WSOP Ladies Championship: Aubrey Williams’ online struggle due to her identity

The drama surrounding WSOP Ladies Championship competitor Aubrey Williams is unfolding not only at the tables but also online.

She is a highly skilled player, and her story is not just about chips and bluffs. It is also about how she handles the extra spotlight.

What is the WSOP Ladies Championship?

The WSOP Ladies Championship is a special tournament at the World Series of Poker . It is designed specifically for women to celebrate their presence in a casino world usually dominated by men.

Winning a WSOP event gets you a gold bracelet, which is basically the Super Bowl ring of poker. Every player dreams of holding one of these rare trophies.

Aubrey started Day 3 tied for the chip lead. The WSOP Ladies Championship is about big prize money, but it is also about building a great community.

However, her deep run ruffled some feathers in the darker corners of the internet. As an openly transgender poker player, she received a wave of unfair comments on social media.

The Rise of Aubrey Williams’ Poker Success

Before we get into the drama, let’s talk about the Aubrey Williams poker journey. She has been around the field for a long time.

She started playing back in middle school during the poker boom. Today, she has over $369,125 in live tournament earnings on her record.

She even won two WSOP Circuit rings in online games. In 2022, she beat high-stakes pro Brock Wilson to win over $19,000, proving she can hang with the absolute best.

The real breakthrough for the Aubrey Williams poker brand happened earlier this year. She won the Borgata Winter Poker Open for a massive $52,540. Sadly, that is when the hate started.

Ignoring the Online Poker Trolls

After her Borgata win, Aubrey had to face a loud group of online poker trolls. She got a lot of faceless, negative comments online.

But as she says, the internet is not a real place. In real life, at the casino tables, the vibe is completely different.

When she sits down to play, her table mates are super nice and welcoming. The noise from the online poker trolls just disappears inside the casino walls.

At her recent tournament, the other women greeted her with open arms. Nobody cared about internet drama; they just wanted to play good cards.

A Transgender Poker Player at the Final Table

Many female players actually convinced Aubrey to try playing in women’s events. When asked during a break why she entered, her answer was perfectly simple:

“I’m a woman, so I play in the women’s event. It’s not like making a statement or anything. I’m just playing a tournament.”

Thankfully, the poker community mostly stands right by her side. Let’s look at who is supporting her and who she is playing against:

• Online Supporters: Top streamer Patrick Leonard and Global Poker Award winner Caitlin Comeskey publicly defended her. Keith Becker also spoke up for her on social media.
• Tough Opponents: As she nears the final table, she faces strong players like Lexy Gavin-Mather, plus bracelet winners Jessica Teusl and Cherish Andrews.

Being a transgender poker player can bring extra challenges, but Aubrey proves she is only focused on the game. She won’t let haters distract her from winning her first bracelet.

She ultimately lost in heads-up play at the 2026 WSOP Event #68: $1,000 LADIES No-Limit Hold’em Championship, so she didn’t manage to secure her first bracelet this time.

But looking at Williams’s game, she has every chance to do so. Taking home the runner-up prize is still a massive achievement, firmly establishing her as a true player to watch this year!