2 women among chip leaders at WSOP Main Event with 59 remaining
The last woman standing at the World Series of Poker Main Event is a sought-after achievement that is always acknowledged by the tournament field and officials.
There is growing optimism that it could take a lot longer to happen this year.
Two women remain in the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship from the record field of 10,112, and both had heaps of chips at the end of Day 6 at Horseshoe Las Vegas.
The tournament resumes at noon Saturday with Day 7 and 59 players left chasing the $10 million first prize. All the remaining players are guaranteed $160,000.
Shundan Xiao of San Jose, California, is second in chips with 23.925 million (96 big blinds). Professional poker player Kristen Foxen of Nepean, Ontario, is 17th overall with 14.5 million (58 big blinds) after eliminating North Las Vegas’ Tyler Montoya late on Day 6.
The only woman to reach the WSOP Main Event final table was Barbara Enright, who finished fifth in 1995.
Kevin Davis of Louisville, Kentucky, enters Day 7 with the chip lead, sitting on 26.25 million (105 big blinds).
Foxen is one of the most accomplished women in poker with four career WSOP victories and titles on the World Poker Tour and European Poker Tour. She has more than $7.7 million in career live tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database.
“I’ve definitely dreamed about being the woman who takes down the Main Event,” Foxen told PokerNews. “So I’m starting to live my dream. There’s still a long way to go, so I’m trying to stay calm.
“This is the stage in the tournament where you can’t go wrong in being a little conservative in decisions when they come up. … So I feel like I can’t go wrong and I know what to do.”
Xiao and Foxen are seated at the same table to open play Saturday, along with Poker Hall of Fame member Brian Rast and legendary online poker pro Niklas “Lena900” Astedt of Sweden.
Chip leaders
1. Kevin Davis (United States) 26,250,000
2. Shundan Xiao (United States) 23,925,000
3. Malo Latinois (France) 22,375,000
4. Guillermo Sanchez Otero (Spain) 21,975,000
5. Yake Wu (China) 20,875,000
6. Yegor Moroz (United States) 20,575,000
7. Daniel Zadok (Israel) 20,325,000
8. Orson Young (United States) 18,350,000
9. Jason Sagle (Canada) 17,350,000
10. Adrian Lopez (United States) 17,025,000
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.