Jennifer “Jen” Shahade is a quiet yet prominent figure in the world of mind sports. At just 17, she became the first woman to win the U.S. Junior Open in chess, and went on to clinch the U.S. Women's Chess Champion title twice (2002 and 2004). Beyond chess, she's an author, former editor-in-chief of the Chess Federation's website, co-founder of the charitable project 9 Queens, and a PS ambassador since 2014.
Her Hendon Mob shows winnings exceeding half a million dollars, which she began accumulating back in 2007. Her latest addition came just two days ago, when she emerged victorious in the £400 Main Event of the PokerStars Women’s Summer Festival in the heart of London. This festival, in its second edition, built upon the success of the first, held in 2024, which saw 271 entries. The tournament attracted 193 players, including online qualifiers and notable figures in the poker world like Shiina Okamoto and Caitlin Comeskey, with appearances from Marle Spragg and Kerryjane Craigie as well.
Chess Strategy at the Poker Table
Heading into the final day of the Main Event was chipleader Morgane Fevrier, who immediately went all-in against Shahade in the first hand at the table. Shahade managed a double-up, which kicked off an incredible run. The unstoppable Shahade sliced through this table like a hot knife through butter, marching all the way to victory.
The final hand of the tournament saw her all-in with K c 4 h, which her opponent Claire Taylor called with 7 d 7 c. On a 5 h A s T s flop, Shahade's chances were only 17%, yet the dealer placed down J d and Q c, giving Shahade a straight.
| Position | Player | Country | Winnings |
| 1 | Jennifer Shahade | USA | £22,200 |
| 2 | Claire Taylor | UK | £14,000 |
| 3 | Lynne Beaumont | UK | £10,000 |
| 4 | Tanya Masters | Ireland | £7,650 |
| 5 | Akiko Ota | Japan | £5,900 |
| 6 | Morgane Fevrier | France | £4,530 |
| 7 | Miri Balen | Brazil | £3,770 |
| 8 | Valerie Morris | UK | £3,150 |
| 9 | Saara Benlamine | Finland | £2,600 |
“I played like a goddess!”
After this triumph, Shahade captured the festival's atmosphere and her feelings in words: “There’s an incredible vibe here. Just playing and being here is joyful, let alone winning! I played like a goddess today, ran unbelievably well - winning every flip, even those that weren’t 50/50 – like K-4 against 7-7. But I guess that’s just part of winning tournaments.”
Finally, in true ambassador style, she emphasized that festivals like this provide women with essential experience and confidence. More opportunities and visibility are the keys to women continuing to rise in poker and creating more captivating stories. Her words resonate at a time when women's poker is experiencing significant growth. Various studies show a 50% increase in female participation in live ladies-only events over the past two years, with a growing number of players at various events.
Sources – Flickr, PokerStarsLive, X, PokerNews, Poker.org, CardPlayer
