Women have and deserve space in live poker

Last week, the World Poker Tour planned to hold an event exclusively for women at the Gran Via Casino in Madrid, as is traditionLadiesThis is how the live poker industry is trying to spark interest in our games among this group.

The tournament lived up to expectations and created a good atmosphere among the few female players on the local circuit. It was a tournament played by women and won by a woman, but it wasn’t the first time the only thing said about the tournament was that there was a local male player at the table.

Of course, in his work there is no shortage of typical arguments in defense, namely that women’s tournaments are the antithesis of equality, that casinos cannot prevent men from winning money on their premises, that there are laws in this regard, but in intellectual sports There are the same clichés about sexism having no basis in gender and that the existence of such tournaments constitutes discrimination against men.

As a novelty in this specific case, it was highlighted that the woman had legally changed her gender. However, the subject made it clear that she did not feel like a woman, that she had found a loophole in the law with the cooperation of an official unwilling to abide by the spirit of the law, and that her entire intention was a joke. This is the culmination of the reasons given for such behavior. laughter.

But before we analyze the validity of these arguments, let’s go back in time and try to understand the existence of women-only tournaments.

The most common damage caused by prejudice and discussion to past eras is contemporary damage. Women need to create a space for her in casinos, she asked in the network.

Today? Fortunately there are fewer than before. Women’s events are a product of an era and social conditions, and sadly they still had a reason to exist, and still do.

Because it is a date so ingrained in American society and it is not uncommon for no women to participate in the WSOP,in 1976, a women’s event was created and designated for this day in the calendar. The tournament format chose Stud, the most popular poker game in American households, with the buy-in set at $100, far lower than any other event during the holiday season. In its first year,93 womenplayed in the WSOP Women’s Event, making it by far the most attended event in the festival’s history.

In a way, this day is an opening of doors in a predominantly male environment. The comparison is much greater than today. None of the 93 women showed up at the Horseshoe the night before or the next day.

This is where anecdotal stories come in. Just a year before the women’s WSOP in Spain, a woman who wanted to open a bank account and deposit the equivalent of a $100 buy-in needed her husband’s written permission. This situation was not one of those exceptions to what might seem to us today as a dictatorship. This is common in many societies and is still part of the legal corpus in some areas.

When the question is thrown into the air: “What stops women from playing poker?” it means that neglecttraining and role allocationmakes it more difficult for women to attend festivals. No single cause can be condemned and addressed overnight.

Vicky Coren responded to the Daily Mail’s happiness question, saying she didn’t see any issues and she had some things to do poker-related and probably wasn’t the one to bring this up best person for the question, but she pointed to historical and educational reasons for the low representation of women in casinos.

“Obsession with numbers and statistics more likely to be traditionally male; traveling alone.” Handling large amounts of money and walking at night raises safety concerns; long poker tournaments are not conducive to family life… …”

Traditionally male activities, an atmosphere of insecurity, the availability and management of money, the role of women as caregivers and housewives… these clichés limit leisure and the freedom to enjoy leisure, which is something women have always suffered from, and it’s made worse in the casino environment.

Kerryjane Craigie, Director of Poker at London’s Arena Casino, behind the monthly women’s tournament Promoter, Coren addressed the topic in a Daily Mail article, and she had no qualms about pointing out the problem.

“A lot of women are interested in poker but don’t get into the male-dominated world when it comes to poker. Feeling uncomfortable when dominating the room. The atmosphere in the room was intimidating, especially the banter. “They can be difficult to get along with at the poker table,” said the woman, who is the only woman on the continent to her knowledge who runs a poker room that partners with several European poker tournaments. Their impression has been confirmed by multiple surveys conducted by operators such as 888Poker.

We can conclude that one of the biggest obstacles for women to gain a foothold in the poker world is the unwelcome atmosphere at the tables. Creating sexism in the microcosm of the dinner table, a lack of financial independence and caring responsibilities within the family, the beneficiaries of these privileges must be reminded every time they step on the carpet. almost none.

That’s why the industry gives them a box of chocolates on every major holiday. Traditionally a cheaper tournament with a quick, one-day structure so it doesn’t interfere too much with family schedules and other players in the tournament understanding their situation.