By Staff
Learn all about the history of “The Rounder Girls” here!
Check back periodically as we’ll be adding pics and interviews of our past and future “brand ambassadors.”
The concept for Rounder Magazine featuring “The Rounder Girls” was hatched in a private underground poker club in Downtown Birmingham, Alabama called “The Bluff House.”
Numerous sports celebrities including former NHL and minor league hockey players who remained in the “Iron City” after stints with the “Birmingham Bulls” were regulars, as were several University of Alabama and UAB football, basketball, and baseball alumni.
Professional poker players Shannon Shorr and Mark Davis “cut their teeth” in the legendary card club where games ran nonstop for days and limousines shuttled players and future Rounder cover models to and from Birmingham’s hottest nightclubs where they received VIP treatment.
The five original “Rounder Girls” all had roots in Birmingham. They include Renee Christian, Catherine Tucker, Robin Hamer, Rachel Romano, and Anastassia Leigh.
Renee Christian
Pell City, Alabama native Renee Christian appeared on the inaugural cover in December 2006, published under the original brand name “Alabama Rounder.”
In addition to pictorials, the “Rounder Girls” were interviewed, and traveled the country attending events and interacting with fans at partnering casinos. Renee, a Hooters Girl and full-time student, listed Shannon Shorr as her favorite poker player, and “ridin’ four-wheelers” as her favorite activity.
*Fun Fact: The girl on the cover (L) with Renee Christian (R) asked that her name not be listed due to her job status. We honored her wishes and she’s the only Rounder Girl never to be identified.
Catherine Tucker
January 2007 cover girl Catherine Tucker was a cheerleader for the UAB Blazers Football and Basketball teams. Catherine is the only girl to appear on the cover twice.
Her first photo shoot took place at “The Bluff House.” The pictorial included images with rising star Shannon Shorr, who dropped out of college at the University of Alabama in 2006 to pursue a professional poker career. Shorr returned to school in 2008 and graduated in 2010. He currently has over $11,000,000 in career earnings and has been ranked #1 in the world at times by the Global Poker Index (GPI).
Her second cover shoot took place on the Las Vegas Strip for the 2009 Special World Series Of Poker Edition. She “shared” it with two other models – Alabama native Mandy Baggett, and Louisiana Southern Bell Rebecca Rutherford.
The original marketing plan called for the magazine to be expanded into different states as it gained in popularity. However, after Rounder’s first live promotional event at the World Poker Open in January 2007 at The Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, MS., attended by Catherine Tucker and Renee Christian, requests for the magazine and appearances from the Rounder Girls poured in from casinos across the country.
Robin Hamer
In February 2007 the name of the magazine was officially changed from “Alabama Rounder” to “Rounder” and was distributed nationally. The issue, featuring Robin Hamer, was sold at over 150 “Books A Million” stores in the Southeast and flew off the stands.
The natural beauty who played poker and fetched drinks at “The Bluff House” became one of Rounder’s most popular cover models and was later pursued by Playboy. In her profile, she named Daniel Negreanu as her favorite poker player because “He does charity work and he seems genuine.”
She added, “I can’t stand that little sissy crybaby boy Phil Hellmuth.”
Although her popularity reached “Rock Star” status in Birmingham, the down-to-earth beauty remained approachable and befriended unknowns and celebrities alike.
When legendary Rock Star “Kid Rock” came to town, Robin was the close friend he checked in with first.
Rachel Romano and Anastassia Leigh
The March and April 2007 issues featured best friends Rachel Romano and Anastassia Leigh, both from “The Ham”, who worked with high-end nightclub owners catering to VIP clientele. A typical “party night” began at “The Bluff House” with cocktails, followed by limo rides to hot spots where they danced till dawn.
The mesmerizing duo attended Rounder events all over the country, including Las Vegas where they finally met their “party till you drop” match.
The Rounder logo was redesigned for the April 2007 issue. After its release, Rounder reached an agreement with HOOTERS corporate to distribute the magazine in each of their 400-plus locations across the country in exchange for full-page ads.
Hundreds of Hooters Girls applied to become Rounder promotional models and “cover girls.”
Ali Sonoma
In the May 2007 issue, UFC “Ring Girl” Ali Sonoma was featured and the tagline “Poker Lifestyle Magazine” was added.
Ali Sonoma’s issue was so popular in Las Vegas due to her ties with the UFC, no magazines were left after the first day it was distributed. When the racks were restocked the following week, some poker room managers held batches in their office for regulars and rationed the rest out for the remainder of the month.
After her brief stint as an Octagon Girl, Ali, who was engaged for a time to Ultimate Fighter Champ Diego Sanchez, pursued a modeling career. She appeared in Maxim and in 2008 joined the show “The Mole” on ABC and won $30,000.
*Fun fact: Ali Sonoma was flown on a private jet to Biloxi, MS to attend an event at The Beau Rivage. During the flight, the pilot feigned mechanical issues as a practical joke.
Brandi Norris and Nadia Dubocquest
June and August cover girls Brandi Norris and Nadia Dubocquest are the only cover models that weren’t able to attend any Rounder events. The issues were popular nonetheless, buoyed by bonus appearances from Catherine Tucker and Robin Hamer.
Vanessa Rousso
In July 2007 breakout poker star Vanessa Rousso appeared on the cover and was featured in a 6-page pictorial. Rousso’s photoshoot was held at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas during the World Series of Poker.
In the above photo taken at The Golden Nugget, Rounder co-owner Jim Landers, in order to keep Vanessa from getting drenched, and her “hair and makeup” intact, carried her across the pool and placed her on the ledge in front of the shark tank.
A similar image of “Lady Maverick” among the sharks was shot in the Bahamas by PokerStars and appeared in Sports Illustrated.
Rousso went on to become the face of PokerStars, and one of the top-ranked female poker pros of all time.
Leilani Dowding
In September 2007 two businessmen out of South Carolina bought a controlling interest in Rounder. The new majority owner, Hank Sitton, was a regular on the poker circuit. He currently sits with over $1M in live earnings.
The first issue under new ownership featured former Miss Universe contestant Leilani Anne Dowding, who also held the title of Miss Great Britain and was named one of FHM’s “Top 100 Sexiest Women in the World.”
After appearances as a Page-3 model in ‘The Sun’ Leilani became a favorite of British tabloids. She moved to L.A. to pursue an acting and modeling career and has appeared on numerous TV shows including Big Breakfast, This Morning, Faking It, Celebrity Wrestling, and Celebrity Fear Factor.
The attention-grabbing celebrity and aspiring poker player was hired as a host by NPL and was sponsored for a time by online poker and gambling site Ladbrokes.
She’s currently dating Jimmy Duffy – lead guitarist of “The Cult.”
Leilani has her own clothing line, the Leiluna Collection.
*The “Real Housewives of Cheshire” star and ex-Formula One model came under attack in 2022 from “woke” Wikipedia editors who branded her “homophobic” for daring to speak out against a trans teen winning a beauty pageant held by the Miss America organization.
Spencer Scott
Spencer Scott appeared on the December 2007 cover of Rounder, becoming the first Playboy Playmate to do so. She appeared in Playboy two months prior (to Rounder) and just six months after her eighteenth birthday. Spencer’s cover shoot was conducted by legendary L.A. photographer KADEN.
By this time Rounder promotional models were making regular appearances at poker events throughout the country. In the photo below, 11 models were selected from a casting call and given poker lessons after the Gold Strike Casino requested Rounder bring models to compete in a poker tournament with their high-roller guests.
*Alleged poker cheater Mike Postle met his ex-wife Stephanie (second from R above) at a Rounder promotional event in Tunica. Stephanie who legally changed her name to Sabina in 2020, was very popular with fans of the Rounder Girls and attended numerous promotional events in Tunica, Biloxi, and Las Vegas. “Damning data evidence” cited in the Postle case, was proven to be false and misleading. To this day there has been no clear evidence Mike Postle cheated, only assertions from “experts” who cited false data and other misinformation.
Rhian Brown And Lux Cassidy
January 2008 cover girl Rhian Brown’s attendance at a WPT event at the Gold Strike in Tunica turned heads. She, along with December 2008 cover model Jessica Vance, and owner Hank Sitton’s daughter Nicole, took part in the money presentation at the WPT Final Table giving Rounder national television exposure.
April Scott
Although the January, February, and March 2008 issues featuring Rhian, Lux Cassidy, and April Scott flew off the shelves and were well received, upper management at Seminole Hard Rock Casino requested photographers scale back the “exposure” and that no more lingerie pics be included in the magazine.
Following the May 2008 issue, photographers were instructed to shoot models in stylish cocktail dresses and club wear. Bathing suits and bikinis were permitted and often provided by casinos looking to showcase their luxury resorts, pools, and spas.
Kimberly Lansing
April 2008 cover model Kimberly Lansing served as the World Poker Tour’s live update hostess in season six and later in seasons 9-11. Her “girl next door” good looks and genuine personality, along with her natural speaking talent made her one of poker media’s rising stars.
Her appearance in Rounder as “Poker’s Darling” shot by KADEN in L.A., helped elevate the magazine to new heights and was key to securing advertising with industry giants.
Monica Leigh
Playboy model Monica Leigh appeared on the May 2008 cover. The ‘Playmate of the Year’ finalist was featured twice by the legendary magazine. She was also named “Cyber Girl of the Year” in 2006.
Monica appeared in several films and television shows including Entourage, CSI Miami, Spider-Man-3, and The Duel.
Vida Williams
The 2008 June/July WSOP Special Edition featured Mobile Alabama native Vida Williams. Photography was provided by Toni Riales with fashion from HL Hood out of Orange Beach, Alabama. Vida was flown to Las Vegas for the WSOP where she made appearances at the Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino with Playboy Playmates Alison Waite and Stacy Fuson. Fuson appeared on the cover the following month.
Stacy Fuson
Playboy Playmate Stacy Fuson’s cover shoot took place in front of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip as hundreds of passerby’s looked on. The iconic shot with the PH logo in the background, taken by Rounder photographer Casey Wiesel, was such a hit with owner Robert Earl, he ordered an additional 50 magazines, to mail to his closest high profile friends and investors, like Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, and Sugar Ray Leonard.
Fuson, who was Playboy‘s Playmate of the Month for February 1999, has a long list of modeling and acting credits to her name, including; Entourage, Shallow Hal, Room G., The Good Humor Man, The Independent, and The Sullivan Sisters. She’s also appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
In Shallow Hal, Stacey got a chance to work with Jack Black, who played the lead. Poker playing celebrity Jason Alexander was also cast in the comedy film
In 2020, Fuson founded ‘The Stacy Fuson Foundation.’ The 501(c)3 non-profit is operated by volunteers whose mission is to “Provide financial assistance for people with disabilities to cover costs such as physical therapy, medical and sports equipment, living expenses, and other related expenses, enabling them to remain active in their communities.”
Each year a celebrity poker tournament is held. Over $250,000 has been raised to date. To make a donation or volunteer please visit stacyfusonfoundation.org.
