48 Players Left, 1 Gold Bracelet: My WSOP Ladies Championship Final Table

I started Day 3 of the 2026 WSOP Ladies Championship tied for the fourth-biggest stack with 48 players left from 1,475 entries, the largest field in the event's history. I peaked at 1.8 million chips, played the feature table with Jennifer Tilly on commentary, and finished eighth for $21,497 when my king-queen ran into a set of sevens. First place was $194,000.

Day 3 with 48 players left

I made Day 3 of the WSOP Ladies Championship, playing for $194,000 and a gold bracelet. The field was just under 1,500, the biggest in the event’s history, and 48 of us were left. The day before, I had played on the main stage on the WSOP YouTube stream, which was an adrenaline rush I cannot fully explain.

I came in with 1.2 million chips, tied for the fourth-biggest stack, with the top stacks all close. Strong players were still in, including Kaitlyn Kesky and Cherish Andrews. This was my third Day 3 of the summer, after a seventh-place final table in Salute to Warriors for $33,000.

Is poker a sport?

I have always said no. After 14-hour days back to back, my body aches from sitting and my brain is exhausted. I have changed my stance: poker is mostly a mental sport, and it takes a physical toll.

Losing half and building back

We started at a 20,000 big blind with hour-long levels. I lost half my stack early, including ace-king in a three-bet pot, and got down to about 20 big blinds.

The hand that brought me back: I raised the button with ace-queen. A player who had just moved to the table re-raised from the small blind without seeing my open. I called, bet the flop and the turn, and shoved the river. She called with king-eight, and I was back to about 1.4 million. From there I hit my peak stack of 1.8 million with 28 players left.

The feature table and Jennifer Tilly

At 25 players, my table became the feature table, with Jennifer Tilly in the commentary booth. Hearing a Ladies champion analyze my hands was surreal.

Being on stream adds pressure nobody else in the field has. Your cards are shown, and you hope the commentators agree with your play. My advice if you ever play on a stream: tune it out and keep playing your A game.

The final table and the bust

Cherish Andrews went out in 15th, which was bittersweet. We used to grind cash games together at the Borgata in our early twenties.

At the unofficial final table of 10, with the big blind going to 100,000, I was short at about 1.2 million. When we reached the final table, I got my king-queen in against pocket sevens. The flop gave her a set, and I finished eighth for $21,497.

That was my second final table of the series, and I am proud of the run. My opponents were fierce and aggressive, and they deserved to be there. Thank you to everyone on the rail and watching the stream. This run made me hungry for more, with the Main Event still to come.

Questions viewers asked

How many players entered the 2026 WSOP Ladies Championship?

1,475, the biggest field the event has had. First place paid $194,000 and a gold bracelet.

Where did Lexy Gavin-Mather finish in the 2026 WSOP Ladies Championship?

Eighth place, for $21,497. It was her second final table of the 2026 series, after seventh in Salute to Warriors.

How do you handle playing on a poker live stream?

Your cards are shown to the world and everyone has opinions. Lexy's advice is to tune out the cameras and commentary and keep playing your A game.

Is poker a sport?

Lexy used to say no. After back-to-back 14-hour days at the WSOP, she now calls it mostly a mental sport, with a real physical toll.

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