There’s been a lot of unwelcome noise surrounding the WSOP Ladies Championship this year.
Aubrey Williams, who has been the target of widespread online abuse in recent days, started the final table fifth in chips today before narrowly missing out on a bracelet as Skye Chen beat her heads-up.
Ironically, if it wasn't for Williams, many of the same anonymous accounts would have spent the past few days asking why women-only tournaments exist at all or demanding men-only events in the name of equality. Now they've cast themselves as protectors of the women's game.
Thankfully, inside the Horseshoe, the noise was all positive.
Poker takes over
Caitlin Comeskey had the loudest and most recognizable rail among the final six players. Nikki Limo, Ashley Frank and James Hartigan were there, along with plenty of supporters wearing cowboy hats.
But there were also signs. One for Williams: 'I love me a bit of Aubrey.' One for Comeskey: 'What a cutie that Comeskey.'
And there were songs, cheers, and laughter. (And a couple of “USA!” chants whenever Victoria Ailloud’s French rail got a bit too boisterous.)
There were fist bumps all around before play got underway. Lost amid all the noise was the fact that this was the biggest moment of all six players' poker careers. None had cashed for six figures before. That would change for two women by the end of the night.
Rash of eliminations
It took two hours for the first elimination to come – and then three came at once.
Ailloud was first out after losing a flip with sixes. Williams had 
and flopped the all-important ace.
Then it was the turn of the start-of-day chip leader, Emily Spencer. She wasn't buying it when Chen moved all-in over the top of her 3-bet. Chen had opened UTG with 
and Spencer only had 
. The board offered no help.
The most dramatic of all eliminations came next, and it was Comeskey’s rail who were left gutted.
Comeskey got it in bad after shoving with pocket fours and running into Lisa Teebagy's aces. The dealer put a four on the flop, and Comeskey fell to the ground in shock, only to get back to her feet and watch two clubs peel off on the turn and river to give Teebagy a runner-runner flush. Teebagy took over the chip lead with the pot.
“I know I’m winning a bracelet,” Comeskey said afterward. “I thought it was this one, but apparently it’s a different one.”
A hero call for the ages
Williams produced one of the best calls of the tournament, three-handed.
Chen raised to 700K preflop and Williams 3-bet to 1.9M with 
. Chen called and checked the 
flop. Williams checked back to the 
turn.
Chen bet 1.2M and Williams called to see the 
river.
Chen then bet 3.6M into the 6.5M pot. Williams checked her cards, tanked, and made the call. Chen was bluffing with 
and it gave Williams a commanding chip lead. Chen was left with fewer than 10 big blinds, and seemingly on the ropes.
These two would get another chance to battle for all the marbles after Teebagy was eliminated in third.
Chen was Teebagy’s assassin. It started as a flip, with Chen's pocket fives up against Teebagy's . After the 
flop, Teebagy picked up 17 outs. The 
turn wasn't one of them, though, giving Chen the winning full house.
Heads-up stacks
- Aubrey Williams: 19,075,000
- Skye Chen: 10,350,000
Heads-up for the bracelet
The heads-up match swung one way and then the other.
We said Williams made one of the best calls of the tournament earlier. Chen made an even better one here.
With the chip lead, Williams moved all-in on the river with 
on a board showing 
. It was an excellent spot. Against most opponents, the bluff gets through. GTO Wizard recommends folding Chen's hand 100% of the time.
Instead, Chen asked for a count and tanked with 
before making the call to win the biggest pot of the tournament.
“Good call,” Williams said.
Williams did get a shot to close the tournament out with eights against Chen’s . Chen flopped an ace, though, to leave Williams with about six big blinds.
She refused to go quietly, doubling three times to bring the stacks close to even again. But one final flip settled it.
Chen shoved with pocket fours and Williams called with 
. She couldn't find any of her outs on the 
runout, and Chen won her first bracelet in just the second WSOP event she'd ever played.
Many wanted Williams to win because of the abuse she'd taken throughout the week. Instead, she left with a career-best score, plenty of admiration from those inside the Horseshoe, and the respect of the woman who beat her.
2026 WSOP Ladies Championship results
- Skye Chen (USA): $194,630
- Aubrey Williams (USA): $129,692
- Lisa Teebagy (USA): $93,149
- Caitlin Comeskey (USA): $67,735
- Emily Spencer (USA): $49,874
- Victoria Ailloud (France): $37,192
