Make Way For The Poker Ladies

Published: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 Online-Casinos.com

MAKE WAY FOR THE POKER LADIES

Winner in Star City poker tournament could take home GBP 100 000


Britain's first live all-women poker championship is being held this summer with an estimated prize of GBP100 000 and a promise of "celebrity status in the poker world". The tourney is backed by the well established Stanley Leisure group, and has received wide coverage in the UK media.

The Telegraph News took the angle that increasing numbers of women players are being seen at land tournament, and that many of these first acclimatised themselves to the competitive environment by playing online.

"The talents required of a poker player are traditionally male traits: aggression, the ability to lie and hide your emotions, the newspaper opined. "But women are finally breaking into the world of poker and some are beating the men at their own game." The newspaper goes on to examine the poker experience and success of several young women and quoted a recent YouGov poll which showed that women made up 30 to 40 percent of online players. In casinos, the proportion of women is estimated to have increased from one to five per cent of players.

Mark Ross, the director of Star City in Birmingham, Britain's largest casino, where the women's championship final will be held, said: "Women's championships started in America three or four years ago and we felt it was time to start them here.

"A lot of women are starting online and then deciding they want to play with real people. I think women who have never been in a casino before but have played with friends or online will enter the championship."