Kelli Griggs “The Poker Mom“

Hometown
Oakland, California

Total Winnings

Kelli Griggs began playing poker with her father at an early age but had no idea what an integral part of her life it would eventually become. Married with two daughters and living in Folsom, California, she is a top producing regional sales manager for a wholesale mortgage company. Poker was a hobby for her " something that she took pride in learning and playing when time allowed. However, in 2006, she entered her first major tournament " the World Series of Poker ladies event " and cashed in 59th place. Encouraged by her success, Kelli played in the WPT ladies tournament as part of the Legends of Poker series in the fall of 2006. Out of 419 women, she made it to the final table, and though a deal was made for the cash, as the chip leader she took the championship ring and the seat into the WPT Ladies Night tournament to be filmed for television. The entire event had a special meaning to her, as proceeds from the tournament were donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and she is a breast cancer survivor. Her grandmother died of breast cancer, her aunt was fighting it, and Kelli had been in remission for five years. When she made it to the final table, it was an emotional moment for her, and she ended up finishing in second place to JJ Liu but feeling incredible about her success there. Since Kelli's emergence on the poker scene, she has honed her game through Internet play, cash games in various California card rooms, and hiring a poker coach. She is working her way into another big WPT tournament by playing satellite tournaments to win her entries; she feels that she is still learning and needs to win her way in to earn the seat. She is confident, though, that her poker skills are improving at a rate that will hopefully allow her to spend more time on the tournament circuit as a career. With a proud family behind her and knowing the obstacles that she's overcome in her life, she is a force to be reckoned with at any table.