The WPA invites you to get to know international poker player, Shana Oyen! She played in her first WSOP series this past summer! She came out because of the famously coined “Ladies week”. During that trip she final tabled two events during ladies week and placed 11th in the 3rd! Earlier this year she also won the Ladies Championship of Namur (Belgium), and earned her first trophy. We are looking forward to seeing Shana at the 2023 Summer Ladies Week!
1. What is your name? Shana Oyen
2. Where are you from? Belgium
3. How did you get introduced to the game of poker? All by myself, by playing online for play money. Afterwards I learned to know a pokerclub in Antwerp trough a stand at Tomorrowland. It’s at this pokerclub (pokahnights) that I got the love for the live game and also met the love of my life.
4. Tell us about an unusual or unique experience that you’ve had while playing poker. One time I was playing Cash Game in Aria and there was a women losing hand after hand. I was tight and suddenly I find AK utg and open. She calls on the button and we go to see a flop. As6d8d, I do my c-bet, 1/2 pot, she reraises me and I re-raise her. She then shoves all-in for 1000$ and says: “I don’t want to take the money of the only other woman at the cash game” then she shows her set of 66’s. It didn’t save me money in the end, but I thought it was a very nice gesture.
5. How would you describe your poker style/play? Any specific poker experience you are most proud of? What is your favorite poker game to play and why? I’m a chameleon, one day I can be super tight, other day I can be very aggressive, it depends from the action at the table. In my Last trip to Vegas I played 2 final tables in the ladies event and one time I got 11th (June / July 2022). I won this year the championship of Ladies in Namur (Belgium), where I got my first trophy.
6. What were some of the unexpected hurdles that you have experienced in poker? How are you overcoming those? I think poker is a very tough mental sport, preparing against a deck that’s against you for weeks of months, can be very hard. In those times it’s better to just take a break and enjoy other things in your life.
7. Who is the most difficult player that you have ever competed against? How was that experience? My boyfriend, I can ever put him on a hand. We met at the table and I just wanted to win a hand against him, but didn’t manage to do…. Since then we form a loveteam and he has been my teacher and inspiration when it comes to poker.
8. Looking back at where you were when you started your poker journey; how has your game evolved and what are your poker goals going forward? I have evolved a lot and love it when a I get a new enlightenment, this happened me this year more then usual. By playing more the last years and especially this year, I’ve grown more. I would love to do more series in more countries. I would love to come back in December for the new ladies series and I hope to win some bigger tournaments as for my biggest cash is only 4k. I would love to see that growing each year, together with my level of play.
9. What is your favorite hobby or passion outside of poker? Padel together with travel
10. What are your plans for poker in the future, if any at all? I will try to gain more experience in different poker series and will come back for my second WSOP in Vegas. Of course it would be awesome to win a bracelet some day, but I like to start with smaller goals, like visiting more series, play sometimes a bigger tournament, get a bigger cash each year, etc… and of course keep studying and improve also my mental skills.