Another day of exciting poker rolled out as Cardplayer Lifestyle’s coverage of 2025 Women’s Poker Week continues at the Wynn Las Vegas with the Wynn Summer Classic $600 Ladies No Limit Hold’em, boasting a $50K guarantee. Attendance was impressive, with 292 entries creating a prize pool of $150,380, which awarded first place $30,667 and a minimum cash prize of $1,258. The tournament started at 11 a.m., and late registration was completed at 3:30 p.m. Representatives of the Women’s Poker Association (WPA) were on hand to congratulate the final table and present the lovely ladies with a much-appreciated swag bag and the winner with a beautiful WPA trophy alongside the Wynn trophy.
Wynn Las Vegas’ Ryan Beauregard: Ladies Are Succeeding!
While at Wynn Las Vegas, we spoke with Ryan Beauregard (Executive Director of Poker Operations), who said about Women’s Poker Week, “We always enjoy hosting the Ladies events and seeing the big fields during the Summer Classic. I’m also very pleased that we were able to introduce a Ladies High Roller for the first time this year, and to see other rooms doing the same. To me, this shows just how many Ladies are succeeding in tournament poker and are now moving up in buy-ins, and that’s exciting.”
WPA Player of the Day: Jacqueline Pennington
Our Player of the Day is sponsored by Adrian Naggy, Chief Operating Officer of LearnWPT.
When asked why it was essential to support women in poker, Adrian stated, “I believe that supporting initiatives that encourage women to play poker is essential. Providing opportunities to fall n love with the game through education and helping players pursue their goals in poker is LearnWPT’s ultimate aim. Partnering with the WPA during Women’s Poker Week at the WSOP each year is one of the ways we can have an impact.”
Be sure to check out LearnWPT’s WSOP Summer Prep Blog: https://learnwpt.com/blog/wsop-summer-zone-learnwpt/
From Air Force Veteran to Fierce Poker Competitor
Jacqueline Pennington of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a proud Air Force veteran and a passionate poker player. During her military career, which spanned from 1985-2009, Jacqueline worked as a pharmacist, often filling up to 1,500 prescriptions per day. She also played on the Air Force traveling basketball team, where her natural competitiveness began to shine, a quality that later translated seamlessly to the poker table.
Jacqueline discovered poker while serving in the military and began honing her skills during her time stationed in Alaska. What started as a hobby quickly evolved into a competitive pursuit, leading her to enter events at the World Series of Poker. Through the game, she connected with the Women’s Poker Association (WPA) and the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS), two organizations that helped solidify her love for the game and her role as an advocate for women in the poker industry.
One of Jacqueline’s most memorable recent victories came earlier this year, in April at the $180 No-Limit Hold’em Pajama Jam, part of the LIPS Women in Poker Spring Festival in Las Vegas (see image below). Facing off heads-up against the formidable Kathy Liebert, Jacqueline remained composed and ultimately clinched the title. Her biggest fans are her grandsons, who were cheering her on from afar, watching her performance on a livestream. Unaware of the broadcast delay, they were amazed when they called her mid-tournament and she picked up the phone.
That event also sparked a new friendship when one of Jacqueline’s opponents, after reviewing the stream, texted her and jokingly called her “a bluffer.” Jacqueline laughed it off, showing the good-natured spirit and sportsmanship that define her at the table.
Known for her calm demeanor and deep runs, Jacqueline credits her success to the patience and discipline she developed during her years of service. She prepares for tournaments by studying game theory, employing exploitative strategies, and using mindset techniques to stay sharp and focused.
Outside of poker, Jacqueline enjoys spending time with her family and traveling to support her grandsons at their sporting events. She also brings the poker community together by hosting local tournaments in New Mexico, with the next one scheduled for July.
Payouts, Final Table, and Winners
Wynn Final Table Women’s Week 2025
The final nine women at the Wynn Poker Classic $600 Ladies No Limit Hold’em event played with grit and composure, remaining focused despite a growing crowd of railbirds surrounding the table.
Nancy Birnbaum, known on the felt as “Trouble,” was the first to exit, finishing in ninth place. She was followed by Mackenzie Richardson from Portugal, who bowed out in eighth. In seventh place was the red-hot Dusti Smith, who has been on a tear lately with several deep runs across various events.
Starr Valdez, a seasoned player with multiple ladies’ event titles under her belt, and a memorable hand in which she once felted a member of Boyz II Men, one of her favorite bands, put up a spirited fight. Despite being down to less than a single big blind, she managed a brief comeback attempt before falling in sixth place.
A boisterous rail had gathered from France to root for their fellow poker comrades. Fifth place went to Marie Cazorla of France. Short-stacked for much of the final table, she managed to win a few key flips but ultimately couldn’t survive the escalating blinds.
As the field narrowed, most of the energy in the room shifted toward Aurélie Quélain-Reard, a fan favorite and Unibet Team pro from France. The atmosphere quieted noticeably when she was eliminated in fourth place.
California’s Ying Zhu claimed third place, setting the stage for a lengthy and exciting heads-up battle between Dana Bader and Marguerite Spagnuolo.
Marguerite, an entrepreneur, founder of Grandmas 2 Share, and a regular at the Borgata, has four other Ladies event titles to her name. At one point early in the tournament, she was down to a single 5,000 chip but managed to mount an incredible comeback, entering heads-up play as the chip leader.
Dana, with the shorter stack, fought fiercely and managed to win three all-in showdowns on the river, keeping the pressure on. During one dramatic hand, Marguerite flopped a set only for Dana to hit a straight on the river, yet Marguerite stayed composed.
“I don’t care if I get lucky, I just don’t want to get unlucky,” Marguerite quipped.
In the end, luck was indeed on her side. Marguerite Spagnuolo sealed the victory, capturing the coveted trophies and a well-earned cash prize of $30,667.
Final Table Payout Results
| Rank | Player | Prize |
| 1 | Marguerite Spagnuolo | $30,667 |
| 2 | Dana Bader | $20,709 |
| 3 | Ying Zhu | $15,684 |
| 4 | Aurélie Quélain-Reard | $12,465 |
| 5 | Marie Cazorla | $9,697 |
| 6 | Starr Valdez | $7,381 |
| 7 | Dusti Smith | $5,475 |
| 8 | Mackenzie Richardson | $4,067 |
| 9 | Nancy Birnbaum | $3,045 |
Marguerite Spagnuolo
2025 Women’s Poker Week: What’s Next?
Cardplayer Lifestyle’s exclusive coverage of 2025 Women’s Poker Week continues on Tuesday, June 24, with four fabulous events:
- Venetian: 9 a.m. Breakfast Meet-up game (MUG) with Jamie Kerstetter, where two tickets will be given away to enter the $600 ladies’ event at 12:10 p.m.
- Venetian 12:10 $600 NLH LIPS Ladies $75K (1 day)
- Westgate: 2:00 p.m. $150 PLON Ladies Omaha 8
- Horseshoe and Paris: 6:00 p.m. $ 150 Ladies Warmup Tournament
Wednesday June 25
- Aria: 11:00 a.m. $800 NLH Ladies Mystery Bounty
