A total of 485 entries, creating a prize pool worth $470,450 to nearly double the $250,000 guarantee, battled it out over the past two days at the Wynn Las Vegas for a chance at World Poker Tour (WPT) glory in the 2024 WPT Ladies Championship. Tirza Sanders shined above them all after she defeated Jana Delacerra heads-up en route to victory in front of a vibrant rail in the $1,100 ladies-only affair for $90,432 and the coveted trophy.
Sanders, who came into the event with $44,408 in live tournament cashes tracked at The Hendon Mob, more than doubled her live tournament earnings with the epic haul that will be remembered for years.
While Sanders began the day in the middle of the pack and was in a similar spot when the final table began. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the eventual champion as she was at one point down to just eight big blinds with eight players left. However, she quickly chipped up and was near the top of the leaderboard before taking the lead with four players left and never looking back.
FREE $55 Ticket + 100% up to $1,200 Bonus
Sign-up for the best WPTGlobal deal!
New Customers Only | 18+ | T&C Apply
2024 WPT Ladies Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tirza Sanders | $90,432 |
| 2 | Jana Delacerra | $58,987 |
| 3 | Sinead Davenport | $45,803 |
| 4 | Sara Ralston | $35,833 |
| 5 | Jenny Ding | $27,318 |
| 6 | Krisha Augerot | $20,770 |
| 7 | Mikiyo Aoki | $15,522 |
| 8 | Camille Brown | $11,449 |
| 9 | Shannon Fahey | $8,346 |
Jenny Ding Led Final 60 to Start Final Day
Australia’s Jenny Ding bagged the overnight chip lead on the opening day of the WPT Ladies Championship with the 60 returning women hungry for the trophy, the honor, and, of course, the massive $90,432 eventually won Tirza Sanders with already at least a $2,232 min-cash locked up with the opening day ending with players in the money.
A total of 13 players hit the rail during the opening level during which time Heidi Heimarck snagged the chip lead. Sarah Ralston then took the chip lead with the action on four tables after doubling her stack twice. Shortly after, the hopes were dashed for 2022 WPT Ladies Champion Lina Niu to win a second title after her short stack was unable to survive with king-queen against Mikiyo Aoki’s ace-five suited to bring the action down to three tables.
Shortly after Katie Lindsay hit the rail in 21st place for $3,288, Ralston began to go onto a tear and solidify her chip lead. She eliminated May Siu in 17th place for $4,057 after completing her open-ended straight flush draw in style on the river with a straight flush to beat Siu’s king-high flush with the chips getting in on the turn.
Ralston then eliminated the once chip leader Heimarck in 15th place for $4,588 when her ace-trey suited held against king-jack suited.
Sinead Davenport began climbing up the chip counts shortly after thanks to a very fortuitous runout resulting in a double elimination of two of the most prestigious members of the poker community. Kyna England got her short stack in with eights, while Women in Poker Hall of Famer Allyn Shulman suffered a bad beat she will likely remember for a while, called with aces. Shulman flopped the top set with three spades on the board, and Davenport held the only spade. Davenport improved to a lesser set when a jack appeared on the turn, but a spade on the river eliminated Schulman in 12th place for $5,222. To make matters worse, Shulman had the shorter stack, and despite having a better hand than her other opponent, England managed to ladder up to collect the 11th-place prize of $6,297.
Moments later, Ralston was at it back again and kicked off the final table just a few chips behind Davenport after ousting a short-stacked Yordanos Mebrahtu on the final table bubble in 10th place for $6,297 after her flopped middle pair and gutshot straight draw held against a bare ace-jack.
FREE $55 Ticket + 100% up to $1,200 Bonus
Sign-up for the best WPTGlobal deal!
New Customers Only | 18+ | T&C Apply
Sanders Road to Victory at the Final Table
Tirza Sanders entered the final table in the middle of the pack, while Shannon Fahey was the only player to start with under seven big blinds once the action resumed after the dinner break.
Shannon Fahey three-bet squeezed from the big blind with seven big blinds with queen-ten and was the first player eliminated at the final table in ninth place for $8,346 as her hand was unable to improve after Krisha Augerot called with ace-nine.
Sarah Ralston managed to take control and take a commanding lead some of which came at the expense of Sanders, who found herself down to eight big blinds. Shortly after, Jana Delacerra eliminated Camille Brown in eighth place for $11,449 to close the gap on Sanders after her kings dominated her opponent’s sevens.
Sanders was right back in the mix shortly after, eliminating Mikiyo Aoki in seventh place for $15,522 while doubling through Ralston. Aoki jammed for her short stack of 2.5 big blinds with king-ten from the cutoff before Ralston three-bet to 15 big blinds with eights from the small blind. Sanders four-bet jammed for 20 big blinds with jacks and her hand held to give Deleaerra the chip lead by default to start six-handed play.
It was Delacerra’s turn to oust a player with jacks as she solidified her chip lead when her jacks held against ace-jack to eliminate Augerot in sixth place for $20,770.
The start of the day chip leader Jenny Ding’s impressive run in the WPT Ladies Championship was in the books soon after as she ended her run in fifth place for $27,318 when her short-stacked queen-eight suited jam from the button didn’t do the job against the king-jack held by Sanders in the big blind. Delacerra was still with the chip lead to start a four-handed player, but soon after, she lost a pot to Sanders for Sanders to take the lead once and for all.
Ralston, who was once in control, ended her quest for the title in fourth place for $35,833 when her ace-trey ran into the ace-ten held by Sanders.
Sanders continued to ride the hot hand with her third straight elimination. Davenport, who showcased amazing play throughout the day, ended her run on the podium in third place for $45,803 when her fives were unable to win a fliop against jack-eight suited thanks to a double paired board.
Sanders began the heads-up action with nearly double the stack of Delacerra. Delacerra held the early momentum and nearly took the chip lead before Sanders began to pull away and had nearly six times her opponent’s stack.
Delacerra had to settle for the healthy runner-up prize of $58,987 on a small bad beat when her ace-nine didn’t hold against king-queen after a king appeared on the flop.
Congratulations to Tirza Sanders for entering her name into the poker history books and earning the $90,432 top prize.
Meanwhile, stay tuned to Poker.Pro as we will provide updates on both the ClubWPT Gold $5 Million Invitational Freeroll, the $10,400 WPT World Championship, and other big events at the 2024 WPT World Championship at the Wynn Las Vegas.
