Teresa Damasauskas,  from Omaha, has been a TV/radio host and producer for a local public-access station for 17 years. She got turned on to poker, and especially no-limit hold’em, after watching WSOP action on television six years ago with her husband. “I thought any two cards could win,” she said. She tried Omaha, but found it “too scary,” and remained true to the game she loved, Texas hold’em.

She entered a couple of ladies events here and in Indiana and St. Charles, Missouri, but couldn’t get very far. In fact, her poker highlight until now was winning a bar tournament after making a royal flush.

Tonight she burst into the limelight by winning event 27, the ladies championship. The win brought her $2,173 and a stunning diamond-and-gold pendant.

Damasauskas started the final table low-chipped, but quickly knocked out a couple of players and kept moving up from there. Her final battle with Peggy Foerster saw several chip-lead changes before Damasauskas finally was declared the winner.

This event had 64 players with a prize pool of $6,208. When we got to the final table, Rebecca Zaspal was in the lead with 103,000 chips.

Seventh Place, $319: First to go was Roberta Barclay, who started the final table with the fewest chips. She was all in with the better hand, A-J against Peggy Foerster’s A-10, but Foerster hit her 10 on the flop, and Barclay couldn’t catch up. Barclay, 49, is a postmaster from Homer, Nebraska who learned poker from her husband two years ago. Her poker highlights are winning tournaments at Winna Vegas casino in Iowa, and this final table. Her other hobbies are bingo and her grandchildren, though she didn’t say which took precedence.

Sixth Place:, $379: Yolanda “Silent Assassin” Jones went out when she tried a move and it backfired. She was in the small blind with 8-6 when the flop brought an 8 along with three hearts. Jones moved in, trying to represent a flush. Unfortunately for her Damasauskas was the one with a made flush, and Jones went out sixth. Jones is 63, retired and from Grayslake, Illinois. She started playing five years ago, and her hobby is billiards.

Fifth Place, $474: Next out was Rebecca “Becky” Zaspal. She had A-K and moved in on what looked like a safe flop of 6-J-5. It wasn’t that safe, because Damasauskas had another good hand, a set of 5s and Zaspal made her goodbyes in fifth place. Zaspal, 47, is a senior coordinator from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She learned poker two years ago from her spouse. Her hobbies are crafts and reading.

With blinds at 5,000-10,000, a big hand came down. Foerster, the current chip leader, had As-10s against Damasauskas, all for 115,000 and holding Ac-Jcs Four clubs hit the board, and Damasauskas, doubling through with a flush, now had the lead. But Foerster took it back a few hands later holding A-2 by outdrawing Damasauskas’ pocket 9s when a flop of Q-A-2 gave her two pair.

Fourth Place, $630: Mary Jo “Chip Queen” Zugman was next out on a bad beat. She moved in with A-7, a big favorite when Damasauskas called with 7-3. Zugman was ready to double up when the board showed 2-9-4-8, but then a river trey paired Damasauskas and left Zugman in fourth spot. Zugman is an insurance agent fromMcHenry, Illinois. In 2008 she was the Heartland Poker Tour player of the year. She likes snowmobiling and boating and two “gorgeous” sons and two “beautiful” stepdaughters.

Third Place, $890: Gwen McIlhon was next out. She committed her last chips with Jc-10c, called by Foerster with A-3, and ace high was enough to leave McIlhon in third place when the board showed 7-K-4-2-6. McIlhon, 54, is a substitute teacher from Johnston, Iowa. She started playing hold’em in casinos seven years ago, has won a couple of tournaments, and her hobbies are reading, running and working out.

With blinds at 5,000-10,000, a big hand now came down. Foerster, the current chip leader, had As-10s against Damasauskas, all for 115,000 with Ac-Jc. Four clubs hit the board, and Damasauskas, doubling through with a flush, now had the lead. But Foerster took it back a few hands later holding A-2 by outdrawing Damasauskas’ pocket 9s when a flop of Q-A-2 gave her two pair.

Second Place, $1,343: As play continued, Damasauskas got her lead back again. Then, on the final hand, Foerster raised with 9h-Js, and Damasauskas re-raised with Ks-Qs to put Foerster all in. The board came Qs-2s-2h-4h-Kc, and Damasauskas’ kings and queens ended the evening.