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Heather Murry's nickname ever since she was a little girl has been "Butterfly." Tonight she did a Muhammad Ali, floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee with very aggressive play as she won the fourth event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Southern Indiana, ladies $200 no-limit hold'em, her first major tournament. She did it by fighting her way back after taking a big hit with pocket kings against pocket aces. It was the first time she had played an all-ladies event, and commented that it was easy for her to pick up tells from her mostly recreational opponents. For example, when one player blinked her eyes and gulped when betting, this meant she had a strong hand. For finishing first, Murry won $10,211, along with a $5,150 main event buy-in, and a striking pendant necklace trophy.

Murry, 30, mother of three, is from Chattanooga, Tennessee where she owns rental properties. She plays mostly hold'em, and also likes Omaha high-low. Her style depends on the game, but tonight she was able to play at high speed. She is self-taught and has played poker for only about 18 months. This is her first Circuit, and she won her seat via satellite.

This ladies event drew 189 players, and, unlike some similar tournaments in California, all of them were ladies. Because of anti-discrimination laws in California, men cannot be turned away, and a number of them, notably former major leaguer Jose Conseco, on occasion have taken advantage of the law to crash in, much to the displeasure of the women present.

When we reached the final table of nine for this one-day event, the $1,000 no-limit tournament was still in progress at the other end of the casino. That tournament ended 15 minutes later, and here were the chip counts for the ladies when coverage began at that point:

Seat 1. Jessica Cabiness - 105,000          
Seat 2.  Terre Schaeffer - 13,000
Seat 3.  Patricia Clark - 16,000
Seat 4. Karen Hodge - 86,200
Seat 5. LeShirley Roll - 39,200
Seat 6. Jennifer Talley - 40,000
Seat 7. Lisa Brooking - 112,000
Seat 8. Heather Murry - 87,000
Seat 9. Misty Morrison - 96,000

Blinds were now 1,500-3,000 with 500 antes. 20:30 left at that level. Jennifer Talley (no, not Jennifer Tilley), went out soon after. She moved in with K-J and was in trouble when Karen Hodge called with pocket jacks. Talley failed to catch a king when the board came 6-6-3-4-A, and departed in ninth place.

Talley, 52, is from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and learned poker from her brother over 30 years ago. This is her third Circuit try and her poker highlight. Her other hobby is antiques. Ninth place paid $630.

After Talley's quick exit, things slowed down as any number of all-in players managed to stay alive by making the best hand. Leading the escapes was Terre Schaefer. Down to 9,000, she quickly got away twice, once tripling up in three-way action when she caught a 6 to her Jc-6c, a bit later when she held aces against Murry's kings.

Patricia Clark exited after blinds went to 3,000-6,000 with 500 antes. Down to 5,600, she moved in with K-J and got two calls. The board came 7-6-3-2-4, and Lisa Brooking won with A-Q. Clark, 51, is a financial analyst from Jeffersonville, Indiana. She's been playing 30 years and this is her third Circuit. Her poker highlight was getting into the money today after being down to one chip. Clark is married with two children and also enjoys water aerobics and playing the guitar. She cashed eighth for $945.

There were more all-in survivals, including a river 9 that gave Murry a straight. But Hyon "Misty" Morrison wasn't so fortunate. On a flop of K-K-Q, Brooking moved in with pocket queens for a full house. After some hesitation, Morrison called for her last 50,000 with A-J, all but dead to two running aces, which never came.

Morrison, from Huntington, West Virginia, is 60 and has been married for 40 years and is now a full-time player. She learned poker from friends 20 years ago, and paid her way into this Circuit, her fourth or fifth, with cash game winnings. Her other hobby is reading. Seventh place paid $1,261.

Blinds went to 4,000-8,000 with 1,000 antes, and that was the last level for Karen Hodge. She moved in for 24,000 with A-J and Brooking, with A-K, crushed her when the board came K-Q-3-8-K. Hodge, 39, is a financial analyst from Noblesville, Indiana who began playing poker with friends at an early age, and learned hold'em seven years ago. This was her first ladies event, and she earned $1,576 for sixth.  

Not long after, Schaefer ran out of escapes. On her final hand, she pushed in holding Kh-2h when a flop of 10-9-2 paired her. But Jessica Cabiness, holding Js-9s, flopped a bigger pair which held up. Schaefer, 60, is from Evansville, Indiana, and is self-employed, providing social services for the elderly. She began playing five years ago, learning by trial and error, and this is her first ladies tournament. She is married with two "great kids and four grandchildren who are always rooting me on." Today they rooted her on to $1,891 for fifth place.

As the level wound down, Lisa Brooking moved in with A-J, losing to Murry's A-K when the board came 4-3-3-8-2. Finishing fourth, she collected $2,521. Brooking, 47, is from Sellersburg, Illinois where she owns a tanning salon with her family. She learned poker six years ago at home games, and has won two ladies events at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Brooking is married with two children. Fourth place paid her $2,521.

Blinds changed to 6,000-12,000 with 2,000 antes. LeShirley "LeAnn" Roll was next out with A-7 against Cabiness' A-8. A flop of A-K-8 made Cabiness a huge favorite, and Roll couldn't catch up as she finished third, worth $3,150.

Roll, 43, is a teacher's assistant from Mt. Washington, Kentucky. She began playing poker for change with her family years ago, but it was her husband -- whom she met in the poker room at Sam's Town in Tunica, who taught her hold'em. Roll has "one beautiful daughter," and her other hobby is playing World of Warcraft. This is her fifth Circuit try, and third place paid her $3,152.

Heads-up, Cabiness had a slight lead over Murry, but soon got into very big trouble. Holding K-J, Murry made top two on a flop of K-J-3, but slow-played it and checked. The turn brought a terrible card for Cabiness. It was a 5, giving her a smaller two pair. She called when Murry moved in, and was left with 18,000 when she failed to hit a two-outer 5 that was the only card that could save her. Down to 6,000 after posting her blind on the next hand, she put it in with Ks-Qs against Murry's Kc-2s. She was still way in front when the board showed A-7-7-J, until a river deuce put her out of action.

Cabiness, 34, is a stay-at-home mom who is also in the jewelry business. She learned poker two years ago watching the WSOP and World Poker Tour on television. This is her first Circuit, and she paid her way in with money won placing seventh in a "Sunday Blitz" tournament here last week. Cabiness is married with one child, and today earned $5,358 for placing second.