Jamesty
People have long thought of the green felt on the poker table as a battleground of wits, a place where nerve, strategy, and mental strength come together. For decades, the popular story about this high-stakes arena was mostly about men. It was full of famous people whose stories became legends. But there was a silent revolution going on behind this. A new group of competitors began to show up, not only with great intelligence and an unnatural serenity, but also with the strength that comes from always being an outsider. They were the women who perceived not problems but chances to do well in a game with an unlimited number of variables.
Today, the landscape of professional poker is fundamentally shifted. A generation of female players has systematically broken down the idea that gender is a predictor of success at the table. They have not only burst through the “glass ceiling,” but they have also collected the chips from its shards to amass huge stacks. These women have not just participated; they have ruled. They have won the most sought-after titles in the sport, from World Series of Poker bracelets to European Poker Tour championships, and they have outlasted hundreds of other players in head-to-head matches against the finest players in the world. Their accomplishment is a strong proof of a basic principle in poker: the cards don’t care who is holding them; they only care about how well they are played.
Their travels are as different as the way they play. Some are pioneers who faced doubt and built lasting legacies by going into new terrain in the 1990s. Some are products of the online boom, prodigies who learned how to play in digital cardrooms before hitting the live scene by storm. A lot of people have become important ambassadors for the game, utilizing their platforms as commentators, authors, and strategists to make poker less mysterious and encourage a new, more varied group of players. Nubia magazine believes in honoring all kinds of excellence and pioneering spirit. In this spirit, we provide our carefully chosen look at the Best Female Poker Players in the World 2025 who have had the most impact and success. This list isn’t just a ranking of how much money someone makes; it’s also a recognition of their effect, legacy, and the sheer willpower it takes to be one of the finest in the world.
List Of Top 10 Best Female Poker Players In The World 2025
1. Kathy Liebert
Kathy Liebert has been a major player in poker since the early 1990s. She became a legend when she won the first PartyPoker Million in 2004. At the time, it was the biggest prize ever given to a woman in a poker tournament. Liebert isn’t just a one-hit wonder; she has a long list of cashes over the years that show how consistent and adaptable she is in a game that changes all the time. She is a tough opponent at any table because she knows how to play a lot of different games, from No-Limit Hold’em to mixed games. She is a pioneer whose success opened doors for many others on this list. She is still a respected and active competitor.
2. Vanessa Selbst
Vanessa Selbst is in a league of her own when it comes to the Best Female Poker Player in the World based on tournament winnings alone. Selbst was the first and only woman to attain the top spot on the Global Poker Index. Her aggressive, mathematically-precise style changed the way many people play the game. Her legacy is impenetrable because she has won three World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and more than $11.9 million in live tournament earnings, which is more than any other woman. She has stopped playing professionally, yet her impact is still quite strong. Her strategic thinking and courageous presence at the table set a high bar for what can be done.
3. Maria Ho
Maria Ho is not just a top player, but she is also one of poker’s most well-known and respected ambassadors. She brings the game to millions of people as a host and pundit for big networks like ESPN and CBS Sports. But don’t be fooled by the microphone; her poker record is very good. She has been to the final table many times, was the last woman standing in the WSOP Main Event with the chip lead, and has won millions of dollars. Ho is a vital member of the poker community because she is smart, well-spoken, and always a threat in whatever tournament she attends.
4. Kristen Bicknell
Kristen Bicknell is one of the new top female pros who are taking over the sport right now. Bicknell is a strong candidate for the title of Best Female Poker Player in the World right now. She has three WSOP bracelets and is always around the top of tournament leaderboards. She has a multi-million dollar poker background, mostly from high-stakes tournaments and cash games. People know her for being calm and being able to read people’s hands. Because she keeps beating the finest modern players, she is a key player in any conversation about the best players in the game.
5. Annie Duke
Annie Duke is now better known as an author and specialist on making decisions, but her poker skills are legendary. Her biggest triumph was the $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em event at the 2004 WSOP Tournament of Champions, where she also won a WSOP gold bracelet in Omaha Hi-Lo Split. Duke played in the highest-stakes cash games and tournaments for years. He is best known for winning the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions in 2004. Her profession after poker, which focuses on cognitive science and making decisions when you’re not sure what to do, shows how smart she was at the poker table.
6. Annette Obrestad
As a teenager, Annette Obrestad became an online poker star known as “Annette_15.” She famously won an online tournament with 180 players without ever glancing at her cards. She only used betting patterns and how players usually act. This remarkable achievement was the start of her live tournament career, which included her historic win at the 2007 WSOP Europe Main Event. At the time, she was the youngest player ever to win a WSOP bracelet (a record that has since been broken). Her aggressive, intuitive style and early success changed the game of online poker and influenced many players, even though she doesn’t play as much now.
7. Liv Boeree
Liv Boeree, who used to study astrophysics, brought a different way of thinking to the poker table. She first became famous after she won a European Poker Tour (EPT) title in Sanremo. In 2017, she added a WSOP bracelet to her collection. People know Boeree for her strategic depth and her support of effective altruism. She went from being a participant on a reality TV show to one of the smartest and most renowned players in the game, earning more than $3.9 million in tournaments. She is a great representative for the strategic aspect of poker since she can convey complicated ideas.
8. Vanessa Rousso
Vanessa Rousso, who went by the screen moniker “Lady Maverick,” was a big player in the poker craze of the 2000s. Rousso made more than $3.5 million in live earnings thanks to her deep understanding of game theory, which she gained by studying law and economics. She has a lot of awards, including a spot on the final table of the WSOP and a deep run in the Main Event. Even though she has been focusing on music and other projects in recent years, her legacy as a strategic thinker and a high-stakes player is still a vital part of poker history.
9. Joanne “JJ” Liu
The Taiwanese Trailblazer Joanne “JJ” Liu is a poker pioneer in Asia and a force on the world stage. She is from Taiwan. She is the Asian woman with the most cashes at the WSOP and has a WSOP Circuit ring to her credit. People know Liu for her hard work and consistent tournament results all over the world. She is a well-known character in her home region who is helping the game expand, and she is also a formidable competitor on the international stage. She is now one of the best players in the world and is always a threat to make it to the final table.
10. Victoria Coren Mitchell
Victoria Coren Mitchell is a well-known writer and TV host in the UK. She has also had a legendary poker career. She created history by being the first person to win the European Poker Tour (EPT) twice. This is an incredible achievement that may never happen again. Her first EPT London win in 2006 was a big deal, and her second win in 2014 proved that she was a poker genius. She has won more than $2.5 million at poker while still working as a broadcaster and author. She has a sharp, literary sense of humor and plays in a way that is both brave and unusual.
