Barbara Enright biography
Barbara Enright learned poker at home at the age of four, playing against her older brother. Before the game paid her bills she worked as a hairstylist, bartender and cocktail waitress, often holding three jobs at once, and she began playing in cardrooms in 1976.
Enright won her first World Series of Poker bracelet in 1986 in a $500 Women's 7-Card Stud event and added a second in the same discipline in 1994. In 1995 she finished fifth in the WSOP Main Event, the first woman ever to reach that final table. A year later she won the WSOP Pot Limit Hold'em event for $180,000, becoming the first woman to win an open WSOP event. In 2005 she cashed in the Main Event again after qualifying through a $10 online satellite.
She was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in July 2007 and into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2008. Her live tournament winnings exceed $1.65 million. She is editor-in-chief of Woman Poker Player magazine and works as a motivational speaker.
Career summary
A three-time WSOP bracelet winner, Barbara Enright was the first woman to make the WSOP Main Event final table and to win an open WSOP event, and is a member of the Poker Hall of Fame.
Barbara Enright poker winnings
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | WSOP Pot Limit Hold'em | 1st | $180,000 |
| 1994 | WSOP Women's 7-Card Stud | 1st | $38,400 |
| 1986 | WSOP $500 Women's 7-Card Stud | 1st | $16,400 |
| 1995 | WSOP Main Event | 5th | Undisclosed |
Verified live tournament earnings: $1,650,000+ from 21 cashes, plus 3 WSOP bracelets.
Barbara Enright playing style
A seasoned stud and hold'em player from the cardroom era, Enright combines patient, solid fundamentals with the reading skills she built over decades of live games.
Cash games
Started playing in cardrooms in 1976 and turned to poker full-time once it became her main income.
Business & sponsorships
Editor-in-chief of Woman Poker Player magazine, ambassador of the Poker League of Nations and a motivational speaker.
Why Barbara matters
Barbara Enright broke several of poker's glass ceilings: the first woman to reach a WSOP Main Event final table and the first woman to win an open WSOP event.
FAQ about Barbara Enright
Why is Barbara Enright famous in poker?
In 1995 she became the first woman to reach the WSOP Main Event final table, and in 1996 the first woman to win an open WSOP event.
When was Barbara Enright inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame?
She was inducted on July 6, 2007, and joined the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2008.
How much has Barbara Enright won playing poker?
Barbara Enright has won $1,650,000+ in live tournament earnings. Total cashes: 21 WSOP money finishes.
How many WSOP bracelets does Barbara Enright have?
Barbara Enright has won 3 WSOP bracelets.
