Catching Angela Jordison standing still is no easy task. When you never sit out a hand—at the table or in life—momentum becomes a habit.
A born entrepreneur who evolved into a full-time tournament grinder, Jordison has packed more ventures into one lifetime than most manage across an entire career. Her résumé reads like a highlight reel: Wall Street broker, nightclub and sports bar owner, poker room manager, RV dealership operator, and now a brand ambassador for Phenom Poker.
Most weekends find Jordison on the road, hopping from one Main Event to the next. Between tournaments, she heads back to her Iowa ranch to juggle family, business projects, gardening, and a flock of Polish chickens—each proudly named after friends from the poker world.
“Living in the Midwest makes it incredibly easy to play MSPTs, RunGood events, and WSOP Circuit stops two or three weekends a month,” Jordison says. “But I really love coming home to my farm—and to my favorite chickens: Kyna, Nikki, Caitlin, Pokerface Ash, Jacki, and a few more who still need names.”
A Shift in Focus
Tournament poker wasn’t always Jordison’s main lane. When she first fell for the game in the early 2000s, she jumped straight into mid- and high-stakes cash games.
“I started out playing $2/$5 and $5/$10 and did well right away,” she recalls. “I thought, ‘Okay, I must be pretty good at this.’ But then reality set in, and I realized I really needed to learn the game.”
Back then, resources were scarce.
“There were no training sites, no videos, no coaches. I learned by reading books and through trial and error at the table,” she says. “That experience built instincts you just can’t fake. Later, when I started studying more seriously, those instincts gave me an edge.”
It wasn’t until the pandemic that Jordison shifted heavily toward tournaments.
“Before COVID, tournaments were maybe 10–15% of what I played. I was mostly a cash-game regular in the Northwest,” she says. “And because of the stakes, I didn’t have many women around. Once I moved into tournaments, everything changed.”
That transition opened the door to lasting friendships with fellow players like Kyna England, Jackie Burkhart, Nikki Limo, Caitlin Comeskey, and many others.
“We have this huge group chat, and it’s amazing,” Jordison says. “It’s supportive, funny, and honest. Winning is easy to celebrate—but having people there during the downswings makes all the difference.”
Breakthrough Results
All the study and grind paid off in 2022, a breakout year in which Jordison narrowly missed out on both GPI Female Player of the Year and Mid-Major Player of the Year honors.
She closed that year with nearly $600,000 in tournament cashes, roughly one-third of her career earnings total of $1,793,133. Her growing list of accomplishments includes a WPT Legends of Poker title, two WSOP Circuit rings, and two MSPT Main Event victories.
Joining Phenom Poker
Phenom Poker—a decentralized crypto-based platform launched in October 2024—connected with Jordison early and brought her on as one of its first ambassadors.
“Nathan Gamble reached out and asked if I’d be interested in representing a new crypto poker site,” Jordison says. “What stood out immediately was their focus on player integrity, security, and giving players a real voice.”
She’s watched the platform evolve from the inside.
“Like any new business, there have been challenges. But the way Phenom responds is what matters. They listen, communicate clearly, and stay transparent. That makes me proud to be involved, and I’m genuinely excited about where it’s going.”
Why Poker Still Calls
Without a deep love for the game and its people, poker might have been just another chapter in Jordison’s entrepreneurial journey. Instead, it became the one she chose to pursue most fiercely.
“I always say nobody loves poker more than I do,” she says. “Some people love it just as much—but not more. I love the competition, the personalities, and the range of people you meet, from Yale to jail.”
Poker, she says, has given her unforgettable experiences and lifelong friendships.
“And when you tell people outside the game that you’re a poker player—especially as a woman—they’re fascinated. Poker really is a unique sport. It feels like the sky’s the limit, and I love that. I love the risk.”
