The countdown to the 2025 WSOP is on. 100 bracelets. All the poker players. And PokerOrg will be on the floor from start to finish.
Lena Evans is a two-time WSOP Circuit champion, successful entrepreneur, and outspoken advocate for recognizing poker as a mind sport. As CEO of Helix Poker and Suited Poker Gear and founder of the Poker League of Nations, she champions the game's power to inspire strategic thinking, cognitive resilience, and personal empowerment, especially for women.
What are you most looking forward to at the WSOP?
This summer's WSOP will be extra special because after nearly four years of hard work, the book inspired by my 2021 TEDx talk, The Poker Powered Brain, is finally complete
It has been a labor of love, filled with research, reflection, and collaboration, and while I hoped to release it in time for the 2023 WSOP and then again for 2024, life had other plans. I couldn't be more excited to share it during ‘summer camp’ in Las Vegas.
What prep will you do ahead of the summer grind?
Preparing for the WSOP grind is as much a mental and emotional journey as it is a strategic one, and as the summer approaches, I become very intentional about ramping up my play and my mindset.
All of my preparation is really about building momentum — physically, mentally, and emotionally — so that by the time I step into the Horseshoe and Paris, I am not just ready to play, I am grounded, confident, and in tune with the rhythm of tournament poker.
What’s your favorite WSOP event?
I make sure I’m present for all the major WSOP events that mean the most to me: the Seniors, the Ladies Championship and the Tag Team. I’ll also be zigzagging about the Strip to play in various tournaments at neighboring properties. But, without question, my favorite WSOP event is the Main Event. Nothing else in poker compares to the energy, intensity, and possibility that fill the air when you sit down on Day 1.
Who would be your first three picks in a Fantasy WSOP draft?
This is such a fun and impossible question — there are so many incredible players to choose from! I would want a mix of deep-thinking tacticians, big-moment performers, high-volume grinders, and iconic personalities. So, my lineup would include Patrik Antonius, Kristen Foxen, and Brian Rast – they would each bring a unique and essential strength to the table.
Patrik is the epitome of composure and intuition. Kristen is a dream fantasy pick. She is among the most technically sound and consistently high-performing tournament players today. Brian rounds out the team as a world-class all-around talent.
Who would you swap 5% with?
If I could swap 5% with one player across all WSOP events this summer, it would be Kristen Foxen — without hesitation.
Can you give us a summary of what people can expect from your new book, The Poker Powered Brain?
The book explores how playing poker enhances cognitive functions such as memory, attention, decision-making, and problem-solving.
Four World Series of Poker Main Event champions, four World Poker Tour champions, six World Series of Poker Hall of Fame inductees, two Women in Poker Hall of Fame inductees, and four WSOP Women’s Champions, and I share insights into how poker can serve as a tool for mental fitness and emotional growth.
We emphasize the importance of maintaining mental acuity, particularly for women and older adults. We advocate for poker as an enjoyable, social, and empowering way to stimulate the brain, build emotional resilience, and stay mentally vibrant.
What can poker do to encourage more women to play?
Women are showing up, crushing fields, and earning respect based on skill, resilience, and results, not gender. I have had a front-row seat to this evolution, and it's been incredible to watch the momentum build.
The most significant change I have seen is increased visibility. Women are no longer just sprinkled into final tables — we are consistently running deep, winning titles, and being featured in mainstream poker media. This visibility helps shatter outdated stereotypes and encourages other women to leap, knowing a real and growing community is behind them.
Another significant shift is community building. Women in poker are no longer isolated; we are connecting, studying together, traveling together, and advocating for one another. That said, there is still work to be done. If we want more women in poker, the industry must be more intentional. This means hosting more women-focused events with meaningful structures and guarantees, ensuring coverage of women’s accomplishments, and offering inclusive environments that value new players.
If you could persuade the WSOP to make one change this summer, what would it be?
It would be to make a bold, visible commitment to positioning women not just as participants but as vital leaders in the game's future. Expanding women-focused offerings — through additional events, better scheduling, and stronger promotion — would send a powerful message: women are not just welcome at the WSOP but essential to its growth and evolution.
Will Phil Hellmuth play the Main Event?
Phil isn’t wrong about the Main Event being a grueling test of endurance. And, while I can't speak definitively about Phil's decision, it would not be entirely surprising if he reconsidered as the event drew nearer.
Phil has a long history with the WSOP, and his connection to the tournament is almost unparalleled. The allure of poker's biggest stage might very well be too strong for him to resist when the time comes!
You can follow Lena Evans on X and get more info on her new book, The Poker Powered Brain, the Poker League of Nations and Suited Poker Gear.
