WPT Ladies Night winner crowned

BELL GARDENS, California -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- One day after the World Poker Tour wrapped its Legends of Poker main event, the culmination of a month-long series of tournaments at the Bicycle Casino, the women of poker took the WPT stage on Friday, August 31st to battle for the championship title. Kristy Gazes outlasted some of the biggest names in poker to claim victory!

The WPT Ladies Night tournament is a unique event set up as an invitational for five of the highest ranking women from the WPT's previous season, including the champion from last year's Ladies Night tournament and adding one well-deserved seat for the winner of the Legends of Poker Ladies No-Limit Hold'em tournament. That seat was awarded to Pamela Brunson, daughter of 2004 Legends main event winner Doyle Brunson, on August 19th. She joined Kristy Gazes, Mimi Tran, Melissa Hayden, 2006 Champion J.J. Liu, and the "First Lady of Poker" WPT announcer Linda Johnson.

Under the lights and cameras of the WPT television set, six of the brightest stars in poker took to the table to battle it out for the title. Liu, who gave birth to a baby girl only nine days prior, was the first to exit on the first hand of the night against Gazes. Hayden, partner of poker pro Allen Cunningham, followed a short time later, then the Barry Greenstein-tutored Tran left in fourth place. More than 130 hands into the game, Brunson was eliminated by Gazes.

Heads-up action was exciting for the audience as well as WPT staff as Gazes came face-to-face with Johnson, a WSOP bracelet holder and veteran player who usually takes her place as the acclaimed announcer at all WPT final tables but was thrilled to be seated at the table. Gazes was the chip leader by a large margin, and in the course of six hands, Gazes was able to emerge victorious.

Kristy Gazes won a $25,000 seat into the WPT World Championship in April of 2008 and joins past champions Liu, Jennifer Tilly, Isabelle Mercier, and Clonie Gowen in an elite group of poker players.

The 2007 WPT Ladies Night episode is set to be televised early spring 2008 on GSN; the World Poker Tour will announce the date soon.

CEO, Hashem Minaiy stated his pleasure in seeing such a phenomenal table of prominent pros this year. "These ladies are truly legends in their own right and to have them here at the Bike for Legends of Poker is exceptional". Managing partner, Haig Kelegian agrees. "Beauty and brains at the Bike is always the perfect combination."

The Bicycle Casino is a Los Angeles area favorite to players like Linda Johnson and welcomes all players 24-hours a day, every day of the year. There are numerous table games available at various limits, including blackjack, pai gow, and three-card poker, in addition to the wide range of poker games spread to accommodate all of the Bike's players.

The Bicycle Casino is located at 7301 Eastern Avenue, Bell Gardens, CA 90201, just off the 710 freeway and only minutes from the LAX and downtown Los Angeles areas.