WPT500 Crowns New Champion for Women in Poker - Eleanor Gudger

Another successful edition of the partypoker WPT500 tournament format has concluded at @Dusk Till Dawn in Nottingham and the winner is @PKR's charming ambassador @Eleanor Gudger!

Photos from WPT Live Updates

With seven starting flights (one re-entry per day allowed) and an affordable £500 buy-in, the #WPT500 unsurprisingly managed to reach and exceed its £1 million guarantee. 1,793 players and a total of 2133 entries brought the 1st place prize to £140,000!

In the end, a rather cold deck in terms of heads-up hands ended the spectacle, when Matthew shoved with A9 and Eleanor called with AQ. Railers for both players cheered on for their friend, but a grimace from Matthew and step away from the table showed how crestfallen the cards being on their back made him.

Eleanor sat still, hands pressed together, staring at the flop, waiting for the cards to obey the odds and fulfil her dream, ready for the next hand if they wouldn't.

The dealer fanned KKA , three cards that surely would have seen the chips go in post-flop if they hadn't gone in before it.

"Chop it up!" shouted Noonan's rail.

"No chop, no chop" shouted Gudger's. Still she couldn't look away from the felt.

The turn was a 5 and a look of resignation came across Noonan's features, the headphones around his neck. The rail didn't cheer this time, just waited, hoped, half for the miracle nine, the others for anything but.

The 4 on the river led to an almighty roar from Eleanor's supporters, the victor's head finally dropped away from the table she seemed to have a hypnotic stare on during the final. Both players shook hands, and you felt like in the end, a gladiatorial respect took over.

WPT Live Updates

We greeted the PKR ambassador in April this year when she said:

"I want to win a major live title as part of Team PKR of course!! I know some people frown about setting result-orientated goals but the goal has always got to be to win. I hope luck is on my side when I need it but in having that goal, all I can do is ensure I'm in the best position to achieve it."

The 1st place in her first ever @World Poker Tour tournament now tops her live poker resume and newly engaged Eleanor has secured a 'super honeymoon' for herself and poker-playing fiance ForFoxSake :)

Next step for Eleanor and a host of poker notables from all over the world: #WPTUK Main Event!

Flashback:

PartyPoker and WPT introduced the innovative WPT500 format this summer at @ARIA Resort & Casino. RankingHeroes may remember that we celebrated our official US launch during this hugely successful event and organized a special Last Longer promotion. The RankingHero patch then went all the way up to number one with @Sean Yu!