The last woman standing in the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event, Erika Moutinho gained notoriety for not only her killer looks, but also her killer skills on the felts. She’s been dating fellow poker pro David Doc SandsSands since 2006 and, amazingly, the two were shacked up at the same table on Day 7. Moutinho took 29th in the 2011 WSOP Main Event for $242,000.
Moutinho told CardPlayer that she might have an edge if the two ever were seated side by side on the world’s biggest stage: “He taught me how to play, so I kind of know how he thinks, so I may have a little bit of an edge there. It would be interesting.” Interesting, indeed.

She entered Day 7 of the 2011 WSOP Main Event in 40th place with a stack of 2.08 million in chips. WSOP officials accurately predicted heading into the final 57, “Should Moutinho and Sands last much longer, there will undoubtedly be one of the headlines of this tournament.”

Midway through Day 7, Moutinho was moved to Sands’ table, prompting a scene reminiscent of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” complete with a little PDA: “David ‘Doc’ Sands is here in the three seat and his lovely girlfriend, Erika Moutinho, was just dropped right next to him in the two seat. Seriously, how often do you see two players kissing each other with 41 players left in the Main Event?” This might be the first!

Moutinho works in life and management consulting and hails from Easton, Connecticut. Sands taught her how to play poker and she cashed in a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament during the 2011 WSOP for $1,800, just her second in the money finish ever in a live poker event according to the Hendon Mob.

Heading into the Day 7 dinner break, Moutinho and Sands sat with the second shortest and third shortest stacks, respectively. Whereas 2010 was the Year of the Mizrachis at the WSOP, 2011 could be the Year of the Lovebirds. Only time will tell how the tournament is remembered.