Jamie Kerstetter: Underdog Lawyer in the Main Event

It’s been ten years since the 18-year-old Annette Obrestad won the inaugural 2007 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event. She’s the only female winner in the Main Event’s history and if a female champion is to rise in 2017, she’ll have tough road ahead as only 3.7 percent of the field is female.

Jamie Kerstetter is fighting to make it happen, already avoiding elimination twice on Day 2C. “I got all the way down 9,000 twice today, but I’m up to 30,000 – which is 30 big blinds and plenty for this tournament.”

“I honestly pay that much attention to it anymore. There’s so many women doing so well I don’t feel like there’s any pressure on woman to make it happen,” she said. “We thriving in so many different events that winning a bracelet or final tabling a single tournament isn’t that meaningful.”

The numbers don’t lie – the 2017 Main Event is the third largest in history and only 272 women registered for the event. Even more alarming, there was only a single female player in the field under the age of 25 – Brazil’s Vivian Saliba.

“I think seeing women doing well would have helped me when I was starting to play poker at 18,” she said. “I think if more women were getting featured for their poker skills rather than their looks would be good. Lauren Roberts playing the Super High Roller Bowl is very helpful – seeing women appearing in these spots can inspire young woman.”

Kerstetter would like to see women in bigger spots. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
Kerstetter finds that things have improved for the most part for female players on the felt. “Be nicer to the woman at the table, but I see that that problem correcting itself,” she said. “Men are treating women better – I don’t hear as many stupid comments any more. I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

“It’s fun being the underdog and then showing people you’re as good at math and gutsy as other people, when expectations are to play tight and scared,” Kerstetter added. “That’s part of what has kept me in poker and drove me to be a lawyer. It’s nice to come from nowhere and build yourself into something.”