As Ladies Week draws to an end in Las Vegas, the cornerstone of the festivities has been the $2,500 LIPS High Roller at The Venetian, and this highly anticipated event certainly did not disappoint. The tournament attracted a talented and diverse field of 122 entrants from all over the globe. With a $150,000 guaranteed prize pool, which is an impressive $50,000 increase over the inaugural edition last year, the tournament has solidified its place as a premier showcase for women in high stakes poker.

Tournament Status: A Battle for the Final Seven

The high roller event kicked off on June 30, 2026, and the competition has been fierce. Today, July 1, serves as a pivotal Day 2, where the remaining field is being whittled down to the final seven players. Once that final table is set, the action will move to a live streamed production on the PokerGO channel, giving fans a front row seat to the conclusion of the event at the Venetian Poker Room.

The Field: It’s Anyone’s Game

While last year’s inaugural champion, Tirza Sanders, has been eliminated, the competition remains wide open with 43 players still in the hunt. Several notable professionals are still competing, adding high level intensity to the room:

    • Jamie Kersteter: A professional poker player and commentator with over $1 million in live tournament earnings and multiple deep runs in prestigious events.

    • Jennifer Shahade: A two-time United States Women’s Chess Champion, professional poker player, and author who holds a career best live cash of nearly $300,000.

    • Xuan Liu: A highly technical professional with over $3.4 million in live earnings, known for her consistent performance on the global circuit and a landmark victory at the 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series.

    • Monika Zukowicz: A professional poker player and member of the Americas Cardroom team who frequently competes in major European and international tournament circuits.

    • Nancy Birnbaum: A fan favorite and veteran competitor with over $1.5 million in live earnings, including a recent top-five finish in a 2026 WSOP Super Seniors event.

    • Alexandra Loveless: An active tournament professional and digital content creator who produces poker media while competing on the

      circuit.

      Video: Tatiana Fox Productions

Chip Analysis

As the tournament progresses, every player’s chip stack acts as their primary tool for survival and growth. With the blinds rising, the dynamic of the table is constantly shifting, and it truly remains anyone’s game.

Players with larger stacks are currently in the driver’s seat, using their chips to apply pressure and dictate the pace of play. They can afford to play more hands and navigate the board with more flexibility. Meanwhile, those with fewer chips are moving into a more cautious phase; they are looking for the right moment to make a move, often waiting for a strong hand to commit their remaining chips and stay alive. Because the tournament is still at the stage where even a mid sized stack can double up and move into contention, no one is out of the running yet. The high pressure environment of the final stages means that one well timed hand can vault a player from the middle of the pack straight to the top of the leaderboard.

Current Leaderboard (Top 43)

# Player Chips
1 Daria K 354,000
2 Angelina R 300,000
3 Deepa S 272,000
4 Ludan Z 256,000
5 Jamie K 227,000
6 Lucia M 221,000
7 Hayley H 220,000
8 Jennifer S 217,000
9 Paulina L 210,000
10 Natalia R 191,000
11 Ying Z 190,000
12 Alexis S 188,000
13 Nika F 188,000
14 Xinyi H 164,000
15 Marisa H 163,000
16 Nancy B 161,000
17 Kayla C 151,000
18 Tara S 151,000
19 Nino P 149,000
20 Xuan L 144,000
21 Cassandra Y 140,000
22 Brittany S 138,000
23 Bianka A 135,000
24 Nadezhda M 133,000
25 Christine D 128,000
26 Vivianne G 128,000
27 Cecile T 127,000
28 Nathaly F 115,000
29 Jenny D 100,000
30 Joanne L 99,000
31 Vera D 99,000
32 Liao W 78,000
33 Ami O 76,000
34 Alexandra L 73,000
35 Sin-Lan C 69,000
36 Hui Chen K 68,000
37 Liya G 68,000
38 Chiori G 64,000
39 Eunjin J 49,000
40 Daniela R 37,000
41 Monika Z 33,000
42 Xiaoqiong L 25,000
43 JQB 22,000

As these 43 competitors return to the Venetian Poker Room for Day 2 play, the field remains deep with talent. All eyes are now on the tables to see who will navigate the upcoming levels and secure their place among the final seven players who will advance to the live streamed final table.

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