WPT Ladies Night Invitational

The Ladies Night Out Invitational took 5 professional players and one wild card player and put them on one table to fight for the trophy, the $25,000 seat to the WPT championship and bragging rights for the next year. Our 5 professionals were; Kristy Gazes, Mimi Tran, Linda Johnson, JJ Liu, and Melissa Hayden.

Final Table:
Seat 1, Melissa Hayden
Seat 2, JJ Liu
Seat 3, Pamela Brunson
Seat 4, Mimi Tran
Seat 5, Kristy Gazes
Seat 6, Linda Johnson

*each player started with $250,000 in chips

Our wild card player was actually well known in her own right. Pamela Brunson bested a field of over 125 other ladies to take down the seat to this event. Pamela is none other than Doyle Brunson’s daughter and has just broken into the tournament Circuit.

The table was set and the action got off to a roaring start. On hand #1, JJ lead out for 24k and Kristy called. The flop was 10-7-K and JJ fired out another bet to which Kristy called. The turn card was a 4 and JJ checked to Kristy who also checked. The river was an 7 and JJ lead out for 50k and Kristy moved all-in. JJ took a minute to call...but did and Kristy tabled pocket 10's for the full house and JJ held A-K for top-top. JJ Liu is eliminated on the first hand!

On a flop of 9c-7c-5s, Melissa fired out a 40k bet into the 45k pot and the action was over to Linda Johnson who took a minute to move all-in. Melissa insta-called, but was covered by Linda by a slim margin and turned over the pocket Q's versus the Jc-8c for Linda. Linda needed any 10 or any club to take down the pot. The turn was a 5d and the last hope for Linda was the river. The crowd erupted as the 2c peeled off the deck and Linda Johnson wins the massive pot. Melissa Hayden is out in 5th place.

Mimi Tran was UTG and made the raise to 40k. Kristy Gazes folded and the action was on Linda Johnson who re-raised with all of her chips. Pamela folded and Mimi Called with the Ad-10d and Linda and pocket Q's. The flop was 3h-3d-4h, the turn gave Mimi Tran some outs when the 4d peeled off giving her a flush draw. The river card was the 7c and that did it for Mimi Tran who is out in 4th place. Pamela Brunson, who was the short stack, moved all-in on the button and Kristy Gazes took a minute before finally calling. Pamela had the K-5 and Kristy held the A-9. The flop was an unproductive 3-6-3 and the turn was a Q. The river would be the last chance for Pamela to catch her miracle, but the 2 wasn't the card she needed. Pamela Brunson was out in 3rd place.

On the second hand of heads up, Linda made the raise to 80k and Kristy moved all-in without even thinking. Linda called and a big hand ensued. Linda had pocket J's and Kristy had pocket K's. The flop was 3-A-4, the turn was a 5 and now Linda needed 1 of the 2 jacks for the win, or any 2 to chop the pot. The river card was also a 4 and Kristy Gazes is our champion earning the trophy and the 25k seat to the WPT world championship.

Final results:

 6^th – JJ Liu
5^th – Melissa Hayden
4^th – Mimi Tran
3^rd – Pamela Brunson
2^nd – Linda Johnson
1st -Kristy Gazes

All Photography Courtesy of World Poker Tour