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Just saying the word "poker" conjures up all sorts of images, and most of these images revolve around, or are somehow connected with, men. The classic image of poker is of a group of men gathering to smoke cigars and gamble, or of steely-eyed men matching wits and courage around a green felt table. However, the recent emergence of top female poker players, along with the increased availability of online gambling, are making it easier for women to take up, and succeed at, this popular card game.
One of the initial barriers to women playing poker was that they literally had to battle to sit at the table. Women attempting to play poker at brick and mortar games in casinos and elsewhere (games that take place in the real world as opposed to online) often faced derision from their male players. Women were seen as not "tough" enough to play with the men, and were greeted with condescending attitudes and even hostility. It took a strong woman to break into these tables, and so women poker players were few and far between.
This has changed in the past 20 years, as many top women players have emerged and started raking in big pots at poker tournaments worldwide. One of the top female players, Kathy Liebert learned the game as a dealer, as she watched how the men played the game. Using that information, Liebert build a very powerful strategy. Rather than being intimidated by men, Liebert and players such as Annie Duke, Barbara Enright, and Susie Isaacs have learned to use their femininity to their advantage. Duke and Enright have also shown that you can be a poker-playing woman and still have a great home life. For example, Duke placed tenth in the 2000 World Series of Poker while eight months pregnant with her third child.
Another way that women have found their way into playing poker is with online gaming. Online gaming allows anonymity, as women can choose to play as either a man or a woman. This also provides an opportunity for women to expand their boundaries and challenge stereotypes without having to make a stand at a real life poker table. It is estimated that as many as one quarter of all online players are women, although it is difficult to determine exact numbers.
Online poker has allowed a broad spectrum of women to become involved in the game. Female online players include homemakers as well as career women, and young, middle aged and older women. What attracts these women to online poker is the chance to pit their skills, determination, and a bit of money (or sometimes quite a bit of money) against other players.
One of the attractions of online poker is that players can watch games and learn about their opponents before "sitting down." This is a tremendous advantage for players new to the game, as they can also learn more about how the game is played. The number of women using online poker sites has increased dramatically in recent years, as has the number of women entering (and succeeding at) real life poker tournaments around the world.
What was once considered a "man's game" is slowly adapting to the presence of these women, as male players realize that women bring just as much, and sometimes more guile, determination, and skill to the game as they do.
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