Danielle Moran Wins WSOPC Ring After Decade-Long Hiatus

Danielle Moran holds up first WSOPC ring to the camera proudly at Turning Stone Resort Casino.

As the WSOP Circuit event at Turning Stone Resort Casino wrapped up this weekend, it marked a rewarding return to the felt for mom of four Danielle Moran. Nearly a decade ago, she captured the Empire State Hold’em Championship at the same venue—and despite limited play since then, she walked away this weekend with her first WSOPC ring.

The time away from the game did little to slow her down. Moran maintained her chip lead through most of Event #12: $400 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em. Her toughest challenge came from Kendra Trammel, who gave her a run for her money. After a hard-fought heads-up battle, Moran ultimately prevailed.

In addition to the ring, Moran’s victory came with a $10,839 prize and secured her a seat at the Tournament of Champions in Los Angeles this May.

“I don’t have a wedding that weekend, so maybe I can make my way out [to Los Angeles]. I probably should,” Moran told Poker.org in a post-tournament interview.

Moran leads a busy life—she gave birth to her fourth child just seven months ago, runs a wedding photography business, and raises three other kids. Her only notable poker result in the last decade, aside from her recent win, was a 79th-place finish in the WSOPC New York Main Event in 2022. She hasn't played in the three years since.

Hometown Showdown

The final table showdown between Trammel and Moran drew a lively crowd—likely due to Trammel’s reputation for supporting fellow players and attending nearly every finale event. Her presence and positivity made her a fan favorite among Turning Stone attendees.

Moran and Trammel entered the final table holding 60% of the chips in play and quickly eliminated Sydney Padula, Katie Klass, Corie Singer, Jessica Kinsey, and Megan Chapman. When play reached four-handed, they controlled nearly 80% of all chips. Lynn Burke and Georgette Kirschenbaum exited in fourth and third place, respectively, setting the stage for an all-New York heads-up duel.

The two were evenly matched in chips when heads-up play began, but Moran ultimately came out on top—a bittersweet victory in a true hometown matchup.

https://twitter.com/pokerorg/status/1903231432597647513

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, Moran is eager to celebrate with her family. While the cash prize was significant, one of her biggest fans was more excited about a different reward.

“I don’t care about the money; I just want to bring the ring to school,” Moran said her son texted her after the win. Looks like someone's class might be having a pretty interesting show and tell.

For now, Moran will return home to run her business and take care of her family. Whether she makes it to Los Angeles in May remains uncertain, but after this performance, the poker world will surely be hoping to see her back at the felt soon.

Top 10 Results WSOPC Turning Stone $400 Ladies Event

1^st place: Danielle Moran = $10,839
2^nd place: Kendra Trammel = $7,037
3^rd place: Georgette Kirschenbaum = $4,715
4^th place: Lynn Burke = $3,264
5^th place: Megan Chapman = $2,337
6^th place: Jessica Kinsey = $1,733
7^th place: Jamie Crosby = $1,332
8^th place: Corie Singer = $1,063
9^th place: Katie Klass = $882
10^th place: Sydney Padula = $762

Phil is a poker content creator, social media strategist, and avid player who has been involved in the game since 2019. He started out playing low-stakes home games before transitioning to casino cash games and tournaments. Through his poker-focused social media brand, @philthebeast, he has built a strong following and worked with several major names in poker media. Passionate about making poker fun and accessible, Phil’s goal is to grow the game and share his love for it with a wider audience.