Her unorthodox style almost made poker history Tuesday at the Hard Rock in Hollywood – but a Clearwater grandmother walked away with a valentine instead.

Diane "Gigi" Gagne, who says her age is “forever young,” finished second in the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, winning $158,194. No woman in its 10-year history has ever won a World Poker Tour tournament.

“But I had an amazing week anyway,” said Gagne, wearing a pink low-cut top, a bracelet that spelled out “Peace” in rhinestones and matching earrings.

She says her run of good luck came because of a man she met in Clearwater on Thursday. That’s when Richard Kess walked up to her as she was having a drink in a restaurant.

“I like your necklace,” she told him.

“Here, wear it, I’ll get it back from you when we have dinner tonight,” he said. Kess, who is Jewish, placed the mezuzah necklace over her head and arranged a time for them to meet up later that night.

Next came a trip to an art gallery opening, then she accompanied him to boxing trainer Angelo Dundee’s funeral (Kess is close with Dundee’s children).

Then, even though he knows nothing about poker, Kess accompanied her to the $3,500 buy-in Hard Rock tournament, as she worked her way through the 295-player field Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

"He's my spiritual advisor and my soul mate rolled into one," she said, rubbing his back and asking if it was OK to use the word “engaged” around the press.

Gagne, who has been playing for five years, but has won only smaller tournaments at Derby Lane Kennel Club in St. Petersburg, got attention for confessing that she doesn’t bluff – most successful poker players say to do well they have to take down pots when they don’t have the best hand – and knocking back vodka tonics during the 10-hour daily sessions. (Almost no other player drinks during the action.)

“It makes me play bolder,” she said.

Poker experts weren’t buying her game even though she was among the leaders after two days. She had the chip lead among the 34 remaining players, but WPT commentators Jessica Welman and BJ Nemeth placed the “over-under” on her finishing place at 17th.

While others in the poker establishment also questioned her skills, the mother of three and grandmother of three reached the final table Tuesday, and outlasted four other players before losing to Matt Juttelstad of Orlando, who earned $268,444.

And she has a companion, who says he’s ready to take her to on an overseas vacation in a couple of weeks. They’re going to Vienna. There’s a WPT tournament there April 10-15.