It’s the poker tournament top poker pro Annie Duke tells other women not to play in.

But every year they do, effectively telling the Dukester, “Mind your own business!”

This year was no different.

The tournament in question was Event #15 of the 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA–the only event at the WSOP that is restricted to women only.

As in no men allowed.

Also known as the WSOP Ladies Championship, the event was a $1,000 buy-in, no-limit Texas hold ‘em tourney.

This year it drew 1,190 entrants and had a total prize pool of about $1.1 million.

The Top 99 finishers in the tourney won cash prizes.

Duke constantly rails against this tourney, and other women-only events like it, because she says women and men can play on an equal plane in poker, and so should.

She does not participate in women-only poker tournaments, instead playing against men–and proving her point.

She is the top-earning female poker player in the world.

But not every woman can be that successful against the men, and that’s why over a thousand female poker players competed in Event #15 at the 39th annual WSOP, held at Vegas’ famed Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.

The winner of the tourney was Russian immigrant Svetlana Gromenkova, who was born in Moscow, Russia, but now resides in New York City, New York, USA, and who picked up $224,702 for the victory.

“I want people to know I’m a good player,” Gromenkova told reporters after the win. “And they will know it now.”

It was her first career win at the WSOP and her first WSOP championship gold bracelet.

The runnerup in the tourney was Ann Le of San Jose, California, USA, who earned $144,567.

Third was Pat Till of Avon, Indiana, USA, who earned $87,715.

Fourth was Christine Priday of Denver, Colorado, USA, who earned $73,637.

Fifth was Marla Crumpler of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, who earned $60,101.

Sixth was Deb Mitchell of Miramar, Florida, USA, who earned $47,106.

Seventh was Roz Quarto of Edison, New Jersey, USA, who earned $36,277.

Eighth was Vesenia Garcia of Ceres, California, USA, who earned $28,155.

Ninth was Sue Porter of Houston, Texas, USA, who earned $20,034.

Tenth was Tina Dubowy, hometown unknown, who earned $12,877.

Van Nguyen, wife of top poker pro Men “The Master” Nguyen, finished in 14th place, while top pros Linda Johnson and Kathy Liebert finished in 23th and 47th places respectively.

Also competing in the gals-only affair but finishing out of the money were Barbara Enright, the only woman ever to make the final table of a WSOP Main Event, actresses Cheryl Hines and Mimi Rogers, author Jackie (Sister of Joan) Collins and singer Mindy McCready.

Oh, yes, there was one more difference between this tournament and the other 54 tournaments at this year’s WSOP, besides the fact that this one is restricted and the others are not.

The winner of the ladies event not only receives a proverbial WSOP gold championship bracelet, as winners of the other 54 events do, but also a WSOP gold and diamond championship ladies watch, which no other winners get.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)