£1,100 High Roller
Day 1 Completed
2024 Women’s Winter Festival
£1,100 High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2024 Women’s Winter Festival
Buy-in
£1,100
Prize Pool
£25,920
Entries
27
Level
20
Blinds
6,000 / 12,000
Ante
12,000
Entries
27
Players Left
1
Level 20
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
London’s Hippodrome Casino kicked off the inaugural Women’s Winter Festival, sponsored by PokerStars, with the fast-paced one-day event; the £1,100 Women’s High Roller.
A total of 27 entries were made, generating a prize pool of £25,920. Of this five-figure sum, the lion's share landed in the hands of eventual winner Charlie Waters who claimed the trophy, title and £10,020 for her first-place finish.
Winner’s Reaction
After a nearly 14-hour-long grind, Waters was happy to sum up her win in three simple words:
“Awesome. Happy. Tired!”
“It was fun, it was really fun - I really enjoyed it. Jennifer [Steele] was lovely and really good fun to play with”.
Women’s Winter Festival High Roller Payouts
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlie Waters | United Kingdom | £10,020 |
| 2 | Jennifer Steele | United Kingdom | £6,400 |
| 3 | Soraya Estrada | Spain | £4,200 |
| 4 | Ivonne Montealegre | Costa Rica | £3,000 |
| 5 | Maria Lampropulos | Argentina | £2,300 |
Action of the Day
Tournament pros and circuit regulars alike made up some of the most recognizable faces in the field. Balanced by a cohort of amateurs who had satellited into this one-of-a-kind event, twenty-one unique entrants made their way to the felt. With an additional six reentries during the late registration period, the total tally was brought to a final sum of 27.
Three professionals representing this event's flagship sponsor showed exactly why they earned their patches, each displaying impressive runs. PokerStars ambassador Marle Spragg was the first casualty of the team, falling to her demise when her pocket fours couldn't hold against the king-queen of Jennifer Steele, only a few spots away from the all-important final table.
However, the misfortune of the final table bubble fell on the shoulders of Alexandra O'Brien. It wasn’t O’Brien’s day on the felt as not only was she eluded final table glory, but her first entry into the tournament saw her become the day's first elimination, initially exiting on Level 4.
Comprising the final table were both PokerStars Online member Georgina James and PokerStars Team Pro member Jen Shahade. Although both can add a final table finish to their extensive poker careers, each failed to make the money.
James’ short stack shove was called in two spots, which meant a potential triple-up hung in the balance. However, the eventual winner, Waters, claimed the remainder of her stack.
Shahade's departure followed quickly behind that of James’; an unconventional call in a three-bet pot by Steele saw the Team Pro member’s pocket queens cracked in a sick cooler, ending her deep run.
Online qualifier Caitlyn Arnwine fell to the reigning EPT Barcelona Women’s event champion, Soraya Estrada, to burst the stone money bubble, ensuring the remaining five players were now all in the money.
Estrada managed to put Arnwine’s chips to good use, displaying a strong final table performance. However, the Spaniard’s eventual third-place finish extinguished the chances of her second Women’s event title of the year.
The Battle of Steele and Waters
The story of this final table was headlined by the battle between Steele and Waters, who traded blows in some of the biggest pots of the tournaments right until the bitter end.
Steele captured the attention of the online railbirds when her impressive four-bet bluff, accented by an over-bet jam on the flop, saw her knock rival, Waters, off a major pot during four-handed play.
A seismic shift in play occurred on Level 17 when both Steele and Water believed they’d hit a miracle turn. Although Steele made two pair, the completion of Waters’ gutshot draw claimed this monumental pot and propelled her into an overwhelming chip lead three-handed.
Estrada’s exit triggered a lengthy heads-up battle, which eventually saw a classic tournament flip fall in favor of Waters, allowing her to claim the trophy, title, and first-place prize of £10,020.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the Women’s Winter Festival High Roller. Stay tuned for more action in this first-of-its-kind festival promoting both women in poker and inclusivity across the wider poker landscape. The week of activities still boats a whole host of unique tournament formats, including the 50/50 male & female event and the more flights of the £100,000 guarantee Main Event.
Level 20
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
After a lengthy heads-up battle, Charlie Waters has taken down the Women's Winter Festival High Roller for £10,200. Stayed tuned for a full winner's recap to follow.
Level 20
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Jennifer Steele moved all in for 216,000 from the button. Charlie Waters, in the big blind, made the call.
Jennifer Steele: K♣10♥ 
Charlie Waters: 9♥9♣
The board ran out 2♣3♥7♦8♠Q♦; Waters' pocket pair held to send Steele to to the rail, earning herself the trophy, title and £10,200.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
810,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 20
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Jennifer Steele limped in on the button with K♦4♣. Charlie Waters checked her option in the big blind with 9♣8♦.
The K♠4♦A♠ flop checked through to the K♣ turn. Waters checked and then folded to a bet of 12,000 from Steele.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
460,000
-62,000
|
-62,000 |
|
|
350,000
62,000
|
62,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
522,000
9,000
|
9,000 |
|
|
288,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
Level: 20
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
Level 19
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Charlie Waters raised to 25,000 from the button with 8♦6♣. Jennifer Steele, in the big blind, made the call with 2♦2♣.
The J♣4♥A♦ flop saw Steele check and then call a bet of 20,000 from Waters.
Steele played in flow again on the Q♥ turn. Waters sized up to 55,000, earning a fold from the best hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
513,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
272,000
-35,000
|
-35,000 |
Level 19
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Charlie Waters raised to 25,000 from the button. Jennifer Steele, in the big blind, made the call.
The 3♥J♣3♦ flop checked through to the 3♣ turn and the Q♠ river. Steele checked again and Waters sized up to 31,000. Steele thought for some time before making the call.
Waters rolled over Q♥10♣ for a full house, besting Steele's speculative king-high of K♦9♣.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
503,000
31,000
|
31,000 |
|
|
307,000
-51,000
|
-51,000 |
Level 19
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Charlie Waters raised to 25,000 from the button. Jennifer Steele defended in the big blind.
The 10♦A♦2♥ flop checked through to the K♠ turn and the 9♣ river. Steele took the lead for 25,000 and Waters made a reluctant call.
Steele rolled over K♣8♣ for a turned pair of kings, besting Waters' 10♣8♦.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
472,000
-36,000
|
-36,000 |
|
|
358,000
70,000
|
70,000 |