Shulman and Giardina Inducted to Poker Hall of Fame

Deborah Giardina and Allyn Jaffrey Shulman will be inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame later this June. (Image: Womanspokerhalloffame.com)

Man or woman, the poker world has a tendency to celebrate its most accomplished players and professionals. At the felt, these people have become renowned for their talents and card prowess, and have been rewarded with stacks of chips, gold rings, WSOP bracelets, notoriety and more. For poker’s most prestigious female talent, there’s the Women in Poker Hall of Fame. And with several members already inducted, two more impressive names will now be joining their ranks.

Toasting Poker’s Best Women

Allyn Jaffrey Shulman and Deborah Giardina are being inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF) after being selected by its members, Board of Directors and members of the media. The induction ceremony will take place at the WiPHoF Luncheon Celebration being held at the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas on June 25.

As a part of Ladies Poker Week, the celebratory luncheon will have a silent auction at 11AM with proceeds benefitting WhenCharityWorks.org and PokerGives.org. A $125 buy-in WiPHoF Celebration No Limit Hold’em Tournament will also take place in the Golden Nugget Grand Ballroom at 5PM following the luncheon.

Celebrating Shulman

Over the course of her poker career, Allyn Jaffrey Shulman has earned several accomplishments that rightly give her a place in the 2014 Hall of Fame. Her skills have gained her over $1 million in tournament winnings. Shulman’s breakthrough victory was at the 2012 World Series of Poker Seniors event where she took home the gold bracelet and $603,713 in prize money. With 4,128 entrants it was, at the time, the largest player field ever for a one day starting field in a land-based casino.

Shulman made waves again when she won the 2013 Venetian Deepstacks $5000 Championship Event. She came in first among 262 players with $293,966. Her bracelet win made her the first woman in 249 bracelet events to win a bracelet that wasn’t in a ladies event. Shulman also had nine other cashes at the WSOP in addition to the bracelet win along with 61 other cashes.

Despite being a fierce competitor, Shulman also is quite active beyond the tables. Over 30 years of experience practicing criminal defense has helped her become one of the leading experts of gaming law in the United States and the world. Shulman used her expertise to testify and participate in many court cases focusing on gaming. She actually testified before the North Dakota Senate about online gaming as the state was attempting to become the first to regulate the market. She is also regarded for her efforts to promote women in poker and is a former board member of the Poker Player Alliance and WiPHoF.

Giardina’s Rise through the Ranks

Deborah Giardina started her career out as an industry professional as a dealer in 1990. After only six months, she had worked her way up to Assistant Table Games Manger at the Colorado casino. From there, Giardina moved to Biloxi, Mississippi and became a staff member at Lyle Berman’s Grand Casino Gulfport. Within a year, she became Cardroom Manager.

Grand Casino Coushatta Casino in Kinder, LA used Giardina’s talents to assist in their opening. In 1999, she opened the cardroom for Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. 2004 marked a notable step in Giardina’s career when she was hired as Director of Poker Operation for the Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room. She now holds the position of Vice President of Poker Operations at bestbet Jacksonville in Florida, the largest cardroom in North Florida.

According to Chairman of the WiPHoF Board of Directors Lupe Soto, the organization will bring in new inductees in 2016. Any women passed up for induction this year will have the chance to be honored then.

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