Monday, May 08, 2006

Women take on the men at poker - and come up with aces

The talents required of a poker player are traditionally male traits: aggression, the ability to lie and hide your emotions. And, of course, staying up late smoking cigars.

But women are finally breaking into the world of poker and some are beating the men at their own game.

Britain's first live all-women poker championship is being held this summer with an estimated prize of £100,000 and a promise of "celebrity status in the poker world".

Poker has emerged from smoky back rooms and has exploded in popularity, first by being shown on television and now by the popularity of internet games.

Suddenly it is not only respectable but fashionable to play, attracting more women and young people. Women are still in a minority, but they have come a long way from the days when a female face around the table was rare.

A YouGov poll last year showed that women made up 30 to 40 per cent of online players. In casinos, the proportion of women is estimated to have increased from one to five per cent of players.

Rest of Article

3 comments:

CarmenSinCity said...

I love to see the women becoming a FORCE at the poker tables. I know I still get a little nervous when I sit down at a table full of guys, it can be intimidating. But, more and more I'm starting to see a women or two pop up here and there when I play and it's very cool!

Julie Marie said...

I have only been playing online, but yes, I am noticing more and more women players

CC said...

Here's to hoping we'll never see more than 10% of players being women. I'd like to think the fairer sex is fundamentally less degenerate than us Neanderthals. Plus why would ladies want to fight each other for all the gravy chips!

Seriously, it would be interesting to find out the percentage of online players who are women. Party has a huge push outside of the US, probably as a hedge against the pending legislation. Women would seem to be a huge growth market for both online and b&m rooms.