Personal Passions
Poker Industry Leadership
Wendeen H. Eolis was the first woman to cash in the World Series of Poker main event (1986) and the first to do so twice (1993). She was awarded a commemorative chip in her honor by the WSOP (1996) and has been recognized by the WSOP as the "Grande Dame of Poker." Eolis was the only WPT/PPT player awarded both a management sponsorship and election to the Professional Poker Tour (2004-2005). For more than 40 years, Eolis' legal consultancy has provided specialized expertise in the gaming space and more recently in online poker affairs. She is a proponent of regulated online poker and writes extensively about the impact of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. of 2006.
Elevating Standards
-
Member, WSOP PAC
-
Past Chair, IPAC
-
Past Chair, World Poker Assoc.
-
Advocate for smoke-free poker
- Advocate for abuse-free poker
Player Advocate
Wendeen Eolis has been a leader among women and a non stop activist in the poker industry.
In the 80's she began to tame a macho poker world as one of the women pioneers in high stakes poker games and big buy-in tournaments.
Her assertive efforts in the 90's were widely regarded as instrumental in effectuating poker room smoking bans in Atlantic City, at the WSOP and beyond.
In the oughts she focused aggressively on abusive conduct in poker rooms; she was the chief proponent of Rule 37 (updated to rule 39 B) at the WSOP--the non abuse rule.
Since 2006 she has participated on the WSOP Players Advisory Council and during 2007-2008 chaired the WSOP International Players Advisory Council.
While Chairman of the player driven World Poker Association, Eolis forged a partnership between the WSOP and the WPA for an official WPA-WSOP tournament event (2008) .
Since the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, Eolis has been a vocal and politically active supporter of legalized and regulated online poker.
Ambassador, Celebrating the Poker World
A long time media magnet, Ms. Eolis used her 15 years as a poker player celebrity to promote the good of poker.
She chose to film a segment of an A & E Network Biography Special that profiled her life and fascination with poker at Jack Binion's World Poker Open in Tunica, Mississippi--in the poorest county of the poorest state of America- -to pay respect to the efforts of MS casinos to build higher literacy in the state.
She co-anchored with Nancy Grace on Court TV (TRU TV), a one-hour program during the Ted Binion murder trial--bypassing commentary about the tawdry allegations, to talk instead about the Binion legacy to the gaming world, while fielding questions from her co-anchor about life in the legal consulting business, politics and poker.
And she trekked across the United States as a poker coach introducing author/screenwriter Elizabeth Gilbert to great poker players around the country, in an effort to share her starring role in the subsequently published article for GQ Magazine: "Chicks With Decks".
Unique Poker Broadcasts
First female poker player to commentate for WSOP (ESPN, 1987).
Director and anchor of the first live poker tournament podcast (USPC, 1999).
Co-anchor of filmed TOC, a pilot for the WPT (2001).
Appeared on Travel Channel's WPT Ladies Night II Invitational (2004).
Special Internet broadcast: last WSOP event (Binion's Horseshoe, 2005).
Ms. Eolis appeared on 6 GSN Poker Royale televised tournaments (2005).
Writing to Raise Awareness of Issues
Eolis was a pioneer in investigative journalism for poker trade publications. Her first such piece appeared in Poker Digest (2000). Since that time, Eolis has published penetrating articles for most major poker publications.
Giving Heart to Charitable Poker
Eolis has donated poker coaching sessions, people reading seminars and has waived appearance fees as an internationally recognized poker personality and business negotiator at more than fifty educational and charitable events. Eolis' company supports numerous poker tournaments that include a charitable component.
Ongoing Goal-Oriented Feminist
A pioneer for women in high stakes poker games and world class tournaments
Managing Eolis Institute for People Reading (est. 2006) teaching business women poker principles for work and fun
Learning Annex Instructor; formal curriculum for women who want to play poker recreationally --and win!
Mediator, with specialized expertise in settling "controversies" for women in the business world, the legal world and the poker room. Eolis resolved the famous "dust up" between women poker pros and the WPT in 2008.
Fearless Player
In addition to becoming the first woman to cash in the main event; on the second occasion Eolis did so while medically compelled to don an oxygen mask in the final rounds (1993).
She also took a first place finish in the European Open No Limit Event (1990) and was the only woman to cash in major tournaments she played in the WPT Bellagio 5 Star Championship (2003), the WSOP Seniors Event (2003), and the US Poker Championship (2004).
Ms. Eolis counts a total of seven WSOP cashes to her credit (1986-2009); in three of them she was the only woman to cash. Eolis plays poker profitably; her poker playing exploits are a spare time activity.
