Rollin' with the Queen of Hearts

J.J. Liu at an event for the Queen of Hearts poker team.

For the second year, the Queen of Hearts all-female poker team will be rolling into the Rio Sunday to compete in the 2007 World Series of Poker Ladies No-Limit Hold'em event. They may be on a quest for a bracelet, but they'll also be there to earn some money for charity.

The Rio may need to bring out a red carpet when the team arrives as it's filled with celebrities, poker pros and some top females in the industry, all pledging some of their winnings from the WSOP Ladies event to the American Heart Association and Nevada Cancer Institute.

The team is founded by Lisa Tenner who is co-captaining the team with Mimi Rogers, actress and poker player.

Last year's team was captained by Jennifer Tilly who won a WSOP bracelet in the Ladies Event in 2005 and has a World Poker Tour championship win in the Ladies Night Out event. She returns this year as well as a player.

The poker pros on the team include Clonie Gowen, Susie Isaacs, J.J. Liu, Jennifer Leigh, Isabelle Mercier, Vanessa Rousso and reigning Ladies Event champ Mary Jones.

Also on the team are Carla Christofferson, WNBA Los Angeles Sparks owner; Mylene Leithner; Mary Magazine, Poker Players Alliance founding member and member of the Board of Directors; Stacie Orloff, Corum U.S.A. president; Crystal Osgood-Grey, Ladies Poker Association president; and more.

"We're sponsored this year by the Poker Player's Alliance, which has provided the first donation to the team and the charities," said Tenner.

"Thanks to our sponsor and this great group of women who have accumulated individual winnings well into the millions, our team expects to exceed its 2006 total."

Representatives from both the Nevada Cancer Institute and the American Heart Association were at an event introducing the team today. Several expressed how grateful the organizations are for the help.

The American Heart Association was the main beneficiary from the Queen of Hearts team during its inaugural year in 2006, and the Nevada Cancer Institute was added this year because it's the main charity promoted by the World Series of Poker.

"We appreciate the support of the community and of the Queen of Hearts Team," said Clark Dumont, Nevada Cancer Institute vice president of communications and public affairs.

"This financial support will help us in pursuing our mission of preventing, detecting, educating, caring and curing cancer throughout our communities."

Tenner started the team because she was interested in playing in the Ladies Event at the WSOP but her husband, a veteran poker player and entrepreneur, wasn't interested in buying her in.

She said forming the team was a way to help out a cause and get sponsorship to get the members of the team into the event. Of course, the women who have joined the team have big hearts and are more than willing to give a little back for charity.

Liu, who became the highest-placing woman in a World Poker Tour championship event this year with a second-place finish, said she is planning to donate 15% of her winnings to charity. That includes part to the charities promoted by the team as well as a few of her own choice.

Even though she's already committed to splitting half of any of her winnings with her poker club, Isaacs is committing 5% to charity as well. However that number could be flexible.

"That percentage goes up the deeper I go in the tournament, though, as I can afford to give more," Isaacs said.

Last year Isaacs also pledged 1% of her winnings to Phil Gordon's Bad Beat on Cancer, and she said he did get some money out of her from her cash in the $10,000 Main Event.

The team raised nearly $20,000 for charity in 2006, and this year it looks to be a pretty safe bet for bringing in even more.

"The Queen of Hearts Team is a royal flush for our National Go Red for Women campaign," said Tammy Lier, American Heart Association volunteer.

"This program provides great visibility to our efforts encouraging women to get check ups and make lifestyle changes that will give them greater longevity. We really appreciate these busy and successful women coming together for our cause."

Stay tuned to PokerListings.com for an upcoming interview with Jennifer Tilly Sunday about her involvement with the team and poker.

Related Articles:

• Queen of Hearts Return for 2007 WSOP
• All-Female Team Antes Up at WSOP for Charity