Advancing Women in Poker
A Legacy of Leadership and Change
By James Guill
The Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF) will induct its 10th class in December. Founded in 2008, the WiPHoF celebrates the contributions and achievements of women in poker. To date, 25 women have been inducted, honoring legendary players, industry leaders and influential contributors to the poker world.
At the heart of the WiPHoF is its mastermind and founder, Lupe Soto. She has been an advocate for women in poker for over 25 years. We recently spoke with Soto about how she got started in poker, how she began advocating for women in poker, the founding of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, and its future.
Journey From “Nights and Weekends” Player to Women’s Poker Advocate
Soto first started playing poker in the late 1990s. Initially, she began by being “the girl who sat behind the boy and watched him play.” After she started pointing out flaws in her partner’s game, he prompted her to start playing. She found, as many people do, that “once you catch the ‘poker bug,’ you’re hooked!”
She started by playing Seven Card Stud and Omaha poker on nights and weekends. Soon, she attended an event that would impact her approach to the game. She explained, “I attended the CA State Ladies Poker Championship at Oceans 11 Casino in Oceanside, CA and met the most amazing women. I was terrified at first because I knew no one. But they were so welcoming and helpful, and to this day, there is nothing like the event they produced for women in the industry.”
The influence from that event would go on to impact Soto and her future in poker. She felt everyone should experience what she felt when attending the event and meeting the amazing women in poker.
In 2000, Soto created the online forum Poker Chix, the first online poker club for women. The forum grew to over 2,500 members and has since moved to Facebook. When asked about the forum, she revealed, “I think the most important aspect of the Poker Chix is that these women are still connected. Like a huge extended family. Now it’s been over 20 years, so we have lost several ‘chixters,’ but they live on forever with us. If anyone needed anything, the others would be there for them.”
In 2004, she founded the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS), a series whose purpose is to grow the game for women. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the series hosts numerous events around the United States and is about to host its first Costa Rica Poker Festival in 2025.
The Women in Poker Hall of Fame is Born
Before 2008, Barbara Enright was the only woman inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame (PHOF). The lack of female representation in the PHOF led Soto to a decision. As she explains, “Being that poker is such a male-dominated industry, women who are deserving of induction may never see it because of the sheer numbers. And after learning of the most amazing women whose talents and contributions deserve recognition, I felt it needed to be formed.”
This led to the creation of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2008. The inaugural class was Barbara Enright, Linda Johnson, Susie Isaacs and Marsha Waggoner. After that year’s induction ceremony, there was a $500 tournament at Binions in Las Vegas. Fittingly, Barbara Enright took down the title, further cementing her HOF status.
Since then, eight induction ceremonies have been held. Inductions were held annually through 2012 and then switched to bi-annual inductions. COVID forced the WiPHoF to skip 2020.
Looking back at the inductees, they are as diverse as the poker world. The hall is a comprehensive mix of superstar players, poker advocates and industry leaders. It has proven to be a much more balanced representation of the women’s poker world as compared to the Poker Hall of Fame.
Soto’s dedication to poker and her efforts as a champion of women in poker eventually led to her inclusion into the WiPHoF. In 2018, the WiPHoF committee officially selected Soto for induction. Why did it take until 2018 to induct Soto? She refused.
Speaking about her induction, Soto felt she did not deserve to be inducted into the WiPHoF until she had at least 20 years in the poker industry. 2018 was her 20th year in poker, and she finally accepted the nomination.
The Future of the WiPHoF to Include Poker Hall of Fame?
When asked about the future of the WiPHoF, Soto stated, “I would love to see both the PHOF and WiPHoF work in tandem.”
When asked whether other women deserved induction into the Poker Hall of Fame, she stated, “I think many of the WiPHoF members deserve a spot in the PHOF as well. If you look at why those three made it, it was because of either exceptional play or their historical contributions to the game. We have several women who are in line with those attributes. I would love to see the PHOF redeveloped. It seriously needs it.”
Soto also would like to see a physical location to display the Hall of Fame. “Every sport/industry has one! We need one too!”
The WiPHoF is one of many things on Soto’s plate for the future. She has several things that she would like to accomplish before she retires. “One is to honor Mike Sexton with the All American Poker Tour. Second is to teach and create opportunities for players to learn Mixed Games (which is my passion!) either with a tour, or nationwide MUGs. And lastly, I would like to establish a Poker Museum. Our history is rich, and we need to embrace the past to create the future!”
The 10th Class of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame will be inducted in Las Vegas on Dec. 11, 2024. This year’s finalists include Kristen Bicknell Foxen, the only woman in history to win five WSOP bracelets. Her expected induction will naturally bring a lot of media attention to the WiPHoF and Soto.
However, it is important to remember that the WiPHoF is just one piece in a larger machine helmed by one of the industry’s greatest champions for women in poker. Her efforts have led to increased participation from women in poker and have changed the industry for the better. This is something worth celebrating every day, not just once every two years.
James Guill is a journalist and ex poker professional with over 15 years of experience writing in the world of poker. His coverage includes major poker tournaments and industry news for a variety of reputable poker publications. He has worked with IveyPoker, PokerNews, PokerJunkie, Bwin and the Ongame Network. Currently at Legal US Poker Sites, James provides thorough analysis of crucial hands played in the top tournaments in the world.
