Esther Taylor was certainly one of poker’s standout feminine gamers of 2025, having one of the best 12 months of her profession. As a part-time participant, she achieved 18 cashes, 6 last tables, and $880K in winnings final 12 months, making her the tenth highest-earning lady of 2025.
Most notably, E-Tay reached the ultimate desk of the world’s most prestigious match: the $50K WSOP Poker Gamers Championship. She confronted one of the best gamers on the earth and ended up three-handed towards Bryn Kenney and the eventual winner Michael Mizrachi. She completed third for $595K, turning into the occasion’s highest-placing feminine participant, surpassing Melissa Burr‘s seventh-place end in 2014.
We reached out to Esther to glean perception from her experiences all through 2025 and took the chance to ask her about her 20-year profession enjoying the stay match circuit, the place she turned a blended video games specialist.
tenth: @BetMGMPoker ambassador Esther Taylor pic.twitter.com/havAWhEckI
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Interview with Esther Taylor
You had an incredible 2025 with 6 last tables. How would you summarize your poker 12 months?
Undoubtedly one of the best 12 months of my profession. My aim was to simply maintain placing myself ready to have a shot, and I really feel like that what’s I did!
You completed third within the $50K PPC enjoying towards one of the best on the earth. What was that have like?
Fairly surreal to be sincere, and really fairly exhausting to outline within the second, however trying again I actually felt like a small fish in an enormous pond. I’ve accrued quite a bit blended sport poker expertise over time, however nothing might have ready for being on the last desk of the $50K 9-game match, competing vs one of the best on the earth. Actually indescribable, but in addition a pinnacle second that you simply work all through your profession to attempt to attain!
Esther through the 3-handed of the 2025 PPC / Picture: Alicia Skillman
Days later you achieved your finest end result within the WSOP Predominant Occasion, ending 152nd. How did the deep run really feel?
Perhaps even higher than the $50K if I’m being sincere LOL! Solely as a result of this was my tenth time enjoying the WSOP Predominant Occasion, and I’ve by no means ever gotten any traction in that match, so to interrupt by way of and at last make a deep run was simply felt not solely an enormous aid, however validation that I’ve been on the lookout for throughout 20 years.
You completed the 12 months with last tables in Austin and Las Vegas. What was lacking so that you can take residence a championship trophy in 2025?
I focus totally on the issues I’ve management over, and the weather that I’ve no management over I don’t waste vitality on, due to this fact I’m very sensible on being results-oriented. YES, I need to WIN, however I’ve all the time and can say how exhausting tournaments are and what number of issues need to go proper to win. I can solely work on making BETTER selections and put myself in a great place to have an opportunity to win. That’s what I’ll proceed to do till I win the trophy.
Along with your newest outcomes, you’ve climbed to nineteenth place on the Ladies’s All Time Cash Checklist. Are you motivated to attempt to attain the High 10, or is that not one thing that pursuits you?
Whereas I respect the accolade, I don’t give an excessive amount of inventory in these “rankings”. There are a ton of PHENOMENAL ladies poker gamers that their information isn’t collected, possibly they’re half time gamers elevating a household, and so forth. I’ve by no means been a full time participant. I establish with people who have many different issues happening of their lives, and these rankings aren’t a real illustration of ALL ladies who play poker.
How did you first change into enthusiastic about poker and the world of tournaments?
I had an exquisite and fulfilling job in wealth administration once I was launched to poker by way of a buddy. I had zero information of the business in anyway, aside from what you see on TV the place somebody makes a “royal flush”. I come from a really aggressive and athletic background, so I used to be instantly HOOKED.
Your first money was within the WSOP Girls occasion means again in 2006. What do you bear in mind about that match?
I simply bear in mind strolling into the Rio, with my solely expertise enjoying on-line, very small native tournaments, and residential sport sit & gos. I used to be overwhelmed, star struck and intrigued.
In 2007 you gained your first match in Pendleton, Oregon. Do you bear in mind what that felt like on the time?
I simply bear in mind feeling “what simply occurred” haha!
In 2009 you completed second in a $5K WSOP Circuit occasion, simply shy of the ring, and achieved your first six-figure end result. Did that inspire you to play extra stay poker?
Sure, positively. I feel that was a turning level the place I assumed to myself, “I can get right here. I can put myself I place to win.”
You reached your first WPT last desk in 2015. What was it like so that you can be in entrance of the cameras for the primary time?
I had simply come off a five-year break from poker to lift my daughter, and I used to be lucky to discover a profitable run instantly a serious WPT occasion in my yard at Borgata. It was a thrill and I used to be proud to show you can be a mother, have a life outdoors poker, and nonetheless discover a path that’s profitable.
On the 2016 WSOP you completed 4th, tenth, eleventh, and thirty second in blended video games occasions. Had been you already snug enjoying these codecs at the moment?
If I needed to grade myself trying again, being sincere, I used to be most likely a C-level blended sport participant. Though, I did have some extra expertise than others as a result of I used to be capable of be taught blended video games on-line between 2006-2009 earlier than Black Friday shut all of it down.
What suggestions would you give to somebody who desires to be taught blended video games at this time?
VOLUME. Get as a lot quantity as doable on the lowest stakes doable. Strive tournaments that you’re snug enjoying. Ask lots of inquiries to your folks and colleagues which have extra expertise than you and take in all of it. Don’t be afraid to make errors.
On the 2017 WSOP, you completed third in a $25K PLO Excessive Curler, going through powerful opponents on the last desk. Was that your greatest problem as a participant as much as that time?
Completely, that was my first 12 months entering into PLO, and whereas I received very fortunate to be there, as soon as it got here right down to the ultimate desk, I used to be simply completely underneath skilled and fully outclassed.
You got here inside a hair’s breadth of profitable a bracelet in 2022, ending second. Do you assume you’ll ultimately win one? How do you mentally cope with match variance?
I’ll relive that match the remainder of my life, and the detrimental mistake I made heads up. I’ll inform you proper now, for those who can’t discover a technique to take away the results of a flip of a card in a excessive fairness spot emotionally, you aren’t reduce out for this business. That’s what I’ve tried to do. I’m going in to every match with confidence, the deal with making the very best selections, sustaining what’s in my management after which all the things that occurs from there I’m at peace with win or lose.
Esther through the last desk on the 2022 WSOP / Picture: Spenser Sembrat
You talked about in an interview that you simply’ve by no means learn a poker guide. How do you research or attempt to enhance your poker sport?
I don’t research books or charts, however I completely research my opponents, patterns on the desk; I listen. My homework is finished the primary hour at any new desk. You’ll be put in lots of excessive strain/fairness spots the place no guide or chart can prevent and it’s important to go off intuitive expertise and intestine.
What’s one of the best factor poker has given you?
Freedom, expertise, adrenaline and aggressive repair, life altering relationships and a platform to assist others.
What targets and desires do you’ve gotten so far as poker is worried?
I need to go away a optimistic mark on the business in any means I can. I’ve bodily targets of trophies, but when folks bear in mind me for being distinctive, real, genuine, having enjoyable and serving to others, I’m 100% OK with that.
E-Tay along with her first trophy of 2026
Esther’s newest triumph got here in Occasion #14 H.O.R.S.E. on the 2026 Borgata Winter Poker Open, taking residence $15K for the victory. We want her one of the best of luck in making 2026 even higher than 2025!
