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It was once thought that only men could compete in the world of high stakes professional poker. Poker is, after all, a man's game (or so the thinking went), requiring a combination of skill, luck, determination, and courage. The gender barrier in poker, like the gender barriers in all areas of life, needed a group of strong women to tear it down.
In the case of poker, one of these women was Wendeen Eolis who is now a grandmother. Eolis was the first woman to place highly in the World Series of Poker, and she has shown the way for a new generation of female players. Eolis's story is unique and an encouragement for other female poker players. Born in 1944, she struck out on her own when she was just 16, managing to make it to college where she earned a degree in Psychology. Additionally, Eolis became proficient in several different languages at college where she eventually met and married her husband.
Together, they lived happily until he was listed as M.I.A. during the Vietnam War. Left as a single mother of twins, Eolis was undaunted when she got a job at the Playboy Club as a "bunny supervisor." Her skill with languages also helped her with work in the club's VIP lounge, "schmoozing" with bigwigs from all over the world.
Eolis started her own business, a headhunting firm for lawyers. Soon, she expanded her interests to become involved with law management consulting. At the same time, Eolis became influential in politics, becoming a special advisor to both New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and New York Governor George Pataki. From her humble beginnings, she rose to become a major force in New York political and social circles, a rise, which she credits to hard work and determination.
Eolis's career accomplishments alone make her a role model for women, especially given that she succeeded in the 1970s and 1980s when many doors were closed to women. However, her competitive fire and desire to win also extended into the world of poker, and in 1986, Eolis finished 25th overall in the World Series of Poker, becoming the first woman to ever cash in the final event. The remarkable part of her achievement was that she had first taken up poker only the year before after becoming interested in Blackjack.
Since the auspicious start to her poker career, Eolis has had consistently good finishes in the limited number of events she enters. She has succeeded several times at the World Championship of Poker tournament, and along with other female players like Barbara Enright and Marsha Waggoner, has shown that women can not only play poker, they can win.
Of all the obstacles Eolis has had to overcome in her career, one of the most notable is a sensitivity to smoke as a result of a battle with cancer, something that made it very difficult for her to play in casinos before non smoking areas became the norm rather than the exception. However, with the aid of other players and floor staff, she overcame this problem. Perhaps because of the gender barrier she had to cross, Eolis has also been very vocal about creating a standard of conduct for poker players. Joining with other players, and if the initiative succeeds, Eolis may once again be instrumental in changing the game of poker - for the better!
WENDEEN EOLIS