Canada has provided the poker world with several great champions. Daniel Negreanu is recognized as one of the best players in the world and, along with other players like Gavin Smith, has led the charge of players from the Great White North. One person who learned about the game from Negreanu and has carved her own niche in the game today is Bodog pro Evelyn Ng.
Ng, born in Toronto in 1975, first started her gaming career in the pool halls of the city at the age of 14. Quite successful in that difficult world, Ng then moved on to dealing blackjack and poker at the age of 17. She met Negreanu around that time and, as the two dated, he tutored her in poker until she was a definitive force in the cash games of Toronto.
Evelyn Ng first broke onto the poker scene in 2003. Chosen to play in the first World Poker Tour Ladies’ Night event, Ng used the lessons from Negreanu and stunned the poker world with her skills at the table. She outlasted some of the best female players in the game, including Jennifer Harman, Kathy Liebert, Maureen Feduniak, and Annie Duke before finally being defeated by Clonie Gowen. With her success there, it was obvious that Ng was destined to be an integral part of poker in the 21st century.
Part of Evelyn’s appeal to many in the poker world is, in part, her looks. However, she always displays class at the tables and handles herself in a very professional, ladylike manner. This has allowed her to be successful in other endeavors both inside and outside of the poker world.
After starting as one of the sponsored professionals at PokerStars, Evelyn Ng moved over to become a part of Team Bodog along with David Williams and Josh Arieh. She has also taken part in such made-for-television fare as “Calvin Ayre’s Wild Card Poker” and the British program “Casino Casino.” Along with Williams and blackjack/poker professional “Hollywood” Dave Stann, Evelyn was also featured on the Spike TV show “King of Vegas,” finishing in the top five.
Ng has learned the game well from Negreanu, but brings her own style to it. While Negreanu is more apt to play after the flop for smaller stakes, Ng brings an aggressive style that pushes opponents to tough decisions. Her attacking style can sometimes get her into trouble, which perhaps offers the reason for not having a large tournament victory; she would rather go out on the attack than just quietly be blinded out.
It is just a matter of time until Evelyn Ng earns her first significant championship. Until that time, she’ll continue to demonstrate her exceptional poker skills at tournaments around the world and remain one of the great female ambassadors for the game. The poker world has to thank Canada for giving us great players to the game of poker with Evelyn Ng being a quality player to add to that list.
