Once again, it is time to induct new members into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF). Every two years, the WiPHoF inducts multiple deserving women who have significantly impacted the poker world.
The WiPHoF will open its nomination process on August 15, 2024, and fan submissions will count as one group of votes towards enshrinement.
Over the years, I have provided my thoughts on deserving women who deserve nomination and induction. This time, I will focus my selections on three deserving women who significantly contribute to the felt. Below are my top three picks for the 2024 Women in Poker Hall of Fame.
Key Highlights
- Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF) nominations open on August 15.
- Shirley Rosario deserves enshrinement as a player and advocate.
- Kristen Foxen may now be the GOAT of women’s poker and a lock for the WiPHoF.
- High-stakes poker fans may be familiar with Sosia Jiang.
Sosia Jiang
Sosia Jiang may not be a name many casual poker fans know, but high-stakes fans are more than familiar with her exploits.
New Zealand High Stakes Player With Nearly $3 Million in Tournament Earnings
Jiang made headlines in 2017 when she won the HK $103,000 High Roller Event at the PokerStars Championship Macau series, earning $498,073. A year later, she won the $20k High Roller at the 2018 Sydney Championships.
Since 2019, Sosia Jiang has been a fixture in the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series. Her best finish was in 2023 at the Triton Poker Cyprus event. She finished 7th in the $210,000 Luxon Invitational, earning $820,000.
2023 proved to be a career year for Jiang. She earned $1.45 million in live tournaments and sits 13th on the Women’s All-Time Money List with $2.97 million.
Few women have performed as well and consistently in high-stakes tournaments as Jiang. Her prowess has earned her the nickname of the “silent assassin,” in my opinion, it should also earn her a spot in the WiPHoF.
Shirley Rosario
Shirley Rosario could be inducted for her prowess at the tables or her advocacy of women’s poker. At the tables, she has $832,563 in tournament earnings and is one of the more respected mixed games players on the West Coast.
The Original “Poker Babe” and Mixed Game Legend
In 2023, she displayed impressive mixed-game prowess, winning three WSOP Circuit rings in Omaha Hi-Lo at three different casinos.
Equally impressive is Rosario’s advocacy for women’s poker. She has advocated for women in poker for decades and is the founder of Poker-Babes.com.
The site advocated for women in poker, and Rosario continued to operate it until PokerStars eventually purchased it.
Shirley Rosario influenced generations of women players and continues to be a champion on and off the felt.
I’ve advocated for Shirley to be in the WiPHoF every election cycle since 2008, and I will continue to put her on my shortlist until she is enshrined.
Shirley Rosario influenced generations of women players and continues to be a champion on and off the felt.
Kristen Foxen
Is Kristen Foxen the GOAT for female poker players? While Vanessa Selbst may have more in career live tournament earnings, Foxen is showing the world she can compete against anyone at any level, and it is a matter of time before she takes over the top spot.
Did She Take the GOAT Title from Vanessa Selbst?
Foxen is second on the Women’s All-Time Money List, earning over $8.3 million. She is the only female player with four WSOP bracelets, tied with Selbst for the number of open-field bracelet wins (3).
Oh, and let’s pay attention to her online poker results. According to PokerStake.com, she has over $6.11 million in online tournament earnings, giving her combined winnings of over $14 million. She plays in the largest events in the world against all competition.
Her performance in the 2024 World Series of Poker highlights this fact. She cashed in 10 bracelet events and made an epic run in the 2023 WSOP Main Event, finishing 13th.
If it wasn’t clear before 2024 that Foxen deserves a WiPHoF nod, her run in the Main Event put an exclamation point on her enshrinement. While it is a bit early to call “locks” for the WiPHoF, Kristen Foxen is as close to a lock as you can get.
Three Trailblazers Poised for the Women in Poker Hall of Fame
As the poker community awaits the nomination process opening, it’s clear that Sosia Jiang, Shirley Rosario, and Kristen Foxen embody the spirit and excellence the Women in Poker Hall of Fame seeks to honor.
Their potential inductions would celebrate their accomplishments and inspire future generations of women to strive for greatness in the poker world.
According to the Women in Poker Hall of Fame website:
Induction into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame is a prestigious honor that highlights the inductees’ exceptional talent, dedication, and influence in the poker world. These women have demonstrated outstanding proficiency in various facets of the game, from cash games to major tournaments, and have often faced and overcome significant challenges in a traditionally male-dominated field. Their perseverance and passion have inspired many aspiring female players to pursue their dreams in poker.
Sources
https://womeninpokerhalloffame.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sosia_Jiang
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Rosario
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristen_Foxen
