There is a common theme among most hot women in the field of poker. Except for Jennifer Leigh, they would all be considered older women by the 20-somethings. One girl who falls outside of this categorization is Chantel McNulty; a 22 year old from Dallas, Texas who now makes her living playing poker.
Chantel gets most of her online attention on forums where other players, assumed to be male, talk about how hot she is. Her biographical information is mostly undiscussed but an interview by BabesInPoker.com tells us she began playing seriously two years ago. “I use to go to underground run poker games in Dallas and sit behind some of the best poker players in the world and watch them play. This really got me interested and I started playing cards myself and I started making money. I never really decided to turn pro, but if I had to say a date it would be about 2 years ago. I started playing 2/5 NL at the Bellagio under a fake ID, which I bought from one of my friends sister for $300 bucks. For the time being I was known as Ashley and the first time I cashed in a tournament they announced my name and everyone was like ‘they got your name wrong Chantel.’ It was pretty funny how it all turned out.”
Probably the most appealing thing about Chantel, besides obviously that she is young, hot, and good at poker, is her rambunctious personality. In an interview with PokerWire’s Amanda Leatherman at the World Poker Challange, McNulty says “I just got double F implants yesterday, wanna feel them?” Leatherman obliges and then McNulty asks if she wants to go upstairs. This fun-loving attitude carries over onto the felt, “When I’m playing poker I’m very mouthy. I’m like Gavin Smith, Matusow and Tony G combined. I get a long with other players really good or they don’t like me at all.”
As far as poker goes, Chantel’s career has been short but she has been fairly sucessful (at least in what’s publisized), although most of her winnings are in online cash. In early 2006 Chantel cashed in an event at the Gold Strike World Open (WPT) for $3,439. Then later in 2006 she cashed in the Ladies World Series Event and a Pot Limit Hold’Em Event for $2,566 and $5,369 respectively. Then in June, 2007 she took 17th in the Main Event at the Mandalay Poker Championship (WPT) for $17,490. More recently she says she started playing Limit Hold’Em, “mostly 100/200 and 200/400 short-handed online”.
Chantel also has a philanthropic side. In the aforementioned interview she says she plans to donate her time and money in Africa. “I have always been into charities. I’ve never had the money to donate and help out like I do now. After I saw the movie Blood Diamond I was really shocked and started researching Africa and how I could help. Like what $10,000 would do for them, I could give them $10,000 and feed a whole village for a month. I would rather do that then spend $10,000 at a club on alcohol. I know what it’s like to live poor and wealthy, and now I just want to help a little.”
Although Chantel says in the next 20 years she will not be playing poker for a living, it’s still ok to like her. She’s an up and comer with some good skills and some help from her mouth and her…uh, double F’s? But, having only been playing for a short time she is doing really well and I’m happy to make her Poker Hottie of the Week.