Cate Hall and Natasha Mercier reveal competitive edge on PNIA Ladies’ Night.
2016 American Poker Awards Female Player of The Year Cate Hall competed against soon-to-be mother and Poker Night co-star Natasha Mercier last November during a Women in Poker live cast from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino Poker Room in Hollywood, Florida.
The two high profile poker players shared an epic staredown moment during that $25/$50 No Limit Hold’em cash game which was recently frozen in time on the popular “Poker Hands” show hosted by the @DougPolkPoker YouTube channel.
Cate and Natasha (as they are referred to by their colleagues and social media followers) made poker media headlines this February during the 3rd Annual American Poker Awards.
The GPI and PokerStars co-sponsored event took place during one of the most contentious periods in poker history — when player-based communication on growing the game of poker was burdened by an ongoing difference of vision between the world’s largest poker site and its longtime customers.
Although more clarity on the direction poker personalities and corporate online gaming interests are taking exists six months after the fact, both Hall and Mercier were forthcoming with their opinions and made legitimate attempts to bridge an uncomfortable communication gap among a large contingent of poker industry representatives by sharing their viewpoints.
Hall, a Yale University Law School graduate, would go on to defeat Twitter rival Mike Dentale in a heads-up showdown originated by the duo’s popcorn-worthy disputes and Poker Night in America organizer Matt Glantz.
The frequent guest on the Poker Life Podcast hosted by Joey Ingram has been awarded approximately $1,000,000 in career live poker tournament cash prizes according to The Hendon Mob tracking website; becoming a fixture within the Women in Poker community since placing 5th in the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas just 20 months ago.
The reigning GPI Female Player of The Year has also become a regular on the high stakes tournament scene, with multiple SHRPO High Roller appearances this week.
Natasha is a live poker rounder married to veteran high stakes pro Jason Mercier, who enjoyed a High Roller Victory at the SHRPO this April to go along with his 2016 World Series of Poker success.
The highly-touted couple share prominent roles in poker and are looking forward to welcoming their first child this October, with a possible return to the Seminole Hard Rock felts in 2018.
Poker Night in America Ladies’ Night (November 2016)
A renewed industry shift towards televised poker programming combined with social media outreach is showcasing the competitive and creative talents of new and familiar female poker personalities such as Hall, Mercier, United States Air Force veteran Jessica Dawley, WPT commentator Maria Ho, and Hollywood actress Jennifer Tilly, who is a WSOP bracelet winner dating back to her victory in the 2005 Ladies Only Event.
The rise of live stream poker TV could significantly increase the number of Women in Poker for years to come as women players match their poker and table banter skills against the best in the game; both male and female.
(Fun Fact: Cate Hall took the Upswing Poker Heads-Up strategy course created by Doug Polk before her victory over Mike Dentale.)
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