Esther Taylor biography
Esther Taylor, known to peers as "E-Tay," first cashed on the live tournament circuit in 2006 and built a two-decade career as a mixed-games specialist, all while working in wealth management before eventually committing to poker full time.
She took a five-year break from the circuit to raise her daughter before returning to the game, a comeback that culminated in the signature result of her career at the 2025 WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship, where she became just the second woman ever to reach that event's final table and finished 3rd for $595,000 after a heads-up battle with eventual champion Michael Mizrachi. That result helped push her 2025 earnings to $880,000, ranking her among the ten highest-earning women in poker that year.
Taylor has described her game as built on intuition and studying opponents rather than charts or solver output, a style that has carried her to deep runs across H.O.R.S.E., Pot-Limit Omaha, and No-Limit Hold'em formats alike, including a 2026 title in a Borgata Winter Poker Open H.O.R.S.E. event.
Career summary
A mixed-games specialist and former wealth manager who became just the second woman to reach the final table of the WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship in 2025, finishing 3rd for $595,000 after a heads-up battle with Michael Mizrachi.
Esther Taylor poker winnings
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Borgata Winter Poker Open Event #14 H.O.R.S.E. | 1st | $15,000 |
| 2025 | WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championshipcareer-defining result, lost heads-up to eventual champion Michael Mizrachi | 3rd | $595,000 |
Verified live tournament earnings: $1,500,000+.
2022 - WSOP bracelet event - 2nd (runner-up)
2017 - WSOP $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller - 3rd
2025 - WSOP Main Event - 152nd (her deepest Main Event run in ten attempts)
Esther Taylor playing style
A mixed-games specialist who relies on studying opponents and trusting her instincts rather than chart-based or solver-driven play, built on two decades of cash-game and tournament experience.
Cash games
A mixed-games specialist who built her foundation in cash games before translating that experience into a two-decade tournament career.
Business & sponsorships
A former wealth management professional before transitioning to full-time poker; signed with Above the Felt Entertainment as a content partner.
Why Esther matters
A former wealth manager known as "E-Tay" who took a five-year break from the felt to raise her daughter before returning to reach the biggest stage of her two-decade career, battling Michael Mizrachi heads-up in the 2025 Poker Players Championship.
FAQ about Esther Taylor
What made Esther Taylor's 2025 Poker Players Championship result historic?
She became only the second woman in history to reach the final table of the WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship, ultimately finishing 3rd for $595,000 after battling eventual champion Michael Mizrachi heads-up.
What was Esther Taylor doing before she committed to poker full-time?
She worked as a wealth management professional and later took a five-year break from the tournament circuit to raise her daughter before returning to the game and building toward her career-best 2025 season.
How much has Esther Taylor won playing poker?
Esther Taylor has won $1,500,000+ in live tournament earnings.
How many WSOP bracelets does Esther Taylor have?
Esther Taylor has not won a WSOP bracelet yet.