Van Nguyen, the wife of famous poker player, Men “The Master” Nguyen, became the first woman to win a World Poker Tour event when she captured the top spot at the WPT Celebrity Invitational. Van Nguyen was the sole survivor of the 445 player field, which consisted of professional poker players and Hollywood celebrities who were invited to compete.
The World Poker Tour normally has a six person TV final table, but this tournament was different, as Billy Baxter managed to knock out two players at once, leaving only five to compete in front of the cameras for the $100,000 grand prize. The double elimination would give Baxter the chip lead heading into the final table.
Billy Baxter would only make it to third place, leaving Van Nguyen and Ethan Ruby to battle it out in heads-up play. Nguyen had a massive chip lead to start heads-up play, a chip lead that Ruby would not be able to overcome. Van Nguyen won $100,000 and a $25,000 entry into the WPT Championship. Ethan Ruby would receive $50,000 for his second place finish.
The WPT has been hoping to see a female champion for years, and their wish has finally been realized.