Las Vegas is beginning to hum with the sounds of riffling chips, shuffled cards and the announcement, “all in and a call.” The 41^st World Series of Poker is ready to open its doors to the world with the first tournaments starting tomorrow and, if history holds true, it promises to be another record breaking year for the greatest tournament schedule in poker. The Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino is prepared for the onslaught of tens of thousands of people who will either enhance their prestige or start on the long road to poker stardom.

 With 57 events on the schedule, the 2010 WSOP will have plenty of opportunities for bracelets to be won. During an episode of Joe Sebok and Scott Huff’s “Poker 2 Nite” on Fox Sports Network in April, WSOP vice president Ty Stewart predicted that three women would win bracelets over the two month run of the WSOP, which further prompted poker pro Mike “The Mouth” Matusow to proclaim that he would run down the Las Vegas Strip naked if it happened. But if Stewart is to be proven right - and the world to earn the dubious honor of seeing Matusow in the buff - who are the women that have the best shot?

My colleague here at Woman Poker Player Magazine, Jennifer Newell, accurately points out that (other than the Ladies Championship) it will be difficult for a woman to win an open bracelet. Women make up less than five percent of the field in nearly all the events and, as such, battling through the gauntlet of any WSOP event is an audacious task, be the competitor male or female. However, only two women (counting the Ladies Championship as one) need to take down titles to make Stewart look like Nostradamus and Matusow look like Lady Godiva; here are five women who definitely have a shot at a 2010 WSOP bracelet.

1. Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad

Annette comes to her first WSOP on American soil with more eyes on her than Gisele Bundchen at a Victoria’s Secret photo shoot. The winner of the inaugural WSOP Europe Championship Event, Obrestad has shown the world her proclivity in Texas Hold’em and has been expanding her game to encompass other disciplines. Her steely demeanor on the tables constantly has people guessing when playing against her and, more often than not, guessing wrong.

If Annette can handle the crush of attention, focus on the game at hand and dodge the pitfalls of large field poker, she has the chance to make her first WSOP visit one for the history books. I personally see Obrestad having the best shot at winning a bracelet and put her down for one bracelet and four final tables.

2. Liv Boeree

Liv comes to the WSOP with a sizeable weight pulled off her shoulders. After dashing through the largest field in European Poker Tour history at San Remo, Italy, in April and capturing the $1.6 million prize, Boeree now has the confidence (and the bankroll) after taking down her first major title to go along with an already impressive poker game. The EPT San Remo field size was comparable to many of the higher buy in tournaments that are on the WSOP schedule and Liv’s experience in that event should serve her well in Las Vegas.

3. Katja Thater

Katja has one of the best all around games in the world of poker. A winner of a WSOP bracelet in 2007 in the $1500 Razz tournament, Thater’s skills in the mixed game arena make her a top choice for any mixed game or Stud tournament. With their smaller field size, the non-Hold’em tournaments are a prime area for a woman to take down a championship, much like Cyndy Violette and Annie Duke did in 2004. Katja is also coming off being named the EPT Mixed Game Player of the Year, giving her momentum as the WSOP begins.

4. Vanessa Rousso

Arguably Vanessa is the hottest female poker player on the tables right now, and that statement has nothing to do with her looks. Over the past eighteen months, Rousso has pulled in almost $1.5 million in live tournament winnings, with an EPT High Roller title and her runner up finish at the 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship serving as the highlights. Vanessa has been on the cusp of making a major impact on the WSOP stage (a total of eleven cashes in her career) and this should be the year that a WSOP bracelet is fitted for her wrist.

5. Mystery Woman X

As pointed out by Jennifer Newell, there is always that unknown “X” factor that emerges each year at the World Series of Poker. Last year it was Nichoel Peppe and, in year’s prior to that, it was Tiffany Williamson, Erin Ness or a host of other talented and fortunate ladies. The 41^st renewal of poker hostilities will once again bring us a new batch of female players who demonstrate that poker talent goes deep on the feminine side of the human equation.