Top 10 Canadian Female Poker Players of All Time
Poker has always been one of the most played games in brick-and-mortar casinos, but it boomed in popularity after several televised events, such as Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker. These TV shows allowed everyday people to get more familiar with the game and showed them that anyone skillful enough can make a profit by playing poker.
In todayâs time, one of the most talented and famous poker players is undoubtedly a Canadian Daniel âKid Pokerâ Negreanu whoâs made millions of dollars by playing poker. However, what about his fellow Canadians and members of the fairer sex?
If youâre curious to find out who the best Canadian poker players of all time are, weâve prepared a short list of some of the best ladies from Canada who have sat at a poker table.
| # | Player | Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kristen Bicknell | $ 4,058,529 |
| 2 | Xuan Liu | $ 1,968,017 |
| 3 | Isabelle Mercier | $ 1,196,277 |
| 4 | Kara Scott | $ 664,795 |
| 5 | Carla Sabini | $ 559,415 |
| 6 | Louise Francoeur | $ 485,254 |
| 7 | Evelyn Ng | $ 377,191 |
| 8 | Darlene Lee | $ 307,569 |
| 9 | Thi Hoa Nguyen | $301,501 |
| 10 | Pam MacNaughton | $260,475 |
1. Kristen Bicknell
Coming from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, Kristen has made a career out of playing poker. Currently, she has earned a little over $4 million by playing poker and finds herself 329th on the All Time Money List, while she is 21st on Canada All Time Money List. She has also won Female GPI Player of the Year back to back in years 2017 and 2018.
She started playing poker during her freshman year at college and played mainly online on PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. In 2011, 2012, and 2013 she played around 2.5 million hands per year, grinding games to become the best Canadian female poker player of all time.
Kristen also played offline and has two WSOP bracelets and 18 money finishes to her name alongside three money finishes at the World Poker Tour and four money finishes at the European Poker Tour.
Her top payouts include winning $328,500 after finishing 11th at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,00 PokerStars Player Championship in 2019, $290,768 for finishing first at the $1,500 No-Limit Holdâem Bounty at the World Series of Poker in 2016, as well as $284,960 for finishing first at the APPT Macau HK$80,000 No-Limit Holdâem in 2018.
2. Xuan Liu
Xuan Liu made almost $2 million by playing poker, both online and offline, and she is currently ranked 53rd on Canada All Time Money List. While she doesnât have any WSOP bracelets to her name, Liu had numerous money finishes in various tournaments.
Some of the most notable prize money rewards include $600,000 for finishing 4th at the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $10,000 Main Event and âŹ360,000 for finishing 3rd at the 2011 Sanremo âŹ5,000 Main Event.
While Liu is currently retired and has decided to invest her time in eSports, she is still considered to be one of the best female poker players Canada has ever had.
3. Isabelle Mercier
Isabelle Mercier comes from Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada, and is currently ranked 75th on Canada All Time Money List, making a little over $1.2 million by playing poker. She first made a name for herself after winning approximately $54,000 at the âŹ800 No-Limit Hold’em in Amsterdamâs Master Classics of Poker 2002.
Mercier then continued to win the World Poker Tour Ladiesâ Night, earning $25,000 in 2004, and in 2005 she earned âŹ23,090 after finishing 10th at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo. One of her biggest cash-outs was during the PokerStars Sunday Million tournament, where she earned $115,000 and finished third.
She has seven money finishes at the WSOP, four at the WPT, and four at the European Poker Tour.
4. Kara Scott
Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Kara is most known as a British TV personality and a journalist. However, she is also an excellent poker player, and a perfect testament to that is the fact that she has made $664,795 by playing poker.
One of her most notable achievements includes winning PartyPoker Sports Star Challenge and winning âŹ312,600 after finishing second at the Irish Open in 2009. In addition, Kara Scott finished 104th (out of 6,844 players) at the 2009 World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in Main event and earned $41,816 for doing so.
Her records to this date include four money finishes at the WSOP and one money finish at the EPT.
5. Carla Sabini
Carla Sabini comes from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is the 161st player on Canada All Time Money List. To date, she has accumulated $559,415 from both offline and online poker winnings.
Her latest money prize comes from the DeepStack Championship Event #111 $400 NLH MonsterStack $60K GTD, where she finished fourth and won $8,733. Some of her biggest cash prizes include winning $214,544 after finishing 4th at the Event 26 No-Limit Holdâem High Roller EPT Season X in London and $139,839 after finishing second at the Mile High Poker Open Main Event back in 2012 at the Heartland Poker Tour â Black Hawk.
Sabini has two money finishes at the WSOP and one money finish at the EPT.
6. Louise Francoeur
With $549,155 under her belt, Louise Francoeur is right behind Sabini. Hailing from Montreal, Francoeur, this lady has nine money finishes at the World Series of Poker, netting her nearly $80,000, and three money finishes at the World Poker Tour that got her $51,164.
Her biggest payouts include her winning $49,108 for finishing 142nd at the $10,000 No-Limit Holdâem 2016 World Series of Poker and $32,743 for finishing 3rd at the $600 No-Limit Holdâem $400K GTD 2015 Deepstack Extravaganza II.
While Francoeur doesnât have gigantic wins under her belt, she plays on the regular and is able to continuously earn money by playing poker.
7. Evelyn Ng
Evelyn Ng hails from Toronto, ON, Canada, and is currently 242nd on Canada All Time Money List, having won slightly over $377,000 in her poker career. At one point in her life, Ng dated Daniel Negreanu who helped her develop a style that was designed to fight off aggressive players.
Ngâs highest achievements include finishing second right after Clonie Gowen at the Ladiesâ Night I tournament in 2003 and finishing 238th at the World Series of Poker in 2008. Her all-time records include 10 money finishes at the World Series of Poker and four money finishes at the World Poker Tour.
8. Darlene Lee
Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, Darlene Lee comes in 305th on Canada All Time Money List. In her long poker career, she has earned $307,568 so far and her best live cash prize was $87,738 at the $800 No-Limit Holdâem Eight Max $800K GTD CPPT V at the Venetian back in 2017.
In addition, Lee has five money finishes at the World Series of Poker that got her $90,593 in total, as well as $44,147 from three money finishes at the World Poker Tour. Apart from her $87K finish, Leeâs other biggest payouts include $52,141 from finishing 113th in 2014 at the $10,000 No-Limit Holdâem 2014 World Series of Poker, and $40,723 after finishing 39th at the Championship Main Event 2013 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open.
9. Thi Hoa Nguyen
Thi Hoa Nguyen comes from Toronoto, Ontario, Canada. She has earned $301,501 so far, which makes her 310th on Canada All Time Money List. Her biggest poker tournament payouts include winning $120,561 Â after finishing 1st place in a $1,600 No Limit Hold’em tournament in Las Vegas.
Although she has not had much success in major WSOP tournaments, she has had consistent success in Las Vegas and Canada putting her just within our top 10 list.
10. Pam MacNaughton
Last but not least on our list is Pam MacNaughton. Coming from Red Deer, AB, Canada, Pam is ranked 367th in the Canada All Time Money List. So far, in her poker career, Pam has made a total of $260,475.
She has had numerous 2nd and 3rd place finishes with her largest win of $94,190 coming from PokerStars Carribean Adventure tournament in Paradise Island
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