Female Poker Tournament with a $50,000 Prize Pool Surplus, Victory Goes to Chris Read over Bill Perkins
In the recent past, a captivating news story emerged about a daring poker tournament. An elderly, bearded man named David Hughes, who was no stranger to the poker world, caused quite a stir by winning a ladies' poker event in Florida. Needless to say, the global poker community was less than pleased with his actions, despite the fact that local rules technically permitted men to participate in women-only events.
In response, high-stakes poker player and businessman Bill Perkins took matters into his own hands. He organized a special event, a ladies-only tournament with a $50,000 prize pool guarantee, in Texas, where he could ensure no men could join. The event was in partnership with the Lodge Poker Club in Round Rock and had a $500 buy-in, attracting women from all across the United States. With 326 participants, the tournament pooled a massive $196,702.
In addition to the impressive prize, the winner could also clinch a $25,000 sponsorship deal to represent Perkins' book, Die With Zero. The tournament was part of the Lodge Poker Championship series.
Fast forward to the final moments of the tournament, five players battled it out at the final table. The thrilling showdown was broadcast live on The Lodge's YouTube channel, complete with expert commentary from Jamie Kerstetter and Ruth Hall. In the end, a prominent women's poker activist, Chris Read, emerged triumphant.
Facing off against Krisha Augerot and her pocket kings, Read pulled off a ten-high straight, leaving Augerot in second place, winning $27,641. Brittney Cammack followed in third, taking home $20,942.
Excerpting her Twitter post, Read shared her thoughts about the tournament:
Yesterday was a pretty amazing day. Thank you to everyone who helped put this together and gave support to all of the ladies.
Chris Read further shared snippets from the tournament across her social media, expressing her excitement. It's worth mentioning that the $28,466 she earned was the largest prize of her poker career. To date, she has amassed a total of over $300,000 in winnings from her professional pursuits.
Chris Read serves as the live reporter for the Women's Poker Association and represents Louisiana and Mississippi. On top of that, she is the founder of Poker Queens, a community dedicated to female poker players on Facebook.
Looking beyond 2022, Chris Read logged another notable achievement at the 2025 LIPS Women In Poker Spring Festival, where she victoriously claimed the $220 mini main event title, pocketing $9,168 by conquering a field of 249 entries. However, details about her activities in 2021 were not readily available.
- Despite the controversy surrounding an elderly, bearded man named David Hughes winning a ladies' poker event in Florida, high-stakes poker player Bill Perkins organized a ladies-only tournament to provide a fair platform for women.
- The Texas tournament, in partnership with the Lodge Poker Club, had a $50,000 prize pool guarantee, a $500 buy-in, and attracted women from across the United States, pooling a massive $196,702 with 326 participants.
- The tournament was part of the Lodge Poker Championship series and offered a $25,000 sponsorship deal to the winner, who could also earn the largest prize of their poker career.
- In the final moments of the tournament, five players battled it out at the final table, with Chris Read emerging triumphant, defeating Krisha Augerot with a ten-high straight for a $28,466 victory.
- Excited about her win, Chris Read shared her thoughts on Twitter, appreciating the support for all ladies participating in the tournament.
- Beyond her 2022 achievements, Chris Read claimed the $9,168 $220 mini main event title at the 2025 LIPS Women In Poker Spring Festival, demonstrating her continued success in the poker industry.
- As a live reporter for the Women's Poker Association, Chris Read also represents Louisiana and Mississippi and founded Poker Queens, a community dedicated to female poker players on Facebook.
- The trend of women's casino games, including poker and lotteries, continues to grow in popularity, with sports-betting and sports-analysis also attracting a significant following, particularly in gambling hubs like Las Vegas, shaping the evolving casino culture worldwide.
