Poker Hottie - Clonie Gowen

As suggested by the banner above, every week I will be featuring a female poker player or hostess to present a softer side of the poker world. Women rarely get the credit or attention that they deserve in the world of poker, here's my tribute to them.

This Weeks HOTTIE - Clonie Gowen

As a former Miss Teen Oklahoma, Clonie is recognized as one of the best female poker players in the world. She is a mother of 2, and enjoys scuba diving when she's not playing poker.

Clonie started playing poker while living in Dallas where she had to drive to Shreveport, Louisiana on weekends to find a game. She soon earned national recognition when she followed up her Top 10 finish at the World Poker Tour Costa Rica Classic with a win at the WPT Ladies' Night event in 2003, then the highest rated WPT show ever broadcast.

She made two more television appearances in 2005, placing seventh in the $2,000 No-Limit Hold 'em Ultimate Poker Challenge tournament and third in the FullTiltPoker Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. Since then, Clonie placed third in the FullTiltPoker Pro Showdown at the Red Rock Casino and is a two-time winner on Poker After Dark, collecting $120,000 for each individual performance.

In 2008, Clonie cashed in four separate events at the WSOP and took down the single largest win of her career, banking nearly $438K for her victory at the Bellagio Cup’s $5K No-Limit Hold ‘em event. Her career earnings exceed $700,000.

Away from the tournament table, Clonie has served as a guest commentator for the Ultimate Poker Challenge and the European World Poker Championship in Dublin and is a regular columnist for All In Magazine. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the United States Poker Association and frequently hosts tournaments and charity events as part of her mission to help beginning players learn the basics of tournament play so that they too can become successful tournament players.