As many of you know, my brother and father are pretty well-established in the world of tournament poker.  But did you know my step-mother is, too?

My brother Jeff is a bit of a big deal in the tournament poker world.  His first year playing (2000), he came in seventh in the Main Event at the World Series of Poker, and in 2009 he made the “November Nine” at the same event.  Needless to say, that poker’s popularity increased tenfold in that time.

Dad has been playing tournament poker since before I was born, and has won two bracelets at the WSOP – his first in 2001 for winning Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split Eight or Better, and his second in 2009, for winning the Main Event at the World Series of Poker Europe.

Now, my step-mother, Allyn, has allowed for the formation of a winning CardPlayer troika, when she won this year’s history-making Senior Championship.  What made this tournament and win so special?  Well, first of all, it was the largest field of players in a single-heat tournament in WSOP history.  What does this mean?  Well, for instance, when you have the insane number of entrants as the Main Event (6,000+) you have multiple “heats” so that there are actually three Day 1s (since the unwieldy number becomes a logistical nightmare).  So, with 4,128 players, those seniors showed-up in force!

It was also the first time in 249 WSOP events that a woman had won an “open” event (entry is available to players of both sexes, unlike the Ladies Championship, for example).

Finally, in that one week, my father, my brother, and my step-mother, each made the final table at three separate tournaments at the WSOP, in the same week; Dad placing 8th in Event 19: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em, Happy placing 3rd in Event 20: $5,000 Limit Hold’em, and Allyn winning Event 29: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Senior Championship.

In addition to her championship bracelet, and a WSOP jacket (and let’s not forget the more than $600,000 in winnings), Allyn also gets to have the Golden Eagle trophy, which will be engraved with her name, and given to her for one year, until it is passed-on to next year’s winner.

Way to go, Allyn!

World Series of Poker
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Get into it!