Amber Sullivan Wins LIPS Championship at Venetian

LIPS Championship at Venetian delivers a standout Women’s Poker Week moment

The Ladies International Poker Series Championship took over the Venetian with cards in the air at 11:10 a.m., and the response was immediate. By the end of registration, the $800 buy-in event had drawn 314 entries, smashing the $150,000 guarantee and pushing the final prize pool to $218,230.

That kind of turnout matters. It shows that women’s poker is not only healthy, but expanding in the live tournament ecosystem. Thirty players reached the money, the min-cash was $1,690, and the eventual winner would bank $43,536 along with a trophy and a memorable place in the Women’s Poker Week story.

For players and rooms alike, events like this are proof that well-run women’s championships can create strong fields, meaningful prize pools, and a welcoming competitive environment. The Venetian provided exactly that, and the final table delivered the kind of drama that keeps live poker compelling.

Prize pool growth and what the numbers say

The first key headline is the field size. A 314-entry turnout in an $800 event is a strong result in any live series, but in a women’s championship it carries extra significance. It suggests broad interest, strong trust in the event brand, and a player pool that is willing to travel and compete.

The payout structure also tells a clear story:

• Total prize pool: $218,230
• Paid places: 30
• Min-cash: $1,690
• Winner’s share: $43,536

When a $150,000 guarantee is exceeded by more than $68,000, the event becomes more than just a scheduled stop. It becomes a statement about demand. That’s important for [poker rooms]( /en/pokerrooms ) planning future calendars, because consistent turnout is what turns a one-off championship into a recurring destination event.

It also reinforces a broader point: women’s poker is not a novelty segment. It is a real market with real momentum, and strong live events can help sustain that growth over time.

Final table at the Venetian: no easy spots

The final table was loaded with experience, range, and personality. WPA Vice President Christina Black summed it up well when she called it a tough final table, and the action backed that up.

The first player out was poker influencer Alexandra Loveless, who finished ninth. Her presence highlighted another important trend in modern poker: content creators and community figures are increasingly part of serious tournament fields, but they still have to navigate the same pressure as everyone else.

From there, the field thinned in the following order:

• Manon Ampe of Belgium finished eighth
• Jo Ann Schmidt took seventh
• Kathy Kolberg placed sixth
• Lily Lofty exited in fifth
• Lauren Bunch finished fourth
• Judith Bielan took third

Several of those names carried serious live experience. Kathy Kolberg and Lily Lofty each have more than $400,000 in recorded live cashes, while Judith Bielan entered the final table with over $1 million in live earnings. That kind of pedigree changes the texture of a tournament: late-stage pots are harder to navigate, value bets get thinner, and mistakes are punished faster.

Amber Sullivan, Ludan Zhang, and the ICM chop

The heads-up battle ended with an ICM chop between Amber Sullivan and Ludan Zhang of China. In practical terms, that means both players recognized the financial equity of their stacks and agreed to split the remaining prize pool in a way that reflected real tournament value.

Zhang received the runner-up payout and the LIPS Championship trophy, while Sullivan secured the largest share of the prize pool, the WPA trophy, and the coveted Venetian coin. For the record books, Sullivan is the champion. For the moment itself, both players made a decision that balanced competition with sound financial logic.

That’s one reason ICM awareness is so important in modern live poker. A player can have the edge in chip EV and still be making a mistake if they ignore payout pressure. The best tournament regulars understand when to press, when to reduce variance, and when a chop is the most rational outcome.

Sullivan’s win was also deeply personal. She celebrated alongside her family, and that emotional layer is part of what makes live poker different from online results. A title at a venue like the Venetian becomes a shared memory, not just a line in a database.

Expert analysis: why this result matters for women’s poker

Sullivan’s victory says a lot about where women’s poker is headed. The field was not soft, the final table was not shallow, and the title was not handed out through luck alone. It was earned in a competitive environment with recognizable live pros, accomplished grinders, and a balanced endgame.

For players, there are several takeaways:

• Women’s championships are increasingly competitive. Treat them like real main events, because the fields are getting stronger every year.
• ICM matters late. A heads-up chop is not a sign of weakness; it is often a sign of maturity and strong decision-making.
• Deep-stack comfort is a real edge. Players who study stack-depth strategy and postflop pressure gain more leverage in these formats.
• Community still matters. A supportive environment helps more players return, improve, and build confidence.

If you want to work on those skills, a structured [poker school]( /en/pokerschool ) can help with ICM, push-fold strategy, and final-table adjustments. And if you’re looking for live opportunities to apply that study, keep an eye on [poker clubs]( /en/pokerclubs ) and major series schedules.

From an industry perspective, the growth of events like this also creates room for better sponsorships, stronger satellite ecosystems, and more specialized offers such as [promotions & bonuses]( /en/blog/promotions ). That’s how a segment moves from promising to sustainable.

Player of the Day: Monika Hrabec’s pro mindset

The recap’s Player of the Day spotlight belonged to Monika Hrabec, and her story adds another layer to Women’s Poker Week. Hrabec is a former pharmacist from Poland who now lives in Vienna and has built a full-time poker career around competition, content creation, and brand work as an ACR Poker ambassador.

She’s also married to Roman Hrabec, one of the rising stars in the high-stakes scene. Monika joked that even after nearly a year of marriage, he still feels a bit like a mystery because he is such a machine. That line says a lot about the modern poker lifestyle: success often comes from relentless repetition, study, and discipline.

Her poker résumé already includes a major highlight — winning a Mystery Bounty event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in Nassau in 2023. That result helped establish her as a player who can compete in any format and against any field.

Hrabec also has a genuine appreciation for women’s events. She loves the community and sees a shared spark in the women who decide to chase poker dreams. That attitude is exactly why these events matter: they create a space where ambition, support, and competition can coexist.

At the same time, her day was split between her own run and railing Roman, who made a deep run in WSOP Event #62 $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em before finishing 11th, just shy of the final table. It’s a reminder that modern poker often turns into a family business, with both careers moving in parallel.

If you’re exploring the game more seriously, studying the market, or even considering a role as a [poker agent]( /en/pokeragent ), the lesson is the same: results come from preparation, consistency, and the ability to adapt under pressure.

Conclusion: Venetian gave Women’s Poker Week a true headline

Amber Sullivan’s win was emotional, earned, and meaningful. It capped a strong Women’s Poker Week performance at the Venetian and showcased exactly why these championships continue to grow in importance.

The numbers were solid, the final table was tough, and the atmosphere reflected the best version of live poker: competitive, respectful, and memorable. For players, it’s a reminder that women’s events now demand real study and real strategy. For the industry, it’s a sign that the format has room to keep expanding.

And for Sullivan, it’s a title she will likely remember for a very long time.

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