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Women can't play poker.
It's true, I read it somewhere.
Be interested in your views on women in poker, & a little Blog on the topic which contains a few questions for you.
HERE
Comments
I think you have to look at the history of the game and social attitudes. When poker became popular many decades ago it was associated with seedy backrooms in bars, not regulated properly plus violence and crime were often associated with the game. Aside from this, many of the establishments would be 'men only'. For these reasons, and others, social attitudes percieved poker as a male endeavour, perhaps understandably, as it was literally at the time an almost exclusively male persuit.
Social attitudes can be persistent and even nowadays if a male tells someone unfamiliar with the game that they play poker there can often be strange glances. People who think a 'royal flush' is some reference to the queen's toileting habits often have social attitudes more in keeping with the 1900's than the realities of the modern game. Either that or they often think you are some kind of degenerate gambler who will likely lose their house on a coinflip one day and take up residence in cardboard city and turn to a life of drug use. These uneducated and outdated attitudes can often surface with even more derision if it is a female speaking of their poker exploits, hence the low turnout.
A public relations initiative that highlights what modern poker in general is actually like for everyone including women would probably very slowly start to redress the balance.
So I would obviously be in favour of women only poker tourneys then right?
Well, no! Positive discrimination is still discrimination. I read a BBC article today highlighting the unequal numbers of women in board positions in UK sports. The 'article' mentioned that some could lose their funding as they are not meeting the quota of 30% inclusion of women in such rolls and then duely held up women's netball as a shining barometer of diversity as it had a board comprised of 90% females. So a board filled with 70%+ of one gender is discrimination but a board with 90%+ of another gender is 'diversity'?
The answer in my opinion is not by changing laws or policy. There is nothing barring women from participation currently, the thing that needs to change is social attitudes. Welcoming women more openly to the game, maybe introduce some promos with prizes that women would traditionally be more interested in, and maybe portray the game in a more gender neutral way etc.
This is very much in the interests of the industry, which to varying degrees is finding the market more challenging, to lead the way. There is a massive market out there (roughly 50% of the population) that is not being tapped into properly.
So yes, women can most certainly IMO play poker just as well as men but I really do not see a need for 'women only' tourneys. Just promote the game in a manner that encourages more equal participation from men and women alike and leaves a lot of the old stereotypes from the past, in the past.
As to a tip for women to watch out for in this years WSOP... I would go for Sofia Lovgren, came very close to some huge results last year, is fearless and if she doesn't smash the WSOP this year she will undoubtedly be sitting in Sands poker room at Venetian (she will be the lovely young lady peering out from behind a massive tower of chips).
As to men being faster, stronger - that is true but based upon biology. It doesn't matter what way anyone wants to cut it, there is irefutable evidence that males on average have around 10% more body mass than females. It is therefore obvious that males will usually be faster and stronger.
I am sure there are stories about someones cousin's best friends aunt who can drink all the men under the table and bench press a car, nevertheless the 'average' female has roughly 10% less body mass.
As to a white male winning the WSOP - well with only 6% of the field being female that is a statment of pure probability, not ability. Not sure what the black/white figures are but these points are not based on biology or ability, just the fact there are more males taking part.
Unless you are suggesting of course that females are in some way cognitively challenged with regards to poker when compared to males? There are differences between the male and female brains but none that I am aware of that would make a woman less likely to win the main event than a male if the field was 50% male 50% female.
is it because the 5 minute synchronised breaks aren't long enough to allow for ironing and cooking?
Even if the complete stereotypes hold true though, and whatever their cause if they do exist, who is to say that a more cautious approach (thinking about female driving stereotypes) would not outweigh a slightly reduced arithmetical ability (considering the example you gave). There are so many other stereotypes that would need to be considered and my personal opinion would be that...
Some of the stereotypes will by myth, some will be fact, but in my opinion it will basically amount to a roughly equal list of pros and cons that show males and females would have roughly the same inherent ability to play poker skillfully.
Well, rather interesting some good bits and the usual male prejudices. Well being an average player some good results over the years but I feel that women play less because they cannot put in the time it needs, and dedication on the lower levels. Just reply to a few of the above remarks, yes we do multi task better, and you would be surprised at what can be achieved in the five minute breaks. I would like to list a few good women poker players on here such as, roguecell, sharksbite bromley23 and irishrose. Oh and just a little fact small tourney last night 29 males one female and female won.
I think it can be argued that women actually have advantages over men in certain instances where men try to overcompensate.
Prejudices in this instance can be used as an advantage as Poker requires us to mislead our opponents. If our opponents are already misled, thats half the battle.