Tonight I watched the WPT Ladies Night 2 tournament on The Travel Channel, and saw an outstanding event filled with hard-hitting, action-packed poker. Enough metaphors for you there?

This is the second year that the WPT Ladies Night has aired, and once again the elegant Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles played host to one of the most popular events in professional poker today, Ladies Night.

Six ladies were in attendence for the WPT invitational this year. Five were by invitation and the sixth player sat in by winning an elimination process, beating out 300 other challengers.

These top female poker players were about to battle it out in a no-limit Texas Hold ‘em for a $25,000 seat at the season-ending WPT Championship at the Bellagio.

Returning champion Clonie Gowan, a member of Team FullTilt Poker, was my favorite pick to win; maybe my rooting for her was because I lived so long in Texas? No matter why I cheered for Clonie, it wasn't going to be her night, however, as a new champion would be emerging.

I think the most impressive contender for this coveted seat in the WPT championship tournament was Isabelle Mercier. She was an attorney at one time and left her field to try her hand as a Poker Tournament Director in France. Then once she'd gained the needed skills, she became a player (pictured to the right). In her words, "I now have my freedom".

Isabelle has a penetrating look that could stare down the toughest of my Army drill instructors in boot camp back in the day. One thing that I noticed was that these ladies didn't wear the ever-present sunglasses worn by so many of the male players. They came as the people they are, to play.

Another anticipated favorite of mine was high-stakes player Cyndy Violette, who won her first World Series of Poker bracelet playing 7-card Stud/Hi-lo in 2004.

Cyndy, a professional player for many years now, is based out of New Jersey and plays at a prominant casino in Atlantic City. Tonight wasn't going to be her night either, as she just wasn't seeing the cards needed to win. I think her highest card for the night was a King, and that was in a showdown.

Clonie was the first player eliminated when she went allin, and then Cyndy was eliminated. I saw more showdowns tonight than I recall in a tournament in a long time!

Wendeen Eolis, a high-powered politican out of New York was the third player eliminated. Wendeen is the first woman to ever finish in the money at the WSOP. The fourth player eliminated, after hard fought hands and a possible come back, was Sharon Goldman. Sharon has finished in the money in two Wolrd Poker Tour events. A funny part in the tournament was when Wendeen said to Sharon, "Do you get the feeling we're playing in a game somewhere else?".

The surprise of the evening though was rookie Lavinna Zhang. Livinna has probably played for six months now on the professional circuit, and has learned much of what she knows watching her boyfriend who is also a pro poker player.

There were times it looked like Livinna would be eliminated from the tournament early on, and each time by Isabelle. It really did seem like there were two different games being played at the same time too, and the hottest action was between these two ladies. Livinna made a couple comebacks however and was able to double-up going into the final hands.

The final showdown between these ladies for the championship was a $480,000 pot, and both ladies were holding Aces when they went allin. Isabelle's hole cards were an A8 and Livinna's were an A7. Amazingly the flop was A2A, but the turn fell in Isabelle's favor bringing up another 8. The river was a 4, and it was over, with both ladies giving each other heartfelt congratulations.

This poker game tonight rivaled many of the championship games I have seen with an unusual amount of action and showdowns. Don't miss it, on The Travel Channel, and don't underestimate a woman playing opposite you in a tournament. They're some of the better players I have seen, and we're going to be hearing allot more from these fantastic ladies.

Sharon Goldman (3rd)	Clonie Gowan (6th)	Wendeen Eolis (4th)