2024 Women in Poker Hall of Fame Inductees - Kristen Foxen and Jeanne David!

Poker rooms and tournaments were once basically men’s clubs with few women in sight at the tables of an average poker room. Major poker tournaments featured men almost exclusively, with few women jumping in the action.

While far fewer women still head to tournaments and poker rooms than men, things have changed quite a bit. Female players are now more accepted, and ladies' events have also helped attract more women to the game.

The Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF) works to recognise female players. It was formed in 2008 to help celebrate “excellence, contribution, and performance” in poker, inducting new members every two years.

Women in Poker Hall of Fame - Class of 2024

We are proud to announce the WiPHoF Class of 2024 @krissyb24poker & @jeanriders also a new Pioneer category for trailblazers aren’t well known. Our first posthumous Pioneer Induction goes to Starla Brodie. Congratulations all! Details at https://t.co/fJ0S3KciW2 pic.twitter.com/fDCCoxaxjv

— Women in Poker Hall of Fame (@WIPHOF) November 11, 2024

Kristen Foxen and Jeanne David are the 2024 inductees and will formally enter the hall during a ceremony on Dec. 11 at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The selection process saw 52 women nominated during a public nomination process.

That number was narrowed down to eight, with the current hall members and more than 1,200 votes from the poker community voting on the final inductees.

Alongside Foxen and David, Starla Brodie was also announced as the hall’s first pioneer inductee.

“The Class of 2024 is a stellar group of women, and we celebrate them,” the hall noted of the newest selections.

Class of 2024 Inductee - Kristen Foxen

Few players come close to the poker record of this player, who is originally from St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada. Foxen began playing home games in college before launching into online poker and heading off for tournament series on weekends.

When she began piling up winnings, Foxen eventually left school behind to launch into the game full-time.

What did she most enjoy about hitting the poker tables?

“The challenge and the uniqueness of each hand,” she recently told Card Player magazine. “You can try to study spots and prepare as best as you can, but every single hand is so unique.

“So, I think I just love the strategic aspects. It’s almost like you're a little detective trying to figure out the best decision to make.”

Foxen burst onto the poker scene In 2013 when she struck gold by winning her first World Series of Poker bracelet.

• She took down the $1,000 Ladies Championship for $173,922. More hardware would follow.
• She added another bracelet in 2016 in a $1,500 bounty NLHE event for $290,768.
• She followed that up with online bracelet wins in 202O, 2023, and 2024.

Those five bracelets put her ahead of any other woman in the game. She now has $8.5 million in live tournament winnings. Foxen made some more waves this summer, with poker fans cheering for her deep run in the WSOP $10,000 Main Event. She eventually went out in 13th place for $600,000.

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to everyone who was cheering me on throughout the Main Event!

It was a very disappointing finish; I really wanted that bracelet, and I played my heart out.

Very grateful for the opportunity to play in such a monumental tournament.…

— Kristen Foxen (@krissyb24poker) July 16, 2024

Beyond the WSOP, Foxen has made final table appearances in World Poker Tour and European Poker Tour events and scored considerable winnings online.

The WiPHoF noted: "Year after year, she [Foxen] continues to make significant strides in her game."

Class of 2024 Inductee - Jeanne David

This name may not readily come to mind for all poker fans. But if you’re searching for that one place where to play poker in Vegas, David has played a major role in bringing poker to more women.

She has also been pivotal in legalisation, responsible gaming, and promoting the game. The Las Vegas-based mixed games player has worked as PokerStars' responsible gaming manager and now writes about the game.

“(Responsible gaming practices in online poker) didn't exist before I had that job,” David recently told Poker.org.

“It was just me for a while, but I ended up with a team of 15 staff who were remarkable. I worked there for 15 years, five of them living on the Isle of Man until I retired in 2020.”

Her accomplishments have included legislative work in the U.S. and Europe, promoting online poker regulation. These efforts included helping to bring online play to the U.S. states of Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada.

Those efforts to regulate the game regularly included trips to speak to about how operators can incorporate responsible gaming into online poker. She has also spoken to the Dutch Parliament and UK Gambling Commission about this subject.

Class of 2024!🙌@leehjones pens a tribute to @jeanriders – 'A true Hall of Famer'👇https://t.co/ZlVuUFTeo1

— Poker Org (@pokerorg) November 13, 2024

After retiring, David continues playing and now promotes mixed game tournaments around Las Vegas and offers free lessons for women looking to get into the game.

“My brain wants to work a lot faster than I'm ready to let it,” she said. “So, to me, no limit is one of the most boring card games you can play.

"I started playing stud when I was seven – my grandfather taught me to play cards, and I've been playing my whole life. When I did learn about no-limit, I said, 'No, I'd much rather play mixed games.'"

Class of 2024 Pioneer Inductee - Starla Brodie

At a time when men dominated the WSOP, Starla Brodie broke through for women in the game. In 1979, she became the first woman to win a WSOP tournament open event (available to men and women).

Brodie joined poker legend Doyle Brunson in a $600 mixed doubles event and went on to win, handing her $4,500 – almost $20,000 in today’s dollars.

This era had limited fields for some events, and the game—and "bracelet chasing"—didn't get near the hype that poker players have seen today. Seeing a woman in the action was a rare occurrence.

#RIPDoyle

My mom Starla Brodie (Thompson at the time) and Doyle after winning the mixed doubles WSOP event in ‘79. I only met him a handful of times but he was always very kind to me and very effusive about how well my mom played. Condolences to the Brunson family. pic.twitter.com/MKKY7V0bV9

— Daniel Brodie (@daniel_brodie) May 15, 2023

Brodie wasn't done winning. She also grabbed another bracelet in 1995 in the $1,000 Women's Seven Card Stud event for $35,200. The tournament eventually switched to No-Limit Hold'em and is now the $1,000 Ladies Championship.

Prominent names have taken the title, including Kristen Foxen, Jennifer Tilly, Barbara Enright, Susan Isaacs, and Jessica Dawley.

Hall organisers noted that Brodie “was not only a trailblazer, but she was an inspiration and role model for women like Linda Johnson – encouraging them to compete in the biggest games in poker.”

Complete List of Women in Poker Hall Fame Members

Those looking to attend the induction ceremony can purchase tickets at the Women in Poker Hall of Fame website. The featured members for the event are master of ceremony Jan Fisher and keynote speaker Jennifer Tilly.

Here’s a look at all inductees since the institution's inception in 2008.