Profile of Cycalona "Clonie" Gowen

Name: Cycalona "Clonie" Gowen

Born: November 6th, 1971

Prior to Poker: Was born in Florida, grew up in Oklahoma. She was active in sports growing up (playing varsity basketball and was on the high school track and field team), and also participated in beauty pageants. Owned a travel agency before making the move to playing poker full-time.

Breakthrough: Clonie's breakthrough came when she won the first edition of WPT "Ladies' Night" in 2003. Clonie took down the title, besting the likes of Annie Duke, Kathy Liebert and Jennifer Harman to take down the $25k first place prize.

Clonie parlayed this exposure into a deal with Full Tilt Poker (the details of which are murky and hotly disputed by both Clonie and Full Tilt Poker). Gowen became one of the "faces" of Full Tilt Poker, and was always seen sporting Full Tilt gear. This exposure made Gowen one of the most recognizable and famous female poker players in the world.

Career Highlights: Taking down the "Ladies' Night" title was certainly a career highlight for Gowen.

Clonie has taken down three Poker After Dark titles, all for $120k. She won her first PAD title in May of 2007, outlasting the likes of Jennifer Harman and Vanessa Rousso in an all-female match-up.

She then won another title in June of 2007, outlasting John Juanda, Annie Duke, David Williams, Andy Bloch and Phil Laak to take down her second Poker After Dark title.

Then, in September of 2008, Gowen won her third title, besting Phil Laak, Phil Hellmuth Jr., Mike Matusow, Gavin Smith and David Williams.

Gowen's biggest lifetime career cash came at the Bellagio Cup IV, when Gowen took down a $5k No Limit Hold'em event for $438k.

A month later, Gowen took down another $5k NLHE event, this time at the 2008 World Poker Open for $193k.

Lifetime Earnings: $1.53 million dollars (as of December 16th, 2008)

Other Notes: Gowen is currently embroiled in a nasty legal dispute with Full Tilt Poker.

Gowen is suing Full Tilt (its associated companies and all of the members of "Team Full Tilt") for $40 million dollars, and possible damages on top of that.

Gowen contends that she was promised 1% ownership in Full Tilt Poker in a meeting with the principals of the company in 2004. She was to become a "celebrity player" for the company, according to her complaint. Gowen was a long-time member of "Team Full Tilt".

Full Tilt Poker severed their relationship with Gowen in November of 2008, leading Gowen to file a lawsuit against the company. She contends that her 1% stake is worth $40 million dollars, and that Howard Lederer tried to buy her off for $250k.

Full Tilt contends that Gowen was never a part owner of the company.

There were apparently no signed documents or contracts due to the murky online poker legal situation in the United States. Gowen is now a "free agent", but don't expect her to appear on "Poker After Dark" anytime soon.

Clonie's real first name is "Cycalona", which was apparently the direct result of her being born during an intense storm.

Clonie has nine World Series of Poker cashes and four WPT cashes.

Clonie has two children.


PKB Articles That Mention Cycalona "Clonie" Gowen:

Poker Lawsuits Galore

Clonie Gowen Files Amended Complaint In Full Tilt Poker Dispute

Papa Ninja, Hansen Hangout, Anurag Dikshit and More

Clonie Gowen Is Suing Full Tilt Poker

Some Interesting First Round Match-Ups Set for the 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship