{{short description|Australian-born American poker player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2012}} {{Infobox poker player | image = | image_size = 150px | name = Marsha Waggoner | nickname = The Grand Dame of Poker | caption = | birth_date = {{birth-date and age|January 11, 1940}} | birth_place = | wsop bracelet count = ''None'' | wsop money finishes = 20 | wsop main event best finish rank = 12th 1997 | wsop main event best finish year = | wpt titles = ''None'' | wpt final tables = ''None'' | wpt money finishes = 7 }}
'''Marsha Waggoner''' (born January 11, 1940{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) is an American professional poker player who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Waggoner has finished in the money at 20 World Series of Poker (WSOP) events as of 2010. Her highest WSOP finish was 2nd place in the 23rd Annual WSOP tournament in Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo, for which she won $52,500.
==Poker career== ===Background===
In 1976, as a casino dealer in Sydney, Waggoner discovered a talent for stud poker, and in 1977, moved to Reno, Nevada to pursue poker professionally.
Most of her experience up until this point was in cash games, however her interest in tournament games was piqued when Amarillo Slim brought the ''Second Annual Poker Classic'' to Reno in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Polson |first=Sarah |title=Marsha Waggoner talks poker |url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/all-aboard-the-waggoner-train-14360 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912063945/http://www.pokerlistings.com/all-aboard-the-waggoner-train-14360 |archive-date=2009-09-12 |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=PokerListings.com}}</ref> Waggoner stayed in Reno until the mid-1980s, at which point she moved to Las Vegas, quickly demonstrating her ability at tournament Texas Hold 'em and Seven-Card Stud events.
In 1987, Waggoner moved to California while continuing to play professionally. It was around this time that Waggoner began to establish herself as "a solid and patient tournament player whose results continually proved she belonged in the game's upper echelons".<ref>From [http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_marsha-waggoner?show=bio Pokerlistings.com], Retrieved September 10, 2007.</ref>
In 2008, she was one of four inaugural inductees into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame<ref>[http://www.womenspokerhalloffame.com/inductees.shtml Women in Poker Hall of Fame], Retrieved September 27, 2009.</ref> at Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel in Las Vegas.
In 2010, she was inducted into the Australian Poker Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 January 2010 |title=Marsha Waggoner Inducted into Australian Poker Hall of Fame |url=http://www.pokernetwork.com/news/marsha-waggoner-inducted-into-australian-poker-hall-of-fame14720.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131140155/http://www.pokernetwork.com/news/marsha-waggoner-inducted-into-australian-poker-hall-of-fame14720.htm |archive-date=January 31, 2010 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |website=Poker Network}}, Retrieved October 2, 2010.</ref>
===Results===
Waggoner’s best tournament placing was winning the 2003 National Championship of Poker, playing in the Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo event, a low limit buy in at Hollywood Park Casino.
In 2005, Waggoner was invited to play in the World Poker Tour’s third annual Legends of Poker Ladies Night tournament at the Bicycle Casino, and finished third in one event of the 2006 Ultimate Poker Challenge.
As of 2010, her total live tournament winnings exceed $830,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marsha Waggoner's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=242 |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Waggoner is currently single; in 2008 she separated from fellow poker professional Kenna James, whom she met at the Hollywood Park Casino in 1997. She has three children from a previous marriage and five grandchildren, and enjoys playing golf and dancing.
Although she has lived in America for more than 30 years, Waggoner still visits her home country regularly to compete in poker tournaments (such as the Aussie Millions) and see her extended family.
Waggoner's brother is the noted former Australian photojournalist Jim Fenwick.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/1711-marsha-waggoner Card Player profile] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20071018005229/http://www.pokerpages.com/players/profiles/12241/marsha-waggoner.htm Poker Pages profile] * [http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_marsha-waggoner?show=bio Poker Listings biography] *[https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=242 Hendon Mob profile] *[https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=1002 WSOP profile] * {{IMDb name|2297262}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waggoner, Marsha}} Category:1940 births Category:American poker players Category:American female poker players Category:Living people Category:Australian emigrants to the United States Category:Australian poker players Category:Super Bowl of Poker event winners Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States