Jennifer Tilly Reigns as Queen of Ladies Events

The World Poker Tour held its third Ladies Night Invitational at The Bicycle Casino recently. Two of the six seats were reserved for last year's returning champion (Isabelle Mercier) and the winner of a 566-player open ladies event held the day before (Teresa "London" Gallagher).

This year's invited players seemed to follow a theme, whether it was intentional or not: They were the wives/girlfriends of famous male players. But don't define these women by their relationships; they are all excellent poker players in their own right. Longtime pro Marsha Waggoner is married to Kenna James; actress Jennifer Tilly is dating Phil Laak; Cecelia Mortensen is married to 2001 World Series of Poker Champ Carlos Mortensen; and Aidily "Lily" Elviro is engaged to marry Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi.

Starting with chip stacks of $250,000 and a fast blind structure (40-minute levels), these women were forced to mix it up early and often.

Gallagher won her seat after eliminating Karina Jett in third place the night before when her A-Q made a runner-runner straight against Jett's flopped set of tens. But Gallagher wasn't as lucky in front of the cameras, and was eliminated in sixth place when her K-Q couldn't improve against Mortensen's pocket deuces.

Mercier wore the 2004 Ladies Night title with pride, parlaying her seat in the WPT World Championship to 28th place (earning $56,615), making her the highest-finishing female in that event. But she failed to defend her Ladies Night title, even after getting her money in the pot with pocket queens against Waggoner's pocket sevens. Waggoner flopped a set to eliminate Mercier in fifth place.

The blinds increased substantially, and the players were forced to take big risks. Mortensen moved all in with Q-8 suited, and was called by Tilly's A-3. Tilly caught two pair to eliminate Mortensen in fourth place.

Waggoner moved all in with A-6 three hands later, and Elviro immediately called with A-K. Waggoner didn't improve, and was eliminated in third place.

Tilly started heads-up play with a small lead over Elviro, but after two hands they were dead even at $750,000 each. They pushed chips back and forth longer than expected in smaller pots, but Tilly was steadily getting the best of it, slowly building a chip lead. Finally, in hand No. 97, Elviro moved all in with 10-7 suited, only to get called by Tilly's J-7 suited. Dominated, Elviro didn't catch a 10 or make a flush, and she was eliminated in second place.

Jennifer Tilly is the new champion of the WPT's Ladies Night III, after winning a bracelet in the ladies event at this year's World Series of Poker. If you ask her, she won't claim to be the best female player in the world. But, she's earned the right to be called a true poker player, rather than a celebrity who plays poker. If any women have a problem with that, they can take it up with Ms. Tilly next year when she defends her titles.