Dianna Lee Norman of San Diego captured the LIPS Poker Queen Grand Championship at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, winning $17,782 and a gold-and-diamond bracelet. Norman earned her seat by winning the Golden State Ladies Championship at Pechanga in April. Day 1 of the $250 event began on June 29, drawing a field of 382 players that included pros Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, Karina Jett and Susie Isaacs. The prize pool was $74,178. Each player received 15K chips with 40-minute levels and the top 36 were paid.
When the tournament got heads-up, Norman faced Julie Freer of Redmond, Wash. Norman was the substantial chipleader and needed just 15 minutes to end the tournament. Freer moved all-in with A-J for 550K chips, Norman called with 9-9 and Freer never improved.
This is the second ladies win for Norman this year. She had been a blackjack player before watching a poker show in 2005 and deciding to try her hand at poker. She said the best advice she’s been given is, “For every hour you play at the table, you should spend an hour or two off of the felt studying and learning about the game.”
Her advice to other players? “You don’t have to beat the house, just the other players, one hand at time.” She said she also feels winning players know how to fold as well.
VIEJAS: The poker room will host $5K freerolls on Aug. 4 and 18. The final 20 players standing win $250 each. Qualify with 10 hours of live play. Also in August is the King’s Ransom Mini Jackpot. Get beat with kings full of jacks or better and earn $400 for the losing hand, $200 for the winner and $100 for table share.
CHUMASH: Quite a lot of promotions are running this month in the Chumash poker room. The Friday High Hand promotion will earn you tickets for eights full or better starting at 11 a.m. playing Big O (five-card Omaha) and Omaha. Drawings will be every half-hour between 1-4 p.m. … Ask about the splash pots where up to three tables will be splashed with extra cash as a result of drawings every 30 minutes, depending on the number of games going. … The Monte Carlo High Hands special is a weekly high hand board with various bonuses for each hand. Once they are hit they get removed from the board. When the board resets, any hands that have not been hit for that week will have funds added to them.
— Email Kittie Aleman at anteupkittie@gmail.com.
