The World Poker Tour touched down at the Emperor's Palace Hotel Casino in Johannesburg November 4th to kick off a series of eight poker tournaments, and with four events done women have already snagged two wins.
Ronit Chamani defeated Greg Ronaldson in the $7,500 High Roller event with Spanish pro Leo Margets finishing third.
Chamani is the second most successful female South African poker player ever. Click here to read the interview we did with Chamani when she racked up four cashes at the 2012 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
The $1k Six-Max event, meanwhile, was taken down by Swedish poker player and entrepreneur Diana Svensk.
Svensk is the founder of a knitwear brand and has cashes in live events in Las Vegas, Dublin and Malta.
Baumann, Weisner Among Leaders After Main Event Day 1a
85 players bought into the first Day 1 flight of the WPT South Africa main event, 11 more than the event saw on the same day last year.
54 of them survived and more than 10 per cent of the remaining field are women.
France's Gaëlle Baumann sits in sixth with 85,300 while American pro Melanie Weisner is now in ninth with 68,550.
Also through to Day 2 are Ana Marquez, Ronit Chamani and Amanda Musumeci.
Making a rare live tournament appearance is Jennifer “Jennicide” Leigh who made it through Day 1a as well.
A new batch of players are back at the felt today to play the second Day 1 flight and they'll all be looking to top Day 1a chip leader Nahum Lum who bagged 123,725.
Joining him on Day 2 is EPT Season 7 Player of the Year and businessman from Portugal Fernando Brito with 60,200 and WSOP bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche from Germany.
Here's the top ten after the first day of play:
1. Nahum Lum - 123,725 2. Robert Fenner - 112,050 3. Mauro de Rose - 105,575 4. Leon Govinsamy - 100,500 5. Marc Joseph - 94,050 6. Gaelle Baumann - 85,300 7. Aston Shiong - 77,175 8. Menesh Keshav - 70,850 9. Melanie Weisner - 68,550 10. Evro Psiloyenis - 67,575Visit www.pokerlistings.com