth-place showing.  Remarkably, Ms. Capron has been playing poker only 18 months.  She is a former mechanic in the military and now works as an aviation safety inspector.  Barbara Capron flew away with $4,776 in prize money.     
Four players remained.  The foursome battled for a half-hour before Dawn-Marie Schatz went out next.  On her final hand, Ms. Schatz had A-J to Patricia A. Smolko's 4-4.  Ms. Schatz had a flush draw, but missed it all resulting in her elimination.  Dawn-Marie Schatz, a homemaker from Long Island, collected $5,572 for fourth place.

Debbie Kindt was low on chips.  She had to move all-in with the blinds fast approaching and did so with J-10, on what became her final hand.  Ms. Kindt picked up a straight draw, but missed.  Ms. Smolko (again) was the beneficiary of a bust-out (she flopped a pair of kings), leaving Ms. Kindt to settle for third place.  The transportation manager from Pennsylvania collected $6,368 in prize money.  Previously, she finished in 14th place in the ladies event held at Harrah's Atlantic City (December 2006).

When heads-up play began, Patricia A. Smolko enjoyed a 3 to 1 chip lead over Leah Slattery.  After some back and forth play, the final hand of the night was dealt when Ms. Slattery started with 7-5 against Ms. Smolko's 10-3.  The flop came 10-7-4.  Ms. Slattery moved all-in with second pair, and Ms. Smolko called (with top pair).  An 8 on the turn gave Ms. Slattery a few extra outs, but a blank on the river ended the tournament and gave Ms. Smolko the victory.
 
The runner up was Leah Slattery.  She is a housewife and instructor from Exeter, PA.  Remarkably, Ms, Slattery has now played in eight tournaments and made it to four final tables.  This was her biggest cash ever at $12,736 for second place.

The newest poker champion is perhaps the most unlikely of winners.  Prior to playing in this event, she had never entered a poker tournament before.  Patricia A. Smolko played poker with her grandfather while growing up.  Only four months ago, she began playing hold'em in casinos.  Her decision to enter her first poker tournament at the World Series of Poker Circuit turned out to be worth $24,676.  She also received a gold pendant, presented to the ladies poker champion. 

Was it as case of beginner's luck?  Unlikely.  Ms. Smolko started and ended the final table as the chip leader.  The first time was certainly a charm for Patricia A. Smolko.


All material may be freely quoted and/or reprinted by media

by Nolan Dalla – World Series of Poker Media Director
Send inquiries to [email protected] or call (702) 358-4642


Executive Staff, World Series of Poker Circuit – Caesars Atlantic City

Vice President of Table Games – Fred Niceta
Director of Table Games – Paul A. Natello
Table Games Manager (Poker) – Thomas McDonough III
Poker Pit Manager – Jake Devries
John Arthur – Harrah's Atlantic City Poker Manager